Things Unseen: (An epic fantasy adventure series) (The Caris Chronicles Book 1) by Melina Grace Page B
Authors: Melina Grace
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about the animals in their surroundings . He never even really looks around, she mused. “Garner, how have you seen so many animals if they all run away from the band?”
“Oh, I haven’t seen half of them,” he laughed, “I’ve been told about them.” Caris was disappointed, and for the rest of their ride she only listened to him with half an ear, preferring to put her concentration into seeing the local scrub, animal droppings, trails, and bits of broken twigs that told of animal passing’s.
Crispin called them to a halt for a hurried meal when the sun, still visible through the ceiling of leaves, was directly above them. Seeing Garner stepping toward her Caris tried to dismount quickly. She succeeded in swinging her leg over Indira’s rump before he reached up behind her and lifted her down. Irritated she led Indira away from him down toward the nearby river. Why does he keep doing that? It’s like he thinks I’m a toddler who hasn’t yet learnt how to leap from a horse. As she walked toward the water, she brushed at the top of her hips, trying to erase the feeling of his hands resting there after he had set her down.
Bridee and Frystal quickly watered their horses, then, bread and cheese in hand, mounted up and headed out in a south and west direction. Caris had noticed them do this before, and realised with a spurt of hope, that they were relieving a team from scouting duty. She hoped it would be Janen’s team. In her excitement, she forgot all about her irritation with Garner and welcomed him with a smile when he sat down beside her to eat his lunch.
Caris was talking happily with Garner, her mood enlivened by her hope of seeing Janen, when he, Tilda, and Bek emerged from the brush to the east of them. Bek had a young dead eppet draped over his horse’s rear. “How does Bek’s horse cope with that?” she asked Garner.
“He’s a war horse, trained for battle. He can’t afford to be skittish at the smell of blood.” Seeing the fresh kill, Gemeil and Belti excitedly raced over to help skin and prepare it. Caris watched Janen dismount and go to water his horse. Remembering Kalen’s suspicions of her feelings when she was watching him in the village, she forced herself to peel her eyes away from him.
It had only been a day and a half since she had seen him but it felt like a moon. She forced herself to continue eating though her food was hard to swallow; she looked at everything around her, except Janen, but she could focus on nothing. Garner continued to talk beside her but she was not even aware of his presence. Every sense was trained on the young man, over her left shoulder, watering his horse down by the river.
Eventually, he came up and pulled some food from his saddlebag. Allowing herself to look at him, she realised with a sinking feeling that he didn’t intend to join her. He sat down with Tilda and didn’t even look at her. Caris watched them openly now, and took in their easy camaraderie. She watched Tilda’s short curly blonde hair bouncing as she talked energetically to Janen. He sat listening quietly as he ate his lunch . What can they have left to talk about? They’ve been together constantly for the last day and a half, thought Caris. She applied herself to finishing her lunch, then rising while Garner was mid sentence, she went over to shower some affection on Indira.
Their lunch was protracted to allow time to skin and prepare the eppet for its afternoon journey. Caris was glad when they finally regained their saddles. She thought she might ride in solitude as Kalen did of a morning. If she was going to be a spinster she might as well do it properly. She was working up her courage to turn away anyone who tried to talk to her when Janen pulled alongside. She looked past him for Tilda but she wasn’t there. Finally, Caris spotted her talking with Crispin . He’s only come to join me because she’s busy, Caris thought sourly.
“Hi,” he said with an almost shy smile. She
“Oh, I haven’t seen half of them,” he laughed, “I’ve been told about them.” Caris was disappointed, and for the rest of their ride she only listened to him with half an ear, preferring to put her concentration into seeing the local scrub, animal droppings, trails, and bits of broken twigs that told of animal passing’s.
Crispin called them to a halt for a hurried meal when the sun, still visible through the ceiling of leaves, was directly above them. Seeing Garner stepping toward her Caris tried to dismount quickly. She succeeded in swinging her leg over Indira’s rump before he reached up behind her and lifted her down. Irritated she led Indira away from him down toward the nearby river. Why does he keep doing that? It’s like he thinks I’m a toddler who hasn’t yet learnt how to leap from a horse. As she walked toward the water, she brushed at the top of her hips, trying to erase the feeling of his hands resting there after he had set her down.
Bridee and Frystal quickly watered their horses, then, bread and cheese in hand, mounted up and headed out in a south and west direction. Caris had noticed them do this before, and realised with a spurt of hope, that they were relieving a team from scouting duty. She hoped it would be Janen’s team. In her excitement, she forgot all about her irritation with Garner and welcomed him with a smile when he sat down beside her to eat his lunch.
Caris was talking happily with Garner, her mood enlivened by her hope of seeing Janen, when he, Tilda, and Bek emerged from the brush to the east of them. Bek had a young dead eppet draped over his horse’s rear. “How does Bek’s horse cope with that?” she asked Garner.
“He’s a war horse, trained for battle. He can’t afford to be skittish at the smell of blood.” Seeing the fresh kill, Gemeil and Belti excitedly raced over to help skin and prepare it. Caris watched Janen dismount and go to water his horse. Remembering Kalen’s suspicions of her feelings when she was watching him in the village, she forced herself to peel her eyes away from him.
It had only been a day and a half since she had seen him but it felt like a moon. She forced herself to continue eating though her food was hard to swallow; she looked at everything around her, except Janen, but she could focus on nothing. Garner continued to talk beside her but she was not even aware of his presence. Every sense was trained on the young man, over her left shoulder, watering his horse down by the river.
Eventually, he came up and pulled some food from his saddlebag. Allowing herself to look at him, she realised with a sinking feeling that he didn’t intend to join her. He sat down with Tilda and didn’t even look at her. Caris watched them openly now, and took in their easy camaraderie. She watched Tilda’s short curly blonde hair bouncing as she talked energetically to Janen. He sat listening quietly as he ate his lunch . What can they have left to talk about? They’ve been together constantly for the last day and a half, thought Caris. She applied herself to finishing her lunch, then rising while Garner was mid sentence, she went over to shower some affection on Indira.
Their lunch was protracted to allow time to skin and prepare the eppet for its afternoon journey. Caris was glad when they finally regained their saddles. She thought she might ride in solitude as Kalen did of a morning. If she was going to be a spinster she might as well do it properly. She was working up her courage to turn away anyone who tried to talk to her when Janen pulled alongside. She looked past him for Tilda but she wasn’t there. Finally, Caris spotted her talking with Crispin . He’s only come to join me because she’s busy, Caris thought sourly.
“Hi,” he said with an almost shy smile. She
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