~ ZARA ~
The next few minutes were taken up with Ash helping me mount the horse, then getting on his own, and his instructions to the grooms about where we'd go if anyone needed to find us, and then finally we were riding out.
A few minutes later, Ash scanned the surroundings as we entered the forest path and the shadow of the trees. He caught me watching him again and smiled. "Do you want to keep going slow, or pick up the pace?"
It was such a simple question—no suggestion in it. No double-meaning at all. He meant the horses.
For a minute I just stared at him, searching his eyes because it seemed impossible that he couldn't know, that he didn't have any memory of me before this moment, and yet… I didn't think he was that good of an actor.
A whole month and there hadn't been a single hint that he knew me. No knowing glances. No secret smiles. No hushed whispers or warnings when discussion at the dinner table with my parents turned to the Selection.
