Freya‘s pov.

The rhythmic pounding of hooves was the only sound accompanying us through the vast, empty landscape. The terrain blurred into a palette of gray and green as we moved forward—always forward. Arius led the way with unnerving confidence, his back straight, every movement calculated, silent.

I sat stiffly in front of him, every muscle tense despite the fact that we had been riding for only a few hours. To him, this was nothing. But to me—every jolt of the saddle, ...