“I’m still mad at you, Alex.” Cora swayed on Anvil’s back. Lissie looked at Cora and saw no angry red inside of her.
The mountains rose all around them, and they rode through countless switchbacks of the passes. The air swirled and eddied in between the rocks, blowing fast and then whipping up whirlwinds of snow.
“It worked out, didn’t it? The Duke was embarrassed that your noble blood was almost arrested. It was a fairy book ending. They even gave us climbing gear!” Alexander raised his arm, looking at a sleeve. “And these fine coats.”
Lissie snuggled into her fur hood. It had been obvious to her that they would need cold weather supplies. She just hadn’t expected to acquire them from the Duke of Westgat.
“He wasn’t embarrassed! He was happy to catch the notorious serial killer. Twelve bodies in the basement. It would have been thirteen if you’d have had anything worth stealing.” Riley wasn’t wearing her heavy coat. Lissie could see how warm she was.
“It didn’t hurt that he recognized me. I don’t think I look that much like my mother.” Cora stood in her stirrups, to balance on Anvil as he climbed up a boulder. The warhorse took the climb with more grace than Peach. She looked down.
This is not the place to fall.
“You are the very spit of her, my dear,” Alexander said.
“I know how much you know about her spit.” Now Cora’s temper was flaring. Lissie could see it.
“Do you know much about the Northgat Towers, Cora?” Lissie wanted to bring Cora back into her books. “I’ve heard they are a marvel of engineering.”
“They span every league of the Northgat border, from Westgat to Hardsten.” Cora’s voice dropped, measured and precise.
Lissie watched the confident purple rising from her head and relaxed.
“Each one is capable of signaling two others,” Cora continued, “That way any assault will be passed on through the chain to get reinforcements. The giants can take a tower just to be met by two other forces.”
Lissie watched Riley turn on Sugarsnap to look back at them. “Calvary are no good up here. Can’t get a charge in this terrain. The safest way to fight the giants is with volleys of arrows. Especially poison, Father said.” Riley directed her next question to Alexander. “We need to find somewhere safe for our horses this time.”
“The towers are entirely military.” Alexander sounded confident, which Lissie took to be a bad sign. “I’m sure we can drop your father’s name, or perhaps Cora’s, to get them lodging at a farm near the border.”
“You see a lot of farmland, do you?” Cora gestured at the snow-covered boulder field they rode through.
“The Company was never trying to go past the Northgat Towers. We’d do a few shows and move on. During spring. It’s lovely here in the spring!” Alexander waved a hand. “I’m sure it will all fall into place.”
Lissie focused on the wind while they rode. It blew down from the north, into their faces. She had to brace her eyes open to look for it.
I can see it. Sometimes.
Riley had to put her coat on as the sun slipped under a ridge. They had seen no people, farms, or life. Except a small herd of spiral-horned mountain goats. She pulled her hood closer and looked at the grey looming sky. In the distance there was a light. “Is that a tower?” Lissie pointed.
“It is indeed.” Alexander’s relief was poorly hidden. “I thought certainly we would come upon some speck of civilization within the Kingdom. It doesn’t matter though. We will ask for lodging at the tower. Soldiers love horses.”
He still tried to sound confident, but Lissie could see the glisten of yellow within the green down his back and head.
Bluster.
The tower was a lot farther than it looked. It was full dark before they reached it. The horses were shaking and exhausted.
They arrived on the grounds around the looming tower, and Lissie was grateful to see houses, fences, lights.
Riley cried, “Look, there’s a stable!” It was fortified and looked warm.
Her friend had turned her horse directly toward the stable, expecting the rest of them to follow.
Lissie did not even need to turn Peach’s reins, just patted the old gelding’s neck. She could smell the warm hay on a gust of wind.
A soldier wearing heavy furs greeted them. “What the hell are you doing here. Going adventuring?”
“We are on a mission sent by General Siegfried Llanarth.” Riley saluted the man.
“General Ziggy retired! They must be really scraping down in Kalden.” The soldier returned the salute.
“We need lodging for our horses until we return from the north.” Riley’s voice brokered no argument. “Also beds for four.”
“There’s plenty of room upstairs. You’re going north? Thought they were pulling everyone south for that Rose business.” The soldier took Sugarsnap’s reins off of Riley and walked her into the stable. Lissie dismounted, hitting her knee on a rock.
This leather is good for something.
“Our mission is classified,” Riley replied, “I’m happy to discuss it with the commanding officer.”
“Doesn’t matter to me. Look like fine horses to sell when you die up there. Pad my budget for the season.”