The pair had spent a while with the horses at the stables. She trailed a hand down the side of a calm chestnut mare as Darius spoke beside her, pointing out each horse with a familiar ease that softened his usually guarded demeanor.
"That one's Calyx. Stubborn thing, nearly threw me off during my first hunt," he said with a crooked grin, rubbing the mare's forehead.
Serena listened eagerly to the stories he told of each and every one of the horses. Surprisingly, he recounted them with such detail. He must have loved the animals.
He spoke about them like old friends. Lucky, his personal horse, was his favourite.
"I would show you the foals," Darius said at last, gesturing to the back of the stables, "but we've still got more to see."
Serena nodded and followed his lead, walking through a door and then a hallway into the garden area. She looked around, and it seemed empty, like something was missing.
