cautiously optimistic. She picked up a nearby folder.
“Oh yes,” Susan said, “in an unrelated matter. I got the results back from the swab I took after we tested Drake.”
Ryan glanced at the paperwork in her hand. Susan seemed very pleased with herself.
“I found traces of thrombin, which is an enzyme which aids in coagulation. I have seen you several times stop bleeding by touching your lips to the wound, and now I have an explanation for it.”
“It wouldn’t suffice just to say a kiss made it better,” Ryan said. She stood. “Well, I am taking Drake riding. Jason has asked to go as well. Would that be acceptable to you?”
Susan stared at her a long moment, and Ryan shifted uncomfortably. “What?”
Susan was mildly flustered. “Nothing, it’s just—”
“What?”
Susan set down her chart. “I just appreciate your asking.”
Ryan gave her another wicked grin. “Just because I am going to be King doesn’t mean I will start ordering you around.” She flicked an imaginary piece of lint from her shirt, then continued under her breath. “I couldn’t even get away with that when you were human.”
A deep blush crept up Susan’s cheeks, which caught Ryan’s eye. “I am so glad I am not the only one who still does that.”
Susan shuffled paperwork, desperately wanting to change the subject. “Yes, you may take Jason out riding. I would never hear the end of it if I didn’t let him go.”
“You could go as well.”
Susan stopped. She had not been riding for years, but had done so avidly as a child.
“I don’t know,” she said uncertainly, but Ryan could hear the wistfulness in her voice. Ryan jumped to her feet.
“I insist,” she said, heading toward the door, “that’s an order.”
The three horses picked their way through the forest, content to amble at something less than Ryan’s usual breakneck pace. Drake sat comfortably in front of Ryan, holding onto the saddle. Jason was handling his horse well, a gentle mare Ryan had chosen, and Susan was pleased to see her own riding skills were quickly returning on the steed Ryan had chosen for her.
Ryan commented on this fact. “You ride well.”
The compliment pleased Susan, but her horsemanship paled in comparison to Ryan’s. “And you ride as if the horse is part of you.”
Ryan smiled, revealing perfect teeth. “You have to remember, dear doctor, that when I was born this was the only form of transportation available.” She gave her stallion the slightest nudge, and he moved into sync next to Susan’s horse.
“I was originally too poor to own a horse, but I was sent packing on one after spending the night in the stockade.”
Susan glanced over at her. “And what did you do to deserve a night in the stockade?”
Ryan’s tone was casual, but she lowered her voice so that Jason could not hear. “I killed a priest.”
Susan’s glance was sharper this time, but Ryan did not seem inclined to elaborate. Upon Susan’s insistent stare, Ryan relented. “Trust me. He deserved it.” She reached down to adjust Drake’s position, pulling him into the fold of the kilt-like throw across her shoulder. He relaxed in the sling, gazing up at his mother in adoration. He glanced over at Susan, giggled, then returned to his inspection of Ryan.
Susan looked up. Jason had gotten quite a bit ahead of them on the trail. “Jason, why don’t you hold up and wait for us?”
“That’s probably a good idea right now,” Ryan said, a little too casually.
In that instant, Jason’s horse spooked. It whinnied once, then bolted through the forest, Jason clinging to its back. Almost before the horse bolted, Ryan was after it, leaning forward on her steed, guiding the horse with one hand while holding Drake with the other. Susan kneed her own horse and joined the chase. She could not keep up with Ryan, but she was doing a fine job of keeping them in sight. That was until Ryan veered from the path and disappeared into the forest.
Susan kept
“Oh yes,” Susan said, “in an unrelated matter. I got the results back from the swab I took after we tested Drake.”
Ryan glanced at the paperwork in her hand. Susan seemed very pleased with herself.
“I found traces of thrombin, which is an enzyme which aids in coagulation. I have seen you several times stop bleeding by touching your lips to the wound, and now I have an explanation for it.”
“It wouldn’t suffice just to say a kiss made it better,” Ryan said. She stood. “Well, I am taking Drake riding. Jason has asked to go as well. Would that be acceptable to you?”
Susan stared at her a long moment, and Ryan shifted uncomfortably. “What?”
Susan was mildly flustered. “Nothing, it’s just—”
“What?”
Susan set down her chart. “I just appreciate your asking.”
Ryan gave her another wicked grin. “Just because I am going to be King doesn’t mean I will start ordering you around.” She flicked an imaginary piece of lint from her shirt, then continued under her breath. “I couldn’t even get away with that when you were human.”
A deep blush crept up Susan’s cheeks, which caught Ryan’s eye. “I am so glad I am not the only one who still does that.”
Susan shuffled paperwork, desperately wanting to change the subject. “Yes, you may take Jason out riding. I would never hear the end of it if I didn’t let him go.”
“You could go as well.”
Susan stopped. She had not been riding for years, but had done so avidly as a child.
“I don’t know,” she said uncertainly, but Ryan could hear the wistfulness in her voice. Ryan jumped to her feet.
“I insist,” she said, heading toward the door, “that’s an order.”
The three horses picked their way through the forest, content to amble at something less than Ryan’s usual breakneck pace. Drake sat comfortably in front of Ryan, holding onto the saddle. Jason was handling his horse well, a gentle mare Ryan had chosen, and Susan was pleased to see her own riding skills were quickly returning on the steed Ryan had chosen for her.
Ryan commented on this fact. “You ride well.”
The compliment pleased Susan, but her horsemanship paled in comparison to Ryan’s. “And you ride as if the horse is part of you.”
Ryan smiled, revealing perfect teeth. “You have to remember, dear doctor, that when I was born this was the only form of transportation available.” She gave her stallion the slightest nudge, and he moved into sync next to Susan’s horse.
“I was originally too poor to own a horse, but I was sent packing on one after spending the night in the stockade.”
Susan glanced over at her. “And what did you do to deserve a night in the stockade?”
Ryan’s tone was casual, but she lowered her voice so that Jason could not hear. “I killed a priest.”
Susan’s glance was sharper this time, but Ryan did not seem inclined to elaborate. Upon Susan’s insistent stare, Ryan relented. “Trust me. He deserved it.” She reached down to adjust Drake’s position, pulling him into the fold of the kilt-like throw across her shoulder. He relaxed in the sling, gazing up at his mother in adoration. He glanced over at Susan, giggled, then returned to his inspection of Ryan.
Susan looked up. Jason had gotten quite a bit ahead of them on the trail. “Jason, why don’t you hold up and wait for us?”
“That’s probably a good idea right now,” Ryan said, a little too casually.
In that instant, Jason’s horse spooked. It whinnied once, then bolted through the forest, Jason clinging to its back. Almost before the horse bolted, Ryan was after it, leaning forward on her steed, guiding the horse with one hand while holding Drake with the other. Susan kneed her own horse and joined the chase. She could not keep up with Ryan, but she was doing a fine job of keeping them in sight. That was until Ryan veered from the path and disappeared into the forest.
Susan kept
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