19. Mare #2
How had a Solheart like Bláth come to be a Fireborn lady's handmaiden? I couldn't imagine any Solheart bearing the indignity of serving their lessers.
"Interesting." I furrowed my brow. "News of Galasvar can't possibly have reached Lavaire yet. What does Brighid want with this place?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." Reese shrugged. "Brighid has an uncanny ability to know everything before I do. She sometimes jokes that she makes deals with fae to see the future."
"You two are friends, then?"
"Yes. But if there's anything I hate," Reese said. "It's talking about me. How are you holding up?"
"Mm." I met his gaze, and donned one of my myriad masks, as Liam had put it. The confident, sarcastic noblewoman. "Will you tell me something about you, now? If you die, you'll take all your secrets to your grave."
"I've spoken with Ferris enough to know it's better that way. Bards sing about men who are mysterious."
"Right. And women love a man of mysteries."
"I know for a fact they do." He gave me a wry grin.
"Ah." I turned away. "No wonder Cierthine chose me. It turns out I'm a man."
"Because you're loaded with secrets, or because you can't stand me?" He chuckled. "Alright, fine. I'll spare you one."
I raised an eyebrow, waiting.
"I have a cat. He stays in the Paragons’ tower."
"A cat?" I echoed, turning to face him. "I thought no one was allowed in that tower save the Paragons themselves."
"That's just a rumor. Anyone can enter, as long as they're with one of us. We even have a housekeeper."
That Paragons’ black tower, ever shrouded in mystery. Nothing but a well-spread rumor.
I bit my lip. I'd always wanted a cat, but father had never allowed me to bring one home. He'd been appalled at the idea of a little creature covering his house in fur.
"What's his name?" I asked.
"Pumpkin."
"That's an atrocious name."
Reese folded his arms. "It suits him. He's fat and lazy, and doesn't deserve something noble."
"Poor thing."
"What would you name him?" Reese arched an eyebrow.
"My gut says Lord Plenilune, scion of the light, but I'd be sorely tempted to name him Liam," I said.
Reese laughed, and I chuckled, too. A moment passed, where I kept eye contact for far longer than necessary.
Solhearts really were beautiful. It was terribly unfair.
Tucking my true feelings away, I whirled to face him and jabbed him in the chest. "You mentioned Ferris. What's the history there?"
"So accusatory." He playfully pushed my hand away. "I spent a few weeks in Casaloch for a tourney. Ferris and I became acquainted."
"Do you befriend teenage delinquents often?" I arched an eyebrow.
"He was bleeding out. I healed him." He sighed. "I'm too old for his . . . enthusiasm."
That was one way to put Ferris' inability to behave. Narrowing my eyes, I leaned in, looking the Paragon up and down. "You've aged remarkably well for being ancient."
"Ishii would shoot me if he heard me say that." Reese chuckled. "The old man has a hundred years on me."
Paragon Ishii was one hundred and forty, if I recalled correctly. That placed Reese in his forties, around the same age as Laiserian.
Swallowing tightly, I turned away. It felt strange to talk like this when death was only a pace away.
"You found your catalyst, right?" Reese tilted his head. "Can I see?"
A flurry of excitement chased away the tension. I took three quick steps—the opening to a waltz. Lightning danced in my palm in response, no more than a tiny ball of static.
But it was magic.
Reese grinned. "Beautiful. So, it's a dance?"
"Not quite.” I let the static on my fingers die. "It's Tirnanog, too."
"Like their Myrmidons . . . ” he wondered, head tilting further.
"What?" I spread my arms. "Why are you staring at me like I'm a puzzle box?"
"Because I can't quite figure you out."
My hands dropped, and my mask faltered. Fear pulsed in my throat, for a moment, worried he searched for my dark truth.
But his face wore only simple curiosity. Or was it more than that?
A new sensation flew down my throat—nerves, fluttering, and light.
Swallowing them, I regained my composure. "Good. Men like a woman with mysteries."
One corner of his mouth curled up. "Your king believes I'll need to guard you for months. A year. It'll take that long to train you, too. We'll have to dispel the mysteries eventually."
"Slowly, I'd hope."
"Painfully."
I smiled and met his eye again. A bad move. His molten-gold eyes dug into my skin, like daggers tearing through my masks to find the truth.
Breaking his gaze, I stared at the fire again.
"Listen." Reese stepped closer and touched my upper arm.
Was it his heat, or the bonfires that suffocated the air?
"Stay with the villagers. Follow them to Tsuyan, if I have to ride out and find the scádes."
"What?" My head snapped up. "Why?"
"Because you aren't ready for this. And I don't want you to get hurt."
He was right. I could swing a sword well enough against a foe that was holding back. Even though I'd added creating sparks to my illustrious arsenal of talents, I was no match for the creatures of the dark.
Fleeing didn't feel right, though.
"Alright," I exhaled. I lowered my eyes in shame, then lifted them to meet his.
He stood beside me, face far too close to mine.
When I glanced into his eyes, I couldn't bear to hold his gaze. Now, so close, I couldn't look away.
Reese dropped his hand and stepped back. "We should head back, see if they're finally ready to leave."
When he left my side, he took the overbearing presence he exerted with him. Like Killian had. An aura of strength, of magic, Paragons seemed to exude.
Would I, one day?
Turning from the bonfire, I whistled for my elk.
And noticed a crow with one missing talon perched on the town's wooden gate.
The sound of steel tearing through rock overpowered my voice.
A scaled snout emerged from the veil of night; its ebony claws tore through the walls dividing our land from the shadows. Dragon wings spread across the black sky, and its glowing yellow eyes turned toward me.
I heard it: the song. It grew from a distant hum to a wailing shriek. Hordes of shadows tore through the ruined hole in the walls the moment after.
A streak of gold divided the night as Reese drew his sword. He threw me behind him. "Go!"
Stumbling away from the Paragon, I pulled myself up on my elk and yanked it around.
Digging my heels into its flank, I ordered it to run.
I glanced over my shoulder to see the lone Paragon standing against certain death.
I was leaving him, just as I'd left Killian.
When night had cleared, I'd returned to find Cierthine lying beside a corpse.
If I abandoned Reese . . .
Cursing, I turned my elk around and ran toward the tide.