The sudden closeness… the strength in his hands…
It unsettled her in a way she did not understand.
Edmund mounted the horse behind her, his presence immediately surrounding her.
Ariel stiffened slightly.
"Relax," he murmured near her ear. "You will not fall… not on my watch." His arm came around her, taking the reins, effectively caging her in.
Ariel swallowed, her fingers gripping the front of the saddle.
"Where… are we going?" she asked softly.
Edmund leaned slightly closer, his voice low.
"Somewhere quiet."
They rode for a while, the sound of the horse's hooves was the only thing breaking the silence.
Ariel could not help herself anymore. "How do you know where I live?" she asked, turning her head slightly to look at him.
At first, he did not reply.
"It was quite… stressful," he said at last, his voice calm, almost distant. "But not so hard to discover."
