I notice the space between Devlan and me and decide that maybe Sebastian did like the thought. My face heats. “But this saddle still has no place to hold on to.”
He’s silent a moment, then says, “You can hold on to me if you’re scared of falling. Or you can learn to balance yourself with the horse’s gait.”
I scrunch my face, feeling like I’m being tested. “Will I fall if I don’t hold on?”
He shrugs. “It’s possible.”
I look at the ground. We’re not yet out of the fenced area, and Fireblood trots slowly. “I assume it will be painful.”
“Yes, princess,” he says, no humor in his voice. “It will be very painful. You might even break a limb. At a faster pace, you could die.”
My impulse is to wrap my arms around him. But I force my arms to my side, relax, and try to feel the horse’s rhythm. I won’t be intimidated by the first knight either.
As we clear the open gate, Devlan kicks his heels and leans forward. Fireblood canters. I dig my fingers under the strap of the pillion and squeeze, wobbling from side to side. My bandages make it difficult to grip, but I’m satisfied that I’ve shown him up. I smile so wide my cheeks ache, until he kicks his heels hard and Fireblood springs over a divot in the ground.
I yelp and latch on to his waist. Devlan doesn’t say a word, but I swear I feel him shake with laughter.
After my ride with Sebastian yesterday, I figured bringing my dagger along wouldn’t be too difficult, as long as I secured it properly. The hilt now rests on top of my thigh, so it doesn’t dig into my leg. I’m only to learn how to balance today, which gives Devlan little chance of feeling the weapon on my person. A knot forms in my stomach. I’m taking a huge risk, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave it behind. Not when the thought of being alone with Devlan stirs so much anxiety. I need its comfort.
Devlan heads us in the same direction Sebastian took me the day before. Once we near the wall, he veers away from the opening close to the meadow and rides farther toward the edge of the dense woods.
He leans back and pulls the reins, bringing Fireblood to a quick stop. He allows me to slide down first. I land with an oomph. I still haven’t gotten used to the numbness that follows a hard ride, and my bottom is sore from yesterday.
I run my hands along my cream dress. I should’ve worn a darker color. “So am I to learn to mount?”
Not looking in my direction, he shakes out the reins and walks Fireblood over to a thin tree, where he loosely hitches her.
“I don’t think I can learn to ride her if she’s tied to a tree.”
Devlan turns on me. His brows pull together, his mouth sets in a hard line. “I don’t think, princess, you’ll be learning to do much of anything if you don’t gain some common sense.”
He advances on me, and I step backward and stumble. I look behind me, searching for someone, anyone, but we’re alone. I meet his eyes when he’s right before me, my heart beating in my throat. “What are you talking about?”
He shakes his head, runs his hand through his dark hair, and puffs out an annoyed breath. Then he stalks away from me through the line of trees.
“Wait.” I glance around, confused, then chase after him. “What is wrong with you, Devlan? What did I do?”
When I reach the wooded treeline, I’m only a few feet behind him. He spins around and pulls himself up to his full, intimidating height. His emotions aren’t masked like usual. His face is pinched, and a sneer lights his features with mock humor. “Come at me,” he orders.
I open my mouth, then shut it.
Glancing at Fireblood, I mark my steps. Can I outrun him? My hand hovers over my thigh, ready to hike my dress up and grab it if he takes another step closer.
He makes a “come at me” gesture with his hands, curling his fingers toward his body. “Come on, princess. Take your best shot.”
I drop my hand. “Are you serious?”
“Very.”
My stomach clenches as I step up to him and push his chest. “There. Satisfied?”
He laughs gruffly. “Really, try to take me.” His lips curl into a rare smile, but it’s full of scorn. “Oh, what’s wrong? The princess doesn’t want to get her dress dirty?”
I squint and fist my hands. Before I know what I’m doing, my hands come up and I swing at his smug face. He sidesteps all my punches. I groan, landing a blow to his shoulder.
Instead of backing away like I expect, he steps into my punch. He grabs my shoulder and wraps his arm across my chest, bringing my back against his body.
I squirm against his hold. “Get. Off.”