Page 28 of A Kiss of Hammer and Flame

‘Really?’ Cahra asked, her doubt caving to his enthusiasm. ‘Like what?’

Terryl looked thoughtful. ‘Well,’ he began, gesturing around them, ‘you seem to like the greenery of the Wilds, thus far. Luminaux rests at the foot of mountainous meadows, and the kingdom’s parks are just as lovely, if not perhaps more charmingly cultivated.’

Cahra paused, not wanting to look foolish. Then she asked, ‘Erm, what’s a park?’

Terryl’s eyebrows shot up, then he nodded, comprehending. ‘Of course. Kolyath’s primary green space was the Steward’s grounds.’ His face tensed at the mention of the ruler. ‘A park is a large, public garden where anyone can walk or sit. Luminaux’s parks are tranquil, and often contain statues or fountains,’ he explained.

‘Right,’ she said slowly, unable to picture anything but Kolyath’s weedy flowers.

Terryl was watching her intently, fingers tapping the clean line of his jaw as he searched for something else to snare her interest. ‘Ah!’ he exclaimed. ‘There is a tavern in the Artisanal Emporium, our sister to your Traders’ Quadrant, serving rich, robust cuisine that will astonish your tastebuds: fowl that is pan-cooked then stewed in wine, accompanied by onion and mushrooms. There are sweets like meringue with a crisp, sugary texture that melts on your tongue – and pastries, so many pastries, with creams, nuts, even honeyed cacao. Such decadent confections!’

Cahra’s mouth watered. Mock-reluctantly, she murmured, ‘Go on.’

Terryl beamed, her words emboldening him as he proceeded with great enthusiasm, and for the first time, Cahra noticed the near-invisible dimples indenting his flushed cheeks. ‘Another highlight that we have in common is Luminaux’s own master blacksmith…’

It was then that she stopped hearing him, Terryl’s words about smithing fading to a hum as her mind returned to Kolyath – to Lumsden – and the only person who’d ever made her feel cared for, like a parent. Terryl was lucky. He was going home to his family, Cahra thought, a harsh lump rising in her throat.

She was arriving in Luminaux to nothing and no one, a Kolyath outcast.

‘Cahra?’ Terryl’s voice pulled her back to the present.

She forced an apologetic look. ‘I think I’m getting tired,’ she said, then glanced away. His suggestions for where to go were nice, but she knew she’d be exploring them by herself. ‘I guess I could go adventuring – once we arrive, and you go back to your old life, that is.’ She toyed with a stick, poking a mound of dirt and ignoring the growing pressure in her chest.

Terryl’s voice was soft and clear as he said, ‘Perhaps I could offer you a guided tour of the kingdom? If you desired it,’ he added, a hopeful look crossing his face.

‘What would Raiden say? A lord keeping company with a low-born smith?’ She found herself unable to look away as she awaited his response.

At this, Terryl beheld her, his gaze tender and sincere. ‘A title does not matter, Cahra. It is the mind, the heart behind it, that is of import.’

For a moment, Cahra forgot how to breathe. Then she nodded. ‘Okay. I’d like that.’

The sudden intensity of their conversation left her with the abrupt urge to move, so she stood, stretching her arms above her head, the movement forcing several slow, deep breaths. The Wildsweredifferent from before, she realised. Brighter, finer slants of light rent the woods, sporadically criss-crossing to fling large, jagged shapes onto the mossy carpet. It was like a god had shattered a glass sky.

‘So… How long are we stopping for?’

‘We need to rest, however briefly. It will make the remainder of the journey less taxing.’

‘Oh?’ She noted the caution in his voice.

‘We are not yet out of danger,’ Terryl said slowly. ‘The Wilds are not Kolyath, that much is true. Yet threats outside the sister kingdoms do exist, and laws do not. The Wilds can be a desperate place for some.’ She must have looked worried, for the lord’s next words were, ‘I do not wish to alarm you unduly, and we are taking the safest route between the kingdoms. I simply wish to be candid with you about the circumstances we now find ourselves in.’

Cahra nudged a small stone with her boot. She was with Terryl and seasoned fighters. There was nothing to fear, nothing more than normal.

She kicked the stone into the glade, turning to Terryl. ‘What about the Wildspeople? They saved us from Kolyath.’

At this, he shook his head. ‘That was their choice. I do not feel comfortable asking the people of the Wilds to support a fight not theirs, not against trained soldiers in deadly warfare. It would not be ethical to ask them to risk their lives.’

It was the right answer, one she never would have heard from a Kolyath high-born. Admiration kindled, flaring in her chest.

She finished the last of her pastry, crumbs tumbling to her lap, then realised she hadn’t seen him eat. ‘Terryl, aren’t you hungry?’ She thrust her apple into his palm. ‘Seers, take it! I’m not the only one who has sprinted for miles.’

‘Perhaps I am,’ he admitted. ‘Though I have been sitting, doing little in my carriage. Everyone else…’ He gestured to his people.

There was something about the way he said the words, the fondness he conveyed, the respect for the company he kept, that made Cahra feel warm, if only for a few brief moments.

Finally, Raiden signalled to Terryl. ‘Excuse me.’ The lord smiled. ‘Do enjoy the interlude. Traversing the Wilds can be arduous, so I advise relaxing while you can.’

As Terryl moved away, Raiden strode briskly to join him. The woods stirred, a rise of rustling leaves whispering secrets to the wind, as they were followed by Piet, towering over everything and lumbering to them with a grin. Siarl, her braids shimmering in the low light, and Queran, silent as a spectre, arrived together. Raiden spoke a few words then slipped away, disappearing fast behind the treeline.

---