Knightqueen (Oronis Knights #3)

He stretched. “Do you want more fruit? Once we eat, we need to decide which direction to head.”

She held up her wrist and pointed at the glowing binding joining them. “It’ll be easier for us to travel without the dura-binding.”

A muscle in his jaw ticked.

“We’re heading away from the Gek’Dragar, Sten. If need be, you can slap it back into place.”

He stared at her, and she knew he was weighing the odds.

She drew herself up and used her best “queen” tone. “Sten.”

“Fine.” He touched the band on his wrist, tapping out a sequence. A second later, the strands of gold winked out like they’d never even existed.

And just like that, she missed it. She missed being tied to him.

Shaking off the feeling of loss, Carys freshened up the best she could. She splashed some water on her face and finger-combed her hair.

She missed the palace. She missed her huge bathroom with its large tub that was like a pool, and her generous shower.

You’ll get home.

She sat and nabbed one of the white fruits off the table. She bit into it, enjoying the sweet juice. She saw Sten wander outside their shelter, moving to the edge of the cliff. He looked every bit the Oronis knight. His thick, muscular thighs were almost the size of her waist, and those wide shoulders looked like they could carry any weight. As she watched him, those shoulders tensed.

Her throat was tight as she joined him. “What have you seen?”

“Gek’Dragar.” His mouth was a flat line. “Look.”

In the distance, a ship made of brown metal was flying in a clear search pattern, and several small drones were zipping through the air nearby.

A mix of fear and anger twisted inside her. “They’re looking for us.”

He nodded. “We’ll go the other way. It’s the best option anyway.” He pointed.

In the distance she saw the glint of aqua blue. Her chest lifted. The ocean. Her gaze narrowed. She also could make out a plume of smoke. She shaded her eyes, but it was too far away for her to see clearly.

“Is that a settlement?”

“I think so.”

Hope soared. “Then let’s go.”

“Your feet—”

“They healed a little while we were sleeping.” She touched his arm and squeezed. “My scratched feet are the least of our worries.” She glanced back toward the ocean.

There were a lot of menacing mountain peaks between them and their destination.

It wouldn’t be an easy trek, especially barefoot. She lifted her chin. But she would do it. She was the knightqueen.

Sten searched through some of the other ruined buildings. He found an old leather pack and several bottles that he filled with water. He tucked the bottles and some of the fruit inside the pack.

Then he swung it on his shoulders. “Time to go.”

Soon, they set off down a rocky path, heading away from the Gek’Dragar search patrol.

“I wonder what the people who lived here were like,” she said. “What they did?”

“I suspect they were miners.” He pointed across the ravine.