Read Online Tempered Hearts (Hearts of Valentia Book 1) by Starla Huchton, S. A. Huchton - Free Book Online

dragged her to the door.
    “Wonderful afternoon for a ride, wouldn’t you say?”
    She giggled. “You’d better bring your cloak, my lady. It’s winter still.”
    Barely pausing to bundle up, they fled the claustrophobic suite she’d seen far too much of in the endless hours of tedium and walked as swiftly as they could down through the castle and out a side exit. They passed storehouses and armories, pausing only briefly at the blacksmith stall, and finally found themselves at the royal stables. They took a moment to straighten their appearances before Elena opened the small door beside the larger one for horses and equipment.
    “Master Veyrun?” Elena called out. “Are you in, sir?”
    “If you’ve come with the hay, just leave it by the door,” a voice answered from a stall near the rear.
    Elena urged her forward with a hand on her back, but Arden’s steps were slowed by the loud strikes of a hammer coming from his direction.
    She cleared her throat. “Not the hay, sir, but if you have a moment—”
    “If you’re not here with that, I haven’t the time today.”
    Curious to see what all the banging was, Arden crept toward the back, moving so as not to disturb the horses that looked as restless as she felt. When she peeked around the open top half of the stall gate, she saw immediately what the problem was.
    “I’m very sorry to disturb you, Master Veyrun,” she said to the willowy elf with a mouthful of nails and bent over a horse’s hoof. “I can see you’re quite occupied. Perhaps there’s a better time I could speak with you?”
    As he looked up and her face registered, the nails fell from his lips, tinkling as they hit the ground. “You’re…” He scrambled to set the hoof down and pick up the nails he dropped. “I’m terribly sorry, my lady. I wasn’t expecting visitors today.”
    “Please don’t apologize. I don’t want to cause you any trouble if you’ve too much to do.”
    He straightened and sighed, motioning helplessly to the horse. “The mounts keep throwing shoes, is all. I’m checking every one of them to try to mitigate the problems before they injure the horses. As there’s twenty mounts in this stable alone, you see where I might be having a rough time of it.”
    “Haven’t you anyone to help you?” she asked.
    “Hans and Joli are seeing to the horses in the other two stables for the soldiers’ mounts, but it’s slow going.” He set the hammer and nails on a small corner shelf, along with a spare shoe, and let himself out of the stall. “But where are my manners? You’re the Lady Arden, correct?”
    She smiled pleasantly, as he had a kind way about him, though not at all in the fragile sense. “Correct, horsemaster. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Elena’s said quite a bit about you.”
    He bowed at the waist, and she met him with a small curtsy. “Elena?” he asked, looking around to where the handmaiden hid herself.
    “Yes,” she said, pulling the other woman around to stand beside her, pretending not to see her fierce blush. “I’ve been terribly restless cooped up in the castle, and she suggested we see you to ask about taking a short ride while the weather was clear.”
    He smiled and dipped his head at Elena. “ Sen d’aren, riyah . It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
    “ Sen d’aren, royo ,” Elena said quietly. “I’ve not had someone to attend that likes to ride of late.”
    “Well, as to that…” He scratched his head, his eyes scanning each stall down the line. “I’m afraid any horse I’d normally offer you needs to have their shoes checked still. I’d not send you out with one of them and risk stranding you. Darius would have me tossed out on my rear for certain.”
    Elena gasped at his informal reference to the prince, but it was all Arden could do not to giggle. “I can’t say I know him terribly well yet, but I’m sure His Highness wouldn’t do such a thing to a friend of his. I’d certainly not make a fuss