Sarai runs without a word or complaint, desperate to do as she must to appease the desires of her dear mother, the only family she has left. However, she cannot deny the searing pain that soon lights within her side, the fire inher lungs, the desperate pounding in her chest.
When she finally reachers her goal, Sarai is wheezing for even one precious breath. When she sees Caelan, she desires only to lie down, to tell him to leave her alone for a while. But he speaks before she can, and he seems to have something a little different in mind.
"I trust you can ride a horse?" Caelan holds up a set of reins like an offering. "If not, I suggest you learn quickly."
"Well, actually, I..." At first, Sarai is tempted to protest. But then, she looks up at the beast, its eyes beautiful and foreboding all at once, its muscles clenched powerfully. And Sarai smiles. She genuinely does. "Well, sort of. It depends on what you classify as riding, to be honest." ll this time she does not look at Caelan.