Warrior (Princesses of Myth #2)

I nudged the horse’s flanks and trotted in alongside Mum. Dad was two lengths ahead and he veered slightly to the left, taking the forest path.

Pine trees grew tall and strong either side as we entered the thick tree line. Above the sun was masked by the canopy, but the ocean and its rhythmic crashing reached me on the breeze.

“Look at you.” My mother chuckled, looking quite amused. “Like a duck to water.”

“Like you wouldn’t believe.” I licked my lips, finding them dry. Gosh, I had to remember water was now a necessity, something I had to drink every few hours. “This duck needs a drink.”

I lifted the leather flap on the saddlebag and withdrew a water flask from the supplies which were always well stocked for rides. I took a long swallow.

“How did school go today?”

“School? Oh, it was a study day.” “Dad, did you tell Mum about Elizara? You said you would.”

“I did. She’s aware we sent a team of warriors to the Sol compound for information. I told her what was discovered, only, not by whom. Remember, she is spellbound to Dralion and cannot leave to visit them.”

“And...” my mother continued.

“I visited No-Man’s Land. I met Elizara Sol.”

“You did? What’s she like?”

“The best. I met Dad’s sister too. Goldie took me to the compound.”

“She’s in the outback, right? Alexo mentioned her to us a while ago.” Reaching across the small gap between our horses, she squeezed my arm. “Tell me about her and Elizara. Everything.”

I smiled, because I wanted to speak of this so desperately. “Elizara has the water skill. It’s amazing to see what she can do.”

“Alexo briefed me on it. He said one of his family members was going to document what she’d discovered. The skill flows through the Sol family line and could turn up within any future children we have.”

“That’s right.” I glanced ahead to where he rode. “Did he mention more information has come to hand on mind-merge?”

“No, and I only want to hear it if it’s good news. I’m so sick of the bad stuff. Like death. Ugh.”

“It’s all good. I’ve discovered if both within the mated bond have a telepathic link, the one with mind-merge can use it to draw the merge along. It removes the whole three-day death sentence.”

“What?” Her horse shifted at her high tone and she patted his neck. “Sorry, but you’re a telepathic. Can you merge along this link?”

I wanted to say yes for myself and Silas, but Faith couldn’t with Loveria. “Um, no. I don’t have a link with him. Warring blood and all.”

“Tell her Davio and I won’t stop trying.” Faith’s words rung clear.

“I won’t stop trying, Mum.” My spirits lifted as I called her Mum for the first time. “Mum. Mum. Mum.” I just had to repeat it.

“Y-e-s?” She scrunched her brow up. “Something wrong?”

“Nothing. You just have the best name in the world.”

She laughed. “Thanks, honey. I can’t wait until I have more little lunatics like you.”

“Ew.” Faith griped. “I didn’t want to hear that.”

“How many lunatics do you want, Mum?”

“No. Don’t go there.”

“Because I’d like a sister for sure.”

“You’re in dangerous territory, sis.”

“Actually scrub that. I’d like a brother instead.”

“Shut up.”

“You shut up.”

“You look a little flushed, Faith.”

“I’m fine. Amazing, actually.”

Releasing a soft breath, she lifted her face to the sky. “Me too.” Sunlight sprinkled through the thinning canopy. We were close to where the trail meandered toward the black granite cliffs. “I can’t put my finger on why, but for some reason I feel...complete.”

“You do?”

She touched a hand to her chest. “There’s always been an emptiness in my heart I’ve never been able to explain, but right now, it’s strangely gone. It’s like I have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

I drew in a slow breath. “I feel the same way.”

“I have an idea. How about we do some girly stuff after this? It’s been ages since we have.”

It was the best idea I’d ever heard. And my yes couldn’t come fast enough.



The next evening, I stood thirty feet from Dralion’s magnificent cliff face. The setting sun dipped on the horizon, the last rays of the day touching the ocean’s rippling blue surface. Another beautiful day had passed with my mother, my second one.

Faith had watched me with her forethought from close by. I’d told Mum more of Goldie and the outback and Elizara Sol. We’d painted our nails and gone for another ride. Now though, she dressed for dinner, a family meal. So simple, yet I couldn’t wait for it.

“Faith has just turned up. Where are you?”

Silas’s low growl rumbled around in my head. Faith had not left in the two days we’d been here, but with her head pounding these past few hours, I’d insisted she leave and mind-merge with Loveria.

“I told you I wasn’t coming.”