I had no idea if the cloaked man from my dream or his words were real or a hallucination. The latter seemed the likeliest explanation the longer I was awake. I’d never sleepwalked before, and I had no recollection of rising. That lent credence to the magic of the mountains preying upon me, but something or someone had stopped me. And Kieran had suggested that it had been Aios herself.
I glanced up at the golden trees. Could it truly have been the goddess? That seemed too fantastical to believe.
“Would you like something to eat?” Kieran asked, drawing me from my thoughts.
Casteel had asked the same question no more than thirty minutes ago, but my stomach was full of too many knots to eat more than a few slices of bacon Casteel had offered me that morning.
“If you would like something to drink, just let me know,” Casteel said, and I nodded.
Throughout the morning, both had attempted to engage me in conversation or drown me in food and drink. I just…my mind was in too many places, in the past and in the future.
“I’ve been thinking about when we get to Atlantia,” Casteel announced not too long after. “We need to resume those horseback riding lessons. You’re going to need more than one if you plan to run into the capital of Solis on your own horse.”
Excitement trickled through me. “I would like that.”
“I’m sure Setti would enjoy it.” Casteel guided the horse around a narrow bend. “He will probably expect daily visits from you. Though, I probably won’t be happy,” he went on. “I like you right here.”
“I really hope you two don’t turn into one of those couples who are constantly whispering sweet nothings at one another,” muttered Kieran.
My brows lifted.
“Since we’ve been married, she’s already told me to shut up—how many times? I’m pretty sure she’s threatened to stab or punch me since then, too.”
I did not recall either of those things.
“Well,” Kieran said. “That’s good news.”
“But you’re still going to hear me whisper things.” Casteel’s lips brushed the healing bite mark. “Just extremely dirty things.”
“Shut up,” I said.
Casteel laughed as his arm tightened around me, but I saw Kieran’s gaze flick over me to Casteel, and I felt the Prince nod behind me. Kieran rode ahead, going far enough that I could barely make out the shape of him and his horse. I tensed, knowing there was no other reason for Kieran’s actions than to give us space.
We rode in silence for a couple of minutes, and then Casteel said, “Last night wasn’t your fault. It was the mist. Somehow, it was triggered, and it went after you. I shouldn’t have yelled at you afterward. I’m sorry.”
The sincerity in his tone startled me enough that I turned my head toward his. “I didn’t think you yelled at me. You were just…”
“What?”
“You were just scared.”
“I wasn’t scared. I was fucking terrified,” he admitted. “When we realized you were gone, we knew it wouldn’t be easy to track you in the mist. I don’t know how we found you so quickly, but thank the gods we did. Hell.” He coughed out a dry laugh. “Maybe the gods actually have something to do with us finding you.”
“Do you really think that was who I saw? Aios?”
“Honestly?” His breath touched my cheek. “We all felt the earth shake, and Nyktos did show us his approval. They seem to like you, Princess.”
I worried my lower lip. “I know you don’t think my dream was real—”
“I didn’t say that. I think the mist got in your head, but that doesn’t mean that what you saw or heard wasn’t a real memory. It could’ve been real, and it could’ve been the mist. Both of those things. Either way, what happened last night wasn’t your fault.”
“But neither you nor Kieran almost walked off a cliff,” I pointed out.
“That doesn’t mean we weren’t affected.”
“You were?”
He was quiet and then said, “I had strange dreams last night.”
“Like what?”
This time, he was silent for even longer. “I dreamt that you were…you were in the cage I was held in.”
“Oh.” My stomach dipped.
“And I…I couldn’t free you.” He shifted behind me as if he weren’t comfortable, and I suddenly wished we were face-to-face.
My heart twisted in my chest. “That’s not going to happen.”