Page 75 of The Rebel and the Rose
‘And where were you?’ accused Theo.
‘Shaking my fist at the sky in jealousy,’ he said, drolly. ‘I was getting food, since I’m starving.’ He returned his attention to Sera. ‘Kasper tried to jump in and wrench Caruso away, nearly killing himself accidentally in the process. Nadia dragged him off and knocked him out for his own good. End of fairy tale.’
Sera looked back at Kasper’s crumpled form. Maelle and Bram were crouched beside him, trying to rouse him. The corpse remained where it had fallen, like a piece of discarded refuse.
Nausea gathered in the pit of her stomach. How many children had witnessed the horrifying kill?
‘What now?’ said Val, looking around helplessly.
‘Now Caruso gets his goldfish and we continue on our way,’ said Ransom. ‘Unless Sera wants to have a little go on the carousel first.’
Sera glared at him.
He glared right back.
‘Let him handle it,’ said Val, tugging her away. ‘It’s his mess.’
‘You go on,’ said Sera, squeezing her hand. ‘I’ll be right behind you.’
As Val and Theo returned to the carriage, Sera hung back, watching Ransom approach the king’s soldiers. He bent down to check on Kasper, tapping the boy’s cheek. He told Maelle to wait with him until he came to, then return with him to the barracks. Sera could tell by Maelle’s expression of relief that she was eager to put some distance between herself and Caruso.
Sera didn’t blame her. That Dagger walked around like a lit fuse.
Ransom wandered over to Nadia and Caruso then, the conversation too low for her to overhear. Setting her rage aside, Sera approached the dead body. She stared down at the stranger’s Shade-mottled skin, those black eyes like twin coals in his haggard face, and couldn’t help but think of poor Mama, who had met the same fate.
The dead man had a wiry frame and unkempt brown hair. Sera wondered if he had family working here at the fairground, if his children had seen him hang from Caruso’s makeshift noose, had counted those ten endless seconds before his heartbeats ran out. The fairground was empty now, the other workers long since fled. A part of her wanted to flee too. From this place, this task, this looming cloud of destiny.
A terrible shiver tore through her as she clambered into the stall, searching for something to cover him with. In the end, she had to rip down the awning and spread it over his body. She went to the edge of the grass and knelt there, picking a small bouquet of wildflowers. She returned and laid it on his chest, feeling guilty at how paltry it looked.
Roused by the nearness of his Shade-ravaged body, her magic flickered to life. That door inside her opened again. Only a crack now.
Maker, it called, like it was trying to comfort her.
She grabbed a dandelion and held it in her fist.
‘Make something of this,’ she whispered. ‘Please.’
Her palm sparked. The weed changed from a flat yellow dandelion to a golden rose. A gift of magic, come too late to save him. She laid the rose on his chest. It was a promise. Some day Lightfire would flood every town in Valterre, and no one in this beautiful ancient kingdom would have to fear the dark reaches of Shade again.
‘What are you doing?’
Sera turned around to find Ransom watching her. His eyes were hooded, his hands dug into his pockets. The other Daggers must have returned to the carriage.
She said, ‘Cleaning up your mess.’
He arched a brow. ‘It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?’
‘Oh, piss off, Ransom.’ She shoved past him.
He followed her. ‘Hey, wait.’
She ignored him.
He grabbed her hand.
She spun around, jabbing him hard in the chest. ‘An innocent man just died forno reason. I’m not about to stand here and let you make fun of me for showing his dead body a basic shred of respect. It might mean nothing to you, but it means something to me. And it sure as hell will mean something to his people when they come to collect his body.’
He stared at her for a long moment, a muscle working in his jaw. Then quietly, he said, ‘All right.’
