Merlin shuffled as close to the pommel as he was willing to get and felt Zach get up behind him, holding onto him. He held himself tense all over and not even the motion of the horse under him could relax him, although he was starting to remember what he loved so much about riding, quite apart from the few times he spent with his parents on horseback.
He felt secure on the back of the animal but he still couldn't really relax into Zach's arm, although he was content to just sit back and watch where they were going.