Page 46 of A Lick of Flame

Orion’s hands circle my waist, and he lifts me onto the saddle. I grab the pommel, pulling myself onto the horse, my feet finding the stirrups. Orion mounts up beside me.

There is a tugging on my reins as the animals carefully back out. Then we turn, walking a few steps away from the cliff wall.

“Now!” Orion whispers.

Even though I can’t see very much beyond dark shapes, I trust my horse and – perhaps it’s silly of me, but I trust Orion, too, so I kick the sides of my horse. Midnight leaps forward, picking up a gallop in an instant. I grab a handful of mane, holding the reins loosely with my other hand.

Orion is slightly ahead of me. There are shouts of alarm behind us as we pick up speed. I dare not look back. The shouts are quickly followed by screams of confusion and frustration. I cringe, expecting them to give chase. No one does.

“I tied their horses’ legs together,” Orion tells me. There is a lilt to his voice, which tells me that he is more than likely smiling.

I lean forward, urging Midnight to go faster. For a short while, there is nothing save for the sound of our horses’ hooves and our intermingled breathing. Just when I think that we are home free, there are shouts followed by the clatter of more hooves against the ground. They come from ahead.

“Fuck!” Orion snarls, changing direction. I do my best to follow him.

Whoever was ahead of us is now gaining on us. They’re going to cut us off if we don’t hurry.

“No!” Orion shouts as riders approach from the other side as well. There are shouts and yells.

“This way!” Orion calls. “Faster.”

I crouch low over Midnight’s neck. From the sound of my horse’s ragged breathing, I know that he is giving his all, but it isn’t enough.

Orion pulls up sharply. I almost come off when Midnight does the same, landing up half on his neck and clinging on for all I have.

I pull myself back into the saddle. From the dark shapes around us, I would say that we are surrounded.

There is a loud smack, and Orion topples from the saddle, landing hard in the dirt.

“Stay down!” someone snarls. “If you move, I will kill you. If you use your magic, I will kill both you and the girl. Her death will be slower.”

Kakara save us. I wish I had fighting skills. I feel useless against these brutes.

“Did you think you could escape?” someone else sneers.

“Are you that stupid, fae?” I think I recognize Harrison’s voice. “You too, girl. Didn’t you learn your lesson earlier? I should have tied you up.”

“You should have stayed in your tent where it was safe.”

My blood runs cold when I realize that I definitely recognize the last voice. It’s the bearded brute. My worst fears become a reality when he adds, “Can I have her now, Harrison? She needs to be taught a lesson.”

“No one touches her.” Orion’s voice is calm but terrifying all the same. The hair on my arms lift.

“You are outnumbered,” the brute laughs. “You don’t get to give orders.”

“If you lay so much as a finger on her, I will use my magic to stop your heart,” Orion says. “You will die in an instant.”

I’m not sure whether he is bluffing. Orion said that his magic isn’t to be trusted right now. Then again, he did undo his binds twice in one night, so perhaps he could get it right.

The brute snorts. “I don’t believe you. Why don’t you go ahead and do it…use your magic. You’re talking out of your shithole. I think you’re one of those emptyfae. You’re not a beastfae at all. You don’t have any magic to speak of. I’m going to take the girl, and there is nothing any of you can do about it.”

“Try me and find out,” Orion says.

“I’ll make you watch, and then I’ll kill you,” the brute snarls.

“You will do no such thing,” Harrison says, sounding nervous. His voice is high-pitched. “It won’t be long before the others get here…Ethan, too. We have our orders, Jace.”

“Fine. I won’t kill the fae, but I will make him watch while I turn this girl into a woman.”

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