Chapter 15
love and mercy
Nelia closed her mouth, which had slid open as Hans spoke. Slowly she allowed the spit to wet her mouth, then swallowed before walking back to Igna, who waited patiently where Nelia left her. She had to stand on a rock to mount her horse again, wondering the entire time if the rocks would throw her off because she wasn’t the prince. She was quite a poor substitute, to be sure.
“Come on, now, Nelia. Do you need help?”
“No,” Nelia said sharply. “Of course not. As long as this rock doesn’t shout and make me fall from scaring the wits out of me.”
“It is only the Prince and the King who received the shouts of the rocks and trees,” Hans said.
“Of course,” Nelia said. “Certainly.”
Her pride now at stake, Nelia tried to jump, but only got as far as throwing her sho
