Chapter 49

Fann stopped just inside the stable door and stared at his wife. How had she managed to get to the stables when he thought she was heading into the keep?

Her hand smoothed down the side of her horse, Beck, while she talked softly to the mare. She was so calm and gentle with the horses. So unlike the way Fann was used to seeing people handle their mounts. The horses were all drawn to her though, even those that were not hers seemed to crave her attention.

An orange cat stretched on the hay in the corner and got up to twine itself under her skirts and she talked to it as well, bending for a moment to stoke between its ears before returning her attention to Beck. Storm popped his grey head over the rails from the next stall and nudged her shoulder, huffing gently and making her honey colour waves flutter. His lips teased some strands into his mouth before her hand came up to ease them away and stroke the stallion's nose. She seemed so at peace, lost in her own thoughts, that he was abou