Titania clearly remembered her home. She knew the way without any help on my part, and she seemed more at ease than she ever had on the road. As we made our way up the mountain path to the fortress overlooking the valley on one side and the mountain pass we’d used to escape Ceren on the other, she picked her way daintily around stones and cracks.

“So, how did you come by Landrey’s horse?” Kester asked me. “The last time we saw Landrey, she was heading south.”

“Talin purchased Titania from an innkeeper in Riaga,” I explained. “All they said was that she’d been left there, and no one ever came to claim her.”

Kester frowned. “Landrey never would have left her behind. She must have been stolen.”

“And Landrey? Is she all right?”

There was a long pause. “I have no idea.”

Unease crept over me like crabs scuttling on a rock. “That’s whose house we’re staying in, isn’t it?”

Kester nodded. She was clad in an undyed tunic and black breeches today, riding a chestnut gelding. She looked to be in her mid-forties, with skin weathered by the sun and hair cut short to her chin. “She wouldn’t mind,” she said, gentler than I would have expected. “Besides, you’ll be relocated tonight.”

“Relocated?” Talin asked.

“Roan will explain everything,” Kester said, ending the conversation.

The fortress was a large stone edifice running along the top of the mountain. It was narrow, with a walkway on top for archers and cannons, and little in the way of living quarters by the look of things. Galethians were posted at intervals on the wall. They weren’t mounted, but there were horses stationed at the bottom, ready to deploy if necessary.

A man on the hairiest horse I’d ever seen was waiting for us at the top. He appeared to be a few years older than Talin, with close-cropped auburn hair and piercing brown eyes above a slightly aquiline nose. A scar cut through one eyebrow, adding to his already rugged appearance. “Welcome to Galeth,” he said. “I’m Roan. I trust you slept well last night.”

He was speaking to all of us, which surprised me. Perhaps it wasn’t clear who was in charge.

“We recognized you girls based on your friend Samiel’s description,” Roan continued. “Without the flag, the rest of you would have been shot on sight.”

“Is Sami here?” Zadie looked around eagerly. She had been given her own horse this morning, brought over by Kester, who hadn’t seemed to like the idea of her riding double with Osius.

“He’s farther north,” Roan said. “You’ll see him soon.”

Zadie deflated a little, and I bristled on her behalf. I didn’t like the way Roan seemed to be withholding information. We weren’t the enemy.

Talin was similarly frustrated. He dismounted and approached Roan on foot and bowed, no small gesture from a royal. “I’m Prince Talin, second son of the late King Xyrus of Ilara. That was my brother, Ceren, who chased us to the border. He exiled me and—”

Roan held up a hand, cutting him off. “There will be plenty of time for that later, when our council convenes.”

“I’m sorry,” Talin said. “I was under the impression you were...”

He arched an eyebrow. “The King of Galeth?”

Kester snickered and Roan grinned, but there was no mirth in his eyes. “We don’t have a monarchy. We rule by council. I command the cavalry at Fort Crag simply because I am the best rider. Kester is my second-in-command, and she will be taking over while I escort you to our capital, because I also sit on that council.”

“Apologies,” Talin said, looking chagrined. I wished he wouldn’t. Roan didn’t strike me as the kind of person who would be impressed by Talin’s courtly manners.

“Never mind. We’ll get you properly outfitted and set out right away. Just as soon as we find a new mount for the girl.” He was staring directly at me.

I stared back. I didn’t like this boy at all. He was brusque and demanding, and Titania belonged with me. “No.”

He tilted his head to the side. “No?”

“Kester said Landrey hasn’t returned. We purchased Titania, and she has bonded with me.”

His lips twisted in another humorless grin. “If that’s the case, she won’t let me take her from you.”

Titania’s dark ears flickered back and forth, listening. “Very well,” I said finally. “Come and try.”

“Nor.” Talin had remounted and stood next to me on Xander, and there was a note of warning in his voice.

“It’s fine,” I said. “The worst that’ll happen is I’ll get another horse.”

“Something tells me that’s not the worst that could happen,” Talin muttered from the side of his mouth.

Roan was approaching on his shaggy steed, more mountain goat than horse. I had no idea what to expect. Surely he didn’t plan to take Titania from me while I was still mounted?

“Move,” Kester commanded, motioning the rest of our party to back up. Talin did so reluctantly.

Roan dismounted, and his horse wandered several feet away, picking at a few scraggly blades of grass that had managed to find sunlight between the rocks. “Titania,” he said. Her ears pricked forward immediately. “To me.” He made a flicking gesture with his wrist. I could feel her body tense beneath me, but she didn’t move.

Roan’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. He made the same motion again, but when I didn’t respond to the gesture, Titania ignored him, instead scraping at one front leg with her teeth.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what’s supposed to happen,” I said, scratching absently at my own arm. I couldn’t deny I was enjoying this.

Roan frowned. “All our horses are trained to obey their commanders if their riders fall. Landrey was in my unit. Titania should respond to me in her absence.” He made another half-hearted flick of his wrist.

“I told you she was bonded to me. We’ve spent the past week on the road together. She alerted me when Ceren’s guards were approaching. She would sleep with me if she could.”

“Of course she would. That’s what our horses are trained to do on the road.”

I had to restrain myself from giving Talin an I-told-you-so smirk.

“Very well,” Roan said with a shrug. “You can keep her for the time being, at least until Landrey comes for her. She will never forsake her First Rider.”

“I understand.” Or at least, I thought I did. But what if Landrey never returned? Would Titania remain mine? I patted her neck, grateful she hadn’t gone to Roan. I would have let her go if I had to, but I wasn’t sure how I could ride another horse after Titania.