Page 43 of The Midwinter Mirror
The Reluctant Hero
Holly
Ikiss him with the village burning around us. His hands are in my hair, his body pressed against mine, the smell of him—fire and spice—fills my nostrils. As his tongue plunders my mouth, my hands pull him to me. I never want to let him go.
But I become aware of the noise, cheering that slowly morphs into a chant.
“Zayne. Zayne. Zayne.”
“What the fuck,” Zayne mutters against my mouth.
A giggle escapes me, but I bite it back. People were hurt here today. The cheer frays at the edges—someone sobs, someone calls a name. Celebration and shock tangle in the cold.
“You’re a hero,” I say to him, stepping back. He tries to hold on to me, but I slip away. “Time to greet the fawning masses.”
He scowls.
I look around. We’re surrounded by a circle of chanting people. I grab Zayne’s hand and raise it, and the chant swells to a roar.
“Give over, Holly,” he whispers. “Or better yet, tell them to shut the fuck up.”
“Hey, guys,” I shout out above the noise, “you’re embarrassing him. He’s shy.”
Laughter ripples, the volume drops; the square remembers its bruises. Then one by one, they come forward and shake his hand. It’s amazing, but only in Elderfell could the people take a basilisk and a centaur fighting over their village with so much aplomb. We expect strange things in Elderfell.
“I don’t suppose you know any good invisibility spells,” Zayne mutters as a familiar figure approaches.
His aunt comes to a halt in front of us. “I got you wrong,” she says. “I thought you were like your father—”
“I am like my father,” he snaps. “He was a good man. He didn’t kill your sister.”
“He didn’t,” I confirm. “I know that now. It was Khazim.”
She shakes her head. “I didn’t know. And I was scared you would hurt Tansy.”
“I would never fucking hurt her.”
She hangs her head. “I know. I see that now,” she says, voice rough. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m taking her with me if she wants to come,” he says.
“I guessed. But Zayne, let me see her occasionally. Keep in touch. Please. She’s my only family now. And whatever you think of me—I love her.”
He gives a small nod, and some of the tension leaves her. “Thank you.”
We watch as she walks away.
“Gods, I was so tempted to tell her to fuck off,” he mutters.
“Except you’re a good person. The best.” I slip my hand into the crook of his arm. Off to the east, the sun is rising, pink and orange. Snow flakes hang in the air, but there's no longer a reason to fear the snow. I stifle a yawn. “It’s Christmas Day,” I say. “Let’s go home.”
I glance across; my dad is busy helping put out the fires and patch up the injured, so we set off walking across the countryside. Josh and Grimlet hurry to catch up, and we all walk back together in silence. There’s so much to say, but it can wait.
Back at the house, the villagers are arriving to pick up their children. I find my mum in the great room. She’s set up tables with breakfast, and I suddenly realize I’m starving. Josh is huddled in a corner with Milo, no doubt filling him in on everything that has happened. Tansy is with them, still wrapped in a blanket but looking more lively.
Beside me, I sense Zayne stiffen. He’s staring at her, his eyes filled with longing tinged with panic.
“Go ask her,” I say.
