Page 17 of A Lick of Flame

Louisa gasps and touches her forehead, her lips, and her heart in the sign of our lady, Kakara herself. My heart aches with guilt for burdening her with this knowledge. Perhaps I should have refused. It is too late now.

I pull up my sleeve and do up the buttons. “I will see you soon.” I try to sound confident, but there is fear lacing my words. Fear for what may come and fear for leaving behind everything I know and love.

“What about supplies?” Her practicality breaks through my thoughts.

“I need to go. I don’t want any of the others to see me,” I say.

“I will create a diversion in the dining hall. You need to go to the larder. Take as much as you can carry. You will also need waterskins.”

Thankfully, our larder is well stocked, with more vegetables growing as we speak. Still, I won’t take too much, but Louisa is right; I need to take something along with me if I hope to survive.

I nod. “Thank you, Louisa.” I throw my arms around her for a few moments, my eyes stinging and a knot forming in my throat.

Then she pushes me away. “Enough of that. I need dry eyes for my diversion. Give me a few moments. You’ll know when to act; be ready.”

“I will be and…thank you.”

“You can thank me by coming back in one piece.”

“Deal.”

Louisa rushes from my room. I leave my door open just a crack and wait. Just as promised, it doesn’t take long before there is a commotion down the hallway.

Seizing the opportunity, I quietly slip out of my room, making my way down the dimly lit corridor toward the larder. The sound of chaos grows louder as I approach; my heart is pounding with anticipation. Louisa has always been resourceful, and I trust that she will create enough of a distraction to buy me the time I need.

Reaching the larder, I hurriedly gather supplies, stuffing them into my bag. Unleavened bread, cheese, and cured meats, along with some waterskins that are filled to the brim. I only take food that will offer high sustenance, and won’t spoil easily. I sling the skins over my shoulder, together with the overstuffed bag.

I rush from the larder, saying a silent thanks to Louisa. My hands tremble with nerves as I take a flint, followed by one of the lanterns. Then I am running through the courtyard and down the dark passageway, hastily locking the door behind me. I stow the key in the pocket of my dress, praying that I will get to use it again one day soon.

Without looking back, I set off at a brisk pace, cutting through the narrow streets of the village, my feet pounding against the dirt and stone. The fishermen on the docks pause their work to watch me fly by, their weathered faces curious as I pass them. A few other villagers stop and stare, their eyes following me. But I don't slow down or acknowledge them in any way. My heart is racing with determination. My breath comes in short gasps as I push myself harder, knowing that I can't afford to stop.

What if he is gone?

The thought spurs me on.

By the time I reach the entrance to the cave, I am out of breath and panting so hard I have to bend over at the middle. Putting down the bag and skins, I set to work finding some kindling. Everything is wet after last night’s rain. I search in the entrance to the cave, collecting a few dry twigs and moss. I put them in a pile, reaching for the flint.

“What are you doing?” a deep voice asks from behind me.

I yelp and turn. It’s the fae. He’s wet from head to toe…and…he’s…he’s – I swallow thickly – naked. Water runs down his chest in rivulets. I quickly turn back around, gasping.

God’s teeth, but what I just saw, I can never unsee. Not ever.

My cheeks are hot. My neck, too. Kakara help me, but my chest is also getting hot, like someone has lit a furnace inside me. Orion is the first man I have ever seen naked. He has thick, powerful legs and a thick… No, I refuse to think about it. I want to fan myself, but I don’t. Instead, I stare wide-eyed into the dark opening of the cave entrance. The only consolation is that he can’t see my red face. I pray to Kakara that he can’t hear my beating heart. Instead of cooling off, I get hotter still. I’m sure I can feel his stare on my back.

Where is this heat coming from? Perhaps it has something to do with being tethered to Raila, but it doesn’t seem right, somehow. My mind keeps picturing him. His hair wet and dripping. His shoulders broad, his skin tanned bronze. His belly ripped with muscles. Hips tapering to…his manhood. I don’t need any experience to know that he is impressive. Tall and powerful. Masculine and yet beautiful in an ethereal way.

I groan inwardly. I’m attracted to a fae. How can that be? I’ve never been attracted to anyone before. Why now? Why him? I don’t even like him. He’s also the most arrogant person I have ever met. No, I refuse to accept it. I will certainly ignore it with all of my might.

He laughs. “Have you never seen a man naked before?” Then he snorts. “Of course you haven’t. You still have your maidenhead.”

Arrogant and unkind. A big old bully. I hate him.

“You brute!” I grind out. “What is wrong with you? Have you no shame?”

“I guess I was in the pits for too long. You forget modesty when you’re caged together with twenty or thirty others, like animals.” He sounds like he is in thought.

Then I think about what he just said. “You fought in the pits? I didn’t think they used fae.”

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