Page 55 of A Lick of Flame

“You do realize that I won’t be able to free myself this time. I was able to remove the ropes. I would never have allowed anything to happen to you. This time is different, Maya.”

“I will manage just fine. I won’t need you or Olivia to save me. I’m doing this. Unless you have another solution, in which case, I’m all ears.”

That’s just it. I rack my brain, and I keep coming up with absolutely nothing. I’m hitting blanks at every turn. “Let me give it one more try,” I tell her, feeling defeated. “I need to speak with Bard,” I ask the nearest guard, raising my voice so that he can hear me.

“Simmer down, fae,” he mutters.

“It is important,” I add.

“You heard from our leader. He doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“I—” I try again.

“Simmer down, or I will gag you. It’ll be difficult to eat your supper with a gag in your mouth.” He laughs, but the other two don’t join in. I know them both. I worked together with them, fought with them. I was one of them. Why are they doing this? My pointy ears don’t mean I’m not the same person they knew.

“Charles,” I address one of them. He has jet-black hair and eyes like a lion. They are golden in the sun. Now that I think about it, he must have some fae blood to have eyes that look like that. “How is your wife? Your daughter?”

His eyes widen as I speak. “Do not address me, fae,” he spits out. “My life is of no concern to you.”

“You have a scar on your right knee from when—”

“I said to shut your mouth.” He points at me, spittle flying from between his lips as he shouts, even taking a step toward me.

“Should I gag him?” the unknown guard asks.

“No,” Charles says. “Keep your mouth shut,” he tells me. I can see that he means it. I would already be gagged if I didn’t know Charles. I’m sure of it. They are making allowances, but it isn’t enough. Not nearly.

We sit in silence for a while.

God’s teeth! This is so incredibly frustrating.

“I assume that all the sighing coming from you means that you can’t come up with anything good,” Maya whispers moments later.

I don’t say anything.

“That’s what I thought. It’s going to be up to me to find a way to get us out of here.”

I shake my head, looking down. “Please, don’t! I beg you.” I’m not too ashamed to beg. I’d get on both knees if it weren’t for these damned shackles.

“It’s happening whether you like it or not,” she whispers. “I’m getting a plan together in my head, and then, it’ll be go time.”

Damn it all to hell!

I need to think up something else. I wish I could use my powers. Although I can feel a connection to the horses, I can’t manipulate them. Not enough, anyway. I know their names. I know that the third one from the right has a sore back. And the one in the middle with the elaborate blaze is still hungry after finishing his oats. My powers are there, but when it comes to using them as a beastfae should, I can’t.

I should try something small. Perhaps it isn’t just doing right by the animals that will get my powers back; perhaps using my magic is like using a muscle. The more I use it, the stronger I will become. I have to try.

I will the horse nearest to us in the line to neigh. It doesn’t work. I try again. The beast grows a little restless as I project myself into his mind, but he doesn’t do as I tell him. I try harder…and harder still, squeezing my eyes shut.

“You’re shaking,” Maya whispers. “Are you okay?”

I push out a huff of breath, feeling my shoulders slump. “For a while, it felt like I was getting my powers back, but it feels like I’ve taken several steps back since being captured. I was trying to get one of the horses to neigh.”

“It didn’t work,” she says, not as a question but as a statement.

I shake my head. “Nope.” I sound just as defeated as I feel. “I caused too much suffering. As beastfae, we take an oath to serve and protect nature and all the creatures. In return, the earth gives us our power, and the animals readily accept our command of them. They trust us to do right by them. I failed, Maya.” My throat clogs. I feel shame so deep.

Her eyes cloud with concern. “I’ll tell you this again because clearly you need to hear it: what happened in those pits wasn’t your fault. You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t fought to survive.” She shrugs. “You didn’t know who you were at the time; you were living a lie…not by choice. I’m sure there will be many more difficult choices in the future. You need to forgive yourself, Orion.”

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