Hades kicked the horse, and it began to move in slow, steady steps, its long legs moving with majesty. While Lilith prayed for this to be over soon, Hades seemed to be enjoying himself, far too much, in Lilith's opinion. The horse came to a stop at the command of the prince.
"You must keep your heels down, toes up, and back straight, witch," Hades whispered. He placed a hand on the small of her back, making Lilith straighten her posture.
"You must be able to communicate with your horse while riding. Thunder is a gentle horse; he listens to instructions very well." Hades tightened his hold on the reins. "You can gently pull the reins to the left to turn him and to the right to turn him the other way." He demonstrated, pulling on the reins to guide the horse as he wished. "Now, try it."
Lilith hesitated for a second before following his instructions. The horse responded to her, making her smile.
"As you get more comfortable, try using your legs to guide him," Hades said. "Squeeze your legs gently to ask him to move forward."
Lilith did as she was told. At first, nothing happened, but when she tried again, Thunder began to move. Lilith almost squealed in joy. She would never have dreamt of riding a horse, let alone the prince's horse.
"You are doing well, witch," Hades said. "Now, we are going to make Thunder trot. All you have to do is squeeze your legs around the horse's barrel, just behind the girth, to encourage the trotting."
"As you squeeze your legs, shift your weight slightly forward and down into the saddle. Remember to use the reins to guide him and maintain a steady pace." As he spoke, he demonstrated everything, showing Lilith how it was done.
"To stop the horse, simply pull the reins back toward your body. Avoid leaning forward or jerking the reins, as this can startle him. When the horse begins to slow down, release the reins slightly to give him a chance to balance and come to a stop." Hades pulled on the reins, and the horse slowed before coming to a complete stop.
Lilith's smile widened. It was indeed a wonderful experience for her.
"Now, you must put into practice what I have taught you. Can you do that?" Hades asked.
"I... I can try," Lilith swallowed, her palms beginning to sweat again.
"Good." Hades released the reins and settled his hands on Lilith's thighs, an action that made her face redden with embarrassment. It seemed harmless, yet she couldn't ignore the sensation of his touch on her body. Perhaps she was just overthinking things. After all, where else was he supposed to keep his hands?
Letting out a deep breath, she began to repeat everything the prince had done. She was able to make the horse move and trot with ease. Lilith had never been prouder of herself than she was at this moment.
Controlling the horse with the reins was more difficult than she had expected, but it wasn't a big concern, Hades was right behind her in case anything went wrong.
"I am quite impressed, witch. You should be able to ride on your own now," Hades said from behind her.
Lilith, too caught up in the euphoria of riding a horse, didn't fully register the meaning of his words, until she suddenly felt lighter on the horse. The towering presence behind her was gone.
She turned around, her eyes widening as panic surged through her. She was alone.
How... Dear gods. Lilith could not believe what had just happened. That damned prince had left her all alone on a horse.
Her thoughts scrambled in panic. She needed to stop the horse. And then drown the prince. Gods, she could not wait to give him a piece of her mind.
She pulled on the reins to stop the horse, but she yanked too hard, causing Thunder to neigh in confusion, his body shifting uneasily. Panicking, she squeezed her legs multiple times in a desperate attempt to regain control, but the horse misread her signals and suddenly burst into a gallop, so fast that she could barely process it.
Lilith tried everything she could to stop Thunder, but nothing worked. Her vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Please... Thunder, stop... If you don't, I'm going to die," she whispered, pleading with the mare, who didn't seem to hear her desperation.
As they sped deeper into the forest, terror clawed at Lilith's chest. Anything could be lurking in the bushes—wild animals, hidden dangers. The thought of dying from a fall or, worse, being eaten alive sent a shudder through her. Neither option sounded remotely appealing.
Feeling lost and afraid, Lilith leaned forward, releasing one of the reins and placing her hand on the side of the horse. She closed her eyes, trying to soothe the animal in any way she could. After a few seconds, she leaned back and gently pulled on the rein, willing the horse to slow down.
To her relief, Thunder responded, gradually reducing his pace. Lilith let out a sigh, a small smile forming on her lips.
"We should return to the stables, shouldn't we, Thunder? Your master awaits us," she murmured, brushing her fingers against the horse's neck before carefully turning him around.
This time, they moved at a slow and steady pace. Lilith was grateful that Thunder had stayed on a single path throughout their journey, it had likely saved her from getting completely lost. As they neared the stables, she mentally prepared her speech, determined to give the prince a piece of her mind.
The sight of Hades standing a few feet from the stables, elegant and composed as ever, only fueled her frustration. The moment Thunder came to a stop, Lilith attempted to dismount, only to lose her balance and fall straight onto her bottom.
She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the sting of embarrassment and pain. There was no time to nurse her injuries.
With fists clenched, she stomped toward the prince.
"Little witch, you have done well for your first time." Hades smiled. "Why do you look someone who just had her chicken stolen?" he asked with a tease, noticing the glare on her face.
"Y-You almost killed me!" Lilith burst out, her voice trembling with rage. "You should have warned me before leaving! I could have fallen to my death, or been killed by wild animals! If you plan on killing me, just do it already. Don't make me suffer any longer!"
Hades stood in silence, his head tilted slightly, an unwavering smile stretched across his lips. "Are you done?"
Lilith blinked twice. "I... I—"
Hades strolled toward her, stopping when they were just inches apart. Lilith lowered her gaze to his feet, suddenly afraid to meet his eyes.
Hades raised a hand, twirling a strand of her hair around his fingers before trailing them along her jaw, lifting her chin so she was forced to look at him.
"You just openly accused me of wanting to kill you, and now you can't even look me in the eyes?"
"I... I—"
"You are very daring, witch," he murmured, his low voice sending a shiver through her entire body. "I don't know if I should punish you for it or reward you."
The intensity in his gaze made her breath hitch, heat crawling up her skin. Then, just as suddenly as he had closed the distance between them, Hades took a step back and turned away.
"Let's go have breakfast, witch. I'm famished."
Lilith stared after him, her heart pounding hard. W-What just happened?