Page 45 of A Lick of Flame

Icy fear courses through my veins. I push it aside. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, but only because it is the right thing to say…because Olivia will be expecting it. Orion was going to save me from that brute. I know it. He would probably have gotten himself killed in return.

“What were you thinking, girl?” Harrison growls at me as he arrives at our fire, towering over us.

“She wasn’t,” Olivia says. “She made a mistake. It won’t happen again.”

“I’m afraid we can’t trust you anymore. I’m going to need to tie you up as well. We’ll put guards on you, too,” Harrison starts to say.

“No!” Olivia tells him, standing. I do the same. “She made a bad judgment call. It won’t happen again. Maya will be in the tent next to Ethan and me. We’ll keep a close eye on her. She promises never to try anything so foolish again.”

I nod, not trusting my voice. I’m angry. They have no right to hold us like prisoners.

Harrison glares at me. “You don’t go near that fae again. Do you hear me, girl?”

“My name is Maya.” I stand taller.

“I couldn’t give a rat’s behind what your name is—”

“I won’t go near him,” I say through gritted teeth. “I won’t try it again…I swear.”

Harrison’s shoulders relax. His whole demeanor settles. “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it, girl?”

“Her name is Maya.” Olivia stands up for me, and although I know I can’t trust her, in this moment, I am grateful.

“Don’t go doing anything stupid, Maya. Stay away from the fae. Stay in your tent. No funny business from here on out, and we will all be fine.”

I nod once. “Alright,” I force myself to say, surprised when my voice is calm and collected.

Harrison walks away, and we sit back down. The small amount of supper I ate earlier is souring in my gut as I work hard at keeping my gaze away from where Orion is tied.

18

Maya

A jolt of fear shoots through me as someone shakes me awake. I instinctively go to scream, but a strong hand clamps over my mouth, muffling any sound. My heart hammers in my chest as I try to make sense of what’s happening.

“It’s me,” Orion whispers softly.

I relax slightly, and he lets me go. I sit up. My heart is racing.

What is going on?

“Shhhhh,” he says against the shell of my ear.

I nod.

Then he takes my arm and leads me from the tent. We move slowly, and even though my eyes adjust to the dark, it’s pitch black, so I struggle to see where we are going.

As if sensing my distress, Orion puts his arm around me, guiding me. It’s a good thing that fae can see better than humans in the dark.

We walk for a short while. I smell the horses, hearing a shuffling of hooves and the odd snort. Then he yanks me between the animals, and we duck down.

Moments later, I hear footfalls and see the dim glow of a lantern. I shut my eyes, holding my breath as a guard walks by. I half-expect him to see us. I wait for him to sound the alarm, but it doesn’t happen.

I huff out a breath as Orion leads me further along the line of animals, stopping next to one who gives a soft nicker in greeting. I realize that it is Midnight. I touch a hand to his coat.

“Hold on tight,” Orion whispers so softly I have to strain to hear him. “It’s going to be fast.”

I nod.

---