Page 65 of A Dance With Fire
Clay and Julius pushed forward. “What’s going on?” Julius hissed. He looked suddenly sober and aware. The same way Shula felt.
“Orders, prince?” Uric sked.
He knew what they wanted to know. If they should flee or go and save Orna.
Shula felt her tongue weighing heavily in her mouth. She didn’t know what she’d do if the prince ordered them to leave Orna behind.
Valerio shook his head and sighed. “We go after her and end the humans who dared touch one of our own.”
Uric’s jaw clenched. “The needs of the many—”
“I am doing this for everyone in this camp,” Valerio interrupted, snapping out the words. “They are too close and could catch up to all of us. We end this now. Tonight. Julius! Grab every able-bodied person, Fae or human, and suit them up. Uric, prepare to portal us all there. Can you handle it?” At Uric’s stiff nod, he turned to Clay. “You’re with me when we go through the portal.” Clay nodded. “Ryker, we’ll need you in case…”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
Finally, Valerio turned to Shula. “We need you Fire Dancer. Orna needs you.”
The weight of those words settled over her. Orna needed her. Not to be a coward, but to be brave. Not to run, but to fight. Shula hadn’t wanted to get close to her and even as she pushed Orna away, the Unseelie Fae managed to somehow wedge herself into Shula’s heart. She’d become her friend when Shula didn’t even know she’d needed it.
Now it was time to return the favor.
She nodded firmly.
“Get everyone together and ready to leave. When we come back, we’ll need to make a hasty retreat.”
Shula’s heart dropped along with her mouth.
“I can help fight.” There was a sudden violence in her heart. A thirst for blood. Orna was out there and she needed Shula’s help. She wouldn’t stay behind twiddling her thumbs and packing bags into the carts.
“You have no training,” Ryker said. When he spoke, she realized he still hadn’t let go and seemed reluctant to pull away. She did, slowly prying her fingers from his grasp, one by one, but even then, she still felt the whisper of his touch like a brand.
Shula glared at him. “I can fight. I want to. I need to help save Orna.”
Ryker growled and snapped his attention to Valerio, dismissing her entirely. “We don’t have time for this. We have to leave now.”
Valerio still didn’t take his gaze from Shula. “He’s right, Shula. You have no training. We cannot afford for anything to happen to you. You will stay here and help the women and children. Control their fear and be prepared to leave.”
Shula opened her mouth, prepared to argue, but Valerio interrupted with a cutting voice.
“That’s an order.”
She clamped her mouth closed, rage rising in her. She was being tossed aside like she was nothing, like she wasn’t valuable in this fight against the humans. Was it because of her ears? Did their prejudice run so deeply that they thought she would betray them? She’d given them no indication that she was on their side and she wasn’t. She wasn’t on anyone’s side but her own. But Orna was her friend.
And for her she would fight.
Valerio turned from her and nodded to Uric. A moment later, a portal opened. “Time to go,” Valerio announced. Julius showed up then with both human and Fae men brandishing an array of weapons; swords, lances, shields, looking ready yet a bit fearful.
“Let’s go.” Julius led them into the portal in single file. One by one they stepped through to the other side and disappeared from view. Ryker went next, followed by Clay and Valerio.
In a split second, Shula had made her decision.
The rage inside her swelled to impossible heights until she was shaking. The realization hit her straight in the chest. The realization that she’d been a coward. A coward for pushing Orna’s friendship away, for ever comparing her to Fanny. And now she was out there, afraid, hurt, captured by humans.
Humans who had stolen Shula’s parents from her.
Humans who had killed the old woman.
Humans who had forced her into hiding, into fear.
