Page 60 of A Lick of Flame

“We can’t fuck. We had strict instructions that you are to be kept intact, but we can still have a whole lot of fun.” He pulls back to look me in the eye. I try to smile, but I can’t. Instead, I work on keeping my actual feelings from showing. Namely revulsion.

What a pig!

I’m sure I must look like a deer who just stared down the shaft of an arrow. If I do, he doesn’t seem to care enough to notice. He tries to kiss me, but I turn my head at the last second.

I can’t do it!

Again, he doesn’t seem to care and nuzzles my neck again, his hand closing over one of my breasts. I yelp.

“I’m going to make you feel good,” he groans.

I seriously doubt it.

His other hand is on my back. “Let’s get you out of this dress.” He undoes the top button. Then another one and another.

Noooooooo!

Now, his face is in my chest. “I can’t wait to suck on—” Hamlin starts to say. I do the only thing I can think of in this awful situation. I kick out at the lantern, and it topples over. Hamlin doesn’t seem to notice; he keeps talking but I’m not listening. I’m holding my breath in anticipation.

For a few beats, I think that it isn’t going to do anything. Hamlin undoes another button, talking a whole lot more nonsense.

“Um…can we…” My eyes are on the lantern. “Um…”

Please! Please! I beg the damned thing to catch alight already.

“We most certainly can,” Hamlin murmurs, his head firmly between my breasts, which are barely covered by my dress at this stage.

I’ve started to scoot away from him when it finally happens: there is a whoosh, and the side of the tent catches alight.

“What in the gods’ names?!” Hamlin shouts. “Jessop’s tit!” He pulls away from me.

The new fabric of his tent might be lightweight, and it might keep out the rain, too, but it also makes excellent kindling.

I hold back a grin. This just might work.

I watch, mesmerized for a few moments, while fire spreads across the whole one side of the tent. Kakara’s cat, but it’s burning fast.

“Get out!” Hamlin shouts, holding the flap open. “Get out now!” he adds unnecessarily, since I am fleeing from the structure, which is burning at a rate I can’t begin to comprehend. Men are spilling out of the tents. There’s shouting and cursing and a whole lot of panic. Even the horses are straining against their ties.

I see another of the “new” fabric tents nearby catch alight. There are several of them close together in this section of the camp. I have a feeling that more will burn before they can get the fire out.

“Water!” Hamlin shouts. “We need water.” I’m not sure where he plans on getting any out here. I look up at the sky, which is murky but cloud-free for a change.

“Check on the horses,” someone else bellows.

I gather my skirts and flee. At least, I hope that’s what the others will see. I note that the three guards who were assigned to watch us as if their very lives depended on it are running toward the chaos. Orion has been left unattended.

Please, let this work.

23

Orion

My heart is beating molten lava through my veins. They’ve been inside his tent for a long time.

What’s taking so damned long?

Is Maya in trouble?

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