Why did Mandell act like that? Like she was hypnotised? The thought stue, refusing to let me rest. Yet no matter how much I try to divert my thoughts, it just keeps ing baandell and this stray.

  I shift in the small bed, squeezed between two maids. Another sharp kick hits my back, in a not-so subtle way of tellio ‘stop moving’. How did I fet that the w css used to share beds. Is this my life now? Doomed to forever share beds with other people?

  My thoughts, uled, return and Caspian’s words echo in my mind.

  ‘This pce, these people, you ’t trust them.’ This city…Something about it feels s… I turn once again in bed, careful to not disturb the others. Why does Caspian accept the eople treat him? Why doesn’t he fight back? If it were me, I don’t think I could live in a world hated by others. But then I recall the war camp. Not everyoes him…I think of Ester and the knights that showed Caspian the respect he deserves. Is it just this city?

  My thoughts carry me into the early m, and when daylight breaks, the castle once again bustles with workers. People rush about, preparing for the departure of Caspian’s soldiers. But unlike yesterday, when the army’s arrival had bee with excitement, and cheers, today’s atmosphere is heavy. Dull.

  People carry out their duty without a care, seemingly unbothered if the small army of men will survive their journey bae.

  Supplies are stacked haphazardly in wagons, barely secured. Meals are overcooked and meager, and nowhere near enough to sustain the army. It seemed as though the city’s disdain for Caspian had exteo his people.

  Ester retrieved me in the early hours, returnio Caspian’s watch. In response, Caspian pced me atop his horse, well aware that it was too tall for me to climb down on my oetty power move. Now, he stands nearby, trying to make sense of the pitiful provisions being handed over for his army’s journey. As I watch the flow of servants and artisans hand over their goods and repairs, I notiething…Strange. Where most didn’t bother with the quality of their supplies, tossing them into wagons and at soldiers without a sed thought; a few workers seem unfazed by Caspian’s reputation, handling their repairs with care, and showing Caspian a duke’s worthy thanks, some even having a polite versation with him.

  The trast is striking and fusing. Not everyone?

  As I sit atop the horse, waiting for the final stocktake before departure, my gaze sweeps across the bustling courtyard and I he slight differen clothing of Caspian’s people pared to everyone else. His men wear a more barbaric, fantastical version of viking clothing, which is a stark trast to the medieval English style of this city and its inhabitants.

  A final t is taken, and the order to depart is given. The weary soldiers once again mount their steeds, and the sound of shifting armour and stamping hooves fills the courtyard.

  Caspian approaches and tightens the straps on the horse. My grip tightens on the saddle as Caspian swings himself up behind me, his movements effortless against the rge steed. As he settles into the seat, his warmth immediately radiates onto my back. I try not to react to his warmth, or the irritating knowledge of how close he is to me. But it’s impossible to ignore as his knee bumps against mine as he adjusts himself. Upon feeling my cool temperature emanating from under my thin dress, Caspian once again uns his fur cloak, ing it around us, log us together until he uncsps the silver. His arm, uhe cloak, reaches around to me to take the reins, his touch sending an uneasy prickle down my spine.

  I hate this. I hate hoed I feel, how small I am to anything against this brute. Why am I so useless in trying to save myself? I just want to go home. My current situation makes me irritated at the fact, I’ve yet to shorogress in esg.

  “You’re tense.” He speaks in a low tone close to my ear. His voice irritates me, a reminder of my failure to escape from his grasps. I press my lips together, staring ahead. I am tense. How I not be? I’m once again on my way to an unknown pce, getting further away from home, with a man I don’t trust or like. I don’t respond. Nothing I say will ge my situation.

  Caspian exhales slowly, feeling the tension growiween us. The reins shift slightly in his hands, and the horse uedly moves forward causio jolt at the sudden movement. Caspian’s hand is quick to grasp my side, steadying me.

  “Don’t fall off.” I swallow hard, my fiightening around the saddle, slightly embarrassed.

  The army begins to move off from the castle’s grounds, but there’s no camaraderie, no parade, no real send off. As we pass through into the city my unease grows. The streets are no different to an ordinary day, its inhabitants don’t even spare us a sed gnce as we pass through.

  Caspian rides ahead, his posture rigid, his expression unreadable. His demeanour seems…uled? As if irritated by how his people are still treated. Making it the gates of the city, Caspian moves back allowing the scoutio go to the front of the army. Sir Leiman? Why is he with us…Is he Caspian’s knight?

  Where’s Ester?

  The gates of the city groan as they open, and with a curt nod to his knight, the scouts head out into the ndscape in front of us.

  cxxx{}::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>

  The sun sinks lower, staining the sky in deep hues e and violet. Our long journey has remained silent and everyone has remained on edge, as if prepared for anything to happen. Or something…

  I squirm unfortably on the horse again. Hours of riding has left a dull, ag soreness in my legs and lower back. How did people get used to doing this for hours on end? Especially before cars were ied. I shift, trying to readjust myself to relieve my aches, but my new position makes me more unfortable. I let out a quiet huff of frustration, wishing that we’d stop soon.

  Caspian notices my irritation and without a word, he adjusts his grip on the reins and shifts slightly behihen, with one hand he reaches down and tugs my leg into a better position. His touch is brief and helpful, but the sudden adjustment startles me.

  I stiffen instantly, heat rushing to my face. What the hell!?

  “What are you-” I begin to speak with a flushed face, but I'm cut off by Caspian speaking over me in a ral tone.

  “You’re sitting wrong. You’ll ache less like this.” Caspiaurns to his upright position, bringing his arm up and arouo grab the reins once again.

  I press my lips together in annoyance, a rosy blush spreading along my face at the ued touch. I hate him. I lock myself into pce to prevent him from seeing my disfain.

  The grass gets taller and denser along our path, its height now swallowing the lower half of the horses.

  A strange clig noise suddenly spreads around us, and the scouts ride ahead, tense and alert. The horses sense something too, their ears point bad hooves shift uneasily. I feel Caspian t something under his breath, holding the hilt of his sword.

  “Krehvins…” Caspian mutters, before pulling his sword out in preparation.

  Then it happens.

  A blur of fur and cws bursts from the grass, then another, and another. I let out an involuntary scream to the terrifying creatures. WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOSE?! With bck fur, a skull like fad a body like a saber tooth tiger, mixed with a wolf. It is enough to make me freeze in terror. Chaos erupts as the pack starts attag the men. Horses rear and scream and the soldiers draw steel. The first of the beats luaking down a knight’s mount in a single vicious strike. The knight, rolling out of the way, swings his leg around knog the beast to its side before striking it. More creatures surge from the grass. THERE’S MORE!?! An unsuspected soldier to my right is yanked off his horse, and is pulled into the tall grass. Our mount rears, and my breath catches as I grip the saddle for dear life. Then I feel a strong arm hook around my waist. Caspian.

  Before I react, he yanks the reins, maneuvering our horse away from the assault. His grip tightens around me as he swings his sword in one fluid motion, cutting down a lungi mid-air. The force of his swing jars through him, into me. I’m going to die! I’m going to die. I’M GOING TO DIE! I tio scream and cry through the chaos.

  A sed creature charges from the side. Caspian kicks our horse forward, parrying a swipe of cws. But his movement feels strained. Bang trol of the horse and me, all the whilst being trapped with me under his cloak, is limiting his movements. He ’t fight like this.

  I barely have a sed to process what’s happening, before Caspian yanks the reins and steers sharply towards a tall tree.

  “Caspian!” I wail out as he tears the that holds the cloak together. He’s going to leave me here alone! “NO!” I cry out, gasping onto his armour. But he doesn’t hesitate, instead he lifts me off the saddle with ease, and dumps me on a low, sturdy branch. My hands immediately shooting out to bance myself on the branch, my breath ing fast and uneven.

  “Stay here.” He ands in an authoritative, strong voice. Handing his cloak to me.

  He doesn’t wait for a respourning his horse away bato the mayhem, his sword fshing as he cuts down another beast.

  I grip the branch, heart pounding. HE LEFT ME! THAT ASSHOLE LEFT ME! My breath rises in panic, tears tinuously fall as I cry out into the wild ndscape. I watch as Caspiaurns bato the fight in the distance. From atop his steed, he moves in a precise, practised fashion. His swlowing, he cuts a beast away from a soldier struggling to fend for himself. It stumbles back, bleeding onto the ground, but before long, aakes its pce.

  There’s too many of them! The beasts seem crazed, relentless, almost desperate. As if something is driving them crazy beyond reason. The soldiers struggle to keep their mounts under trol. Some have already been thrown off, fighting from the ground with occasional glows of light. Another creature bolts from the dense grass, aiming for Caspian’s horse. My breath catches.

  Caspian yanks the reins, his horse sharply pivoting as the beast leaps. Its cws graze Caspian’s arm as he expertly moves the horse. He doesn’t wait long, thrusting his sword into the creature, a hiss leaving its body as it fils to the ground.

  I squeeze the branch tighter, my nails digging into the bark as I wat. Caspian barely fli the attacks, he’s focused. But the creatures don’t stop. Another barrels its way towards him, and in a swift motion Caspiahe blood from his arm to coat his sword, causing all the symbols on it to glow and igo fmes. What the- He kicks his horse forward and swings hard. The beast ignites into fmes as Caspian strikes his head away from its body, its remains skidding across the ground in a burning heap. Despite his wound, he barely looks winded.

  A soldier nearby isn’t as lucky. One of the creatures has knocked him ft on the ground, its snarl being held back by the soldier’s hands. He’s going to die! My throat tightens and my heart sinks. But before I fully react, I see Sir Leiman on the move. He rides past the beast and grabs its scruff, pulling it off the soldier. Dragging the beast along the floor, he takes his sword and stabs the neck of the creature, a fsh of light emanating from the wound before he lets go. He pivots his horse bato the fight, his sword already swinging for another beast.

  I grind my teeth together. My body is tense, but I force myself to stay as still as possible so I don’t fall off the branch.

  Rustle.

  I look down and freeze.

  Krehvin…