Page 21 of A Lick of Flame

“Close battle.” She wrinkles her nose in thought. “I don’t want to have to fight anyone, if I can help it.”

“No one wants to fight, but sometimes it is unavoidable, so you have to be ready. What if someone were to grab you? Or to try to strangle you?”

She gasps.

“It could happen. In close and personal confrontations like that, you pull your knife, and you stick them. If someone were to come at you with a sword, your knife would be useless…unless you are a good knife thrower?” I lift my brows.

“No.” She shakes her head. “Now, Thesha is a different story. She is a warrior woman if I ever saw one. I would love to be able to fight like her.” Her eyes go bright.

“I can teach you a few things if you want?” I keep my eyes on hers.

She doesn’t answer, and for a while, we walk in silence.

“Did you learn how to fight in the pits?” she finally asks.

I shake my head. “I was a mercenary before I was captured.”

“A fae mercenary? That doesn’t sound right.” She looks at me skeptically.

“And yet it is the truth.” I don’t add that I looked human at the time. I don’t tell her that I was a king before I was a mercenary. And a prince before that. That I held a wooden sword before I could walk. That I started training in all forms of combat when I was six. That I started riding lessons at three. That my first pony was called Cuddles. I forgot about Cuddles. Her coat, thick and shaggy. Her pace slow and steady. I loved that pony.

“Can you ride horses?” I ask.

She nods. “I rode before going to the orphanage. Back when…” Her eyes mist over, and she swallows thickly.

“Back when?”

“I can ride!” she snaps. “I’m sure it isn’t something a person forgets too easily,” she adds, picking up the pace.

I don’t push the subject, as it is clear that she has said all she is going to say on the subject. Oh yes, something happened, alright. I try to make idle conversation to fill the time, but the human gives me one-word answers, if at all, so I give up.

We reach the Nezcara Valley a few hours later. It might be my imagination, but it seems like there is more light shining down on this section. There is a flock of birds flitting from tree to tree. A rare sight, to be sure. The grass looks green in patches instead of the usual yellow or brown. The trees have more leaves, as well. Most of them are alive; some are even thriving.

“Wow!” I say. “This is… It’s something alright.”

“It is the most beautiful valley in all of these parts. Xander is responsible for feeding many of the villagers. It is why Franny and Thomas are staying here and working the farm until he comes back. We will hope for the best, but expect the worst. Poor Xander.” She sighs.

“Probably for the best since, once captured by the fae, it’s rare to escape.”

She nods. “I know that.”

We keep walking. There is a cabin in the distance and a large lake that still looks blue. I think there might be ducks or geese swimming on its glassy surface. My eyes are drawn to the horses grazing in a large paddock behind the cabin. They’re just what we need.

“You should stay here,” she tells me. “You wouldn’t be welcome.”

I sigh. “You’re right. What will you tell them?”

“I don’t know. I’ll make something up.”

I can see that she hates the deception.

“Don’t worry, we’ll bring the horses back. I will make sure that your friend is remunerated. I swear it.”

She nods once. I can see that she doesn’t believe me. “Stay hidden,” she tells me.

I nod.

Then she walks toward the cabin. I stay back, hiding behind some lush green bushes. I see rows and rows of plants in the vast fields. The air even smells fresher. The light is still muted, but it’s there more than in most other places. No wonder he gets crops to grow.

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