Read Online Allegiance by Cayla Kluver - Free Book Online

loudly that my father’s languid horse jumped to life and shied away. “Stay out here! But I’m taking the horses, so you can either get on your bloody animal right now, or you can walk back!”
    â€œIt’s a delightful day for a stroll!” I retorted, making known my choice, whether or not it was a wise one. I did not wait for him to respond but marched off in the direction of Koranis’s estate. I didn’t look back but heard Steldor’s horse whinny in excitement at again being allowed to run, and my father’s horse noisily object as it lumbered along behind.
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    The distance separating me from my destination was longer than I remembered, but then, the previous trips had been in a buggy, requiring no physical exertion on my part. On this day, my father’s horse had taken me a little less than half the distance to Koranis’s estate; now that I was on foot, I estimated that it would take me roughly three hours to complete the journey. It was absurd, however, to think thatI would be able to maintain a consistent pace or that I would not need to rest. Nonetheless, I had made my decision and so continued resolutely onward. I would not give Steldor the satisfaction of knowing he had ruined my outing, nor would I return to the palace in ignominious defeat.
    As I walked, the ground seemed to become harder and more painful to tread upon, and my legs felt the strain of the exercise. With a humorless chuckle, I realized how poorly suited for this activity were both my thin leather shoes and my body. An hour had passed, and already I wanted to lie down on the road and wait for a farmhand to collect me and return me to the city. But I was quite certain that no one would be out in this part of Hytanica, for the threat of the Cokyrians at our borders had led to planting only those fields within a safe distance of the city. To my right and left were croplands that had been abandoned by field hands, the last of whom I had seen on the road long ago. My only hope was that Steldor would send someone after me, but that was a feeble hope at best. I had left him infuriated and bleeding, and the idea that he would be forgiving enough to send a guard to find me was comical.
    I kept on trudging, limbs becoming heavier as the minutes went by and several times needing to quench my burning thirst. I praised my own good sense at having brought along a water flask but was now wishing I had brought some food, as well. My stomach grumbled unhappily every so often, but I had no choice other than to ignore it.
    Thankfully, the day was not particularly hot, for the spring sun was less intense than it would become in June and July; at the same time, it would grow colder when the day’s warmth dissipated in the evening. I was wary of what would happen then, for I had brought no cloak. With a sighof relief, I remembered that there would be blankets and food stores inside Koranis’s home.
    I continued for another hour before I again stopped to revive beneath a large, shady tree along the roadside, leaning back against its trunk. I closed my eyes and pressed my hand against my hot, damp forehead, unable to recall the last time I had perspired in such a fashion. My legs ached, and I rubbed them to relieve their stiffness, with poor results.
    After about fifteen minutes, I stood and resumed my journey. I believed I would make it to the estate before dusk, but did not want to waste time, not fully trusting my instincts as to how much distance I had yet to cover. My anxiety had been growing with the lengthening shadows, for it was too late to turn back to the secure and friendly city. Trying not to think, I focused on the ground as it moved beneath my feet.
    I was enormously relieved when at last I glanced up and saw Koranis’s two-story country home taking shape before me. It looked strangely lifeless in its unoccupied state, and the unkempt grounds had an air of desolation about them, but it represented