A Court This Cruel and Lovely

In the morning, Prisca resists sharing a horse with Lorian but ultimately has no choice but to ride with him. Their physical closeness intensifies her discomfort, especially given his domineering attitude and physical presence. As they travel through the dense forest, he insists that they don’t need to rush, even though Prisca is anxious about being caught by the king’s guards. During the ride, Prisca talks with some of the men, but Lorian shuts down the conversation before too much information is shared. As they stop to make camp for the night, Lorian tells Prisca that it is time for her to practice using her magic. She struggles to control her power, and Lorian resorts to throwing rocks at her to provoke a reaction, but her attempts to stop time fail.

Throughout the day, Lorian finds himself increasingly distracted by Prisca. She falls asleep during the ride, and although he is tempted to let her fall off the horse, he holds onto her instead. When she wakes and realizes that they are heading in the wrong direction, he tells her that their deal has no set timeline.