Chapter Three What An Absolutely Stupid Idea #2
“Evil lurks everywhere, even where we least expect it. Each day we never know what we’ll find.
Even in the humblest or grandest of places, evil could spring.
It’s up to us to take it in hand.” I rambled for a minute trying to sound like a mystic woman and trying to work up the nerve to do what I had to do.
Draw finally raised his brows at me, in support or desperation, I didn’t know, but I knew it was time.
“It’s magic and evil though, that make a most dangerous combination.
” With that last word, I slid my hands together, a match in one, the matchbox in the other, carefully concealed by my sleeve.
The crowd gasped at what looked like the sudden appearance of a tiny fire in my hands.
In a smooth motion, I brought my fingers to the candle. The girl leaned away from me slightly, uncertain. The wick lit. I flicked my hand to put out the match, which was just beginning to warm my fingertips.
“Though we may never understand the source of darkness, we know it is the responsibility of each of us to extinguish evil in the world.” I turned to the queen. God, I hoped this worked. “Your Grace, if you would.”
Queen Elthra seemed pleased to be involved and bustled forward to stand next to the child, her own girlish movements at odds with her heavy armor. I suppose even a woman who had it all liked to be included.
“Our queen will extinguish this flame, just as she will evil. Your Grace, if you eat this red berry, you will have temporary control over fire!”
I couldn’t help but glance at Draw as I handed Elthra a red gummy bear. I shouldn’t have. His so-often carefully composed face was undergoing a bout of shock. He knew I wasn’t magic and looked terrified on my behalf.
Well, maybe I’d surprise him too.
Elthra chewed daintily, her eyebrows rising at the flavor of the candy. The entire crowd was silent. I had them, and I intended to keep them. Elthra swallowed.
Fortunately, I had done well in high school chemistry and noted that the lubricant Sorrel had so embarrassingly packed in my satchel had cyclomethicone in it.
I’d drenched my hand in the lubricant moments before coming onstage and now put my hand to the candle while sneakily pinching the wick, making it look like the fire transferred from candle to me.
Oh, dear gods of Landsome.
My hand bloomed orange. The crowd gasped, shocked this stranger just set herself on fire and the stranger in question was experiencing immediate regret. The flame was much bigger than I anticipated. It was going to light my cuff. I felt my skin warm as the liquid burned off. This wasn’t going to—
“Cease!” the queen’s voice bellowed.
The flame flickered once, then died.
The crowd roared. They absolutely screamed.
I caught a glimpse of surprise on the queen’s face before she composed herself, and the young volunteer was actually shaking.
I didn’t care to know my own state. It was all I could do to bow and pull the girl along as the queen commenced her final plea for help, her voice filled with a nearly transcendent level of enthusiasm and command, no surprise after her grand magical moment.
“Are you okay?” I asked the girl offstage. We were outside the circle of torches and the light on her face had dimmed.
“Yes, Mistress Witch.”
“Good.” I cast about for parting words. What would a mysterious witchy woman say to a young girl in need of positive influence? “Be brave like you were tonight, and you’ll go far in life.” She nodded and I added in a rush, “Don’t ever set yourself on fire though,” just in case it needed to be said.
The crowd parted around me as I returned to the alley, feeling jumpy. For a moment there, I really did not think the lubricant was going to burn off. It had been a risk.
I slipped the matchbox into my satchel then looked over my hand, running my fingertips over the skin.
Though the tiny hairs on two of my fingers were singed and stubbly, my silver ring (which I hadn’t thought to take off) was fine and I already knew from the lack of pain I was okay.
I was simply shocked. Relieved for it to be over, still whole.
Sorrel had said I wouldn’t carry injuries back to my home, but neither did I want to endure second-degree burns while living out of a tent.
Draw stepped out of the back of the crowd.
“Dottie, that was...unexpected.”
I still had my hands raised in front of me, and he took them in his.
Two men had turned when Draw broke through the wall of people and they watched me curiously, half-hopeful I’d start on fire again.
Draw noticed and gestured me ahead. He followed me deeper into the dark alley.
“Do I need to ask if you’re all right?” he murmured.
I shook my head and said no, pleased I could be honest. All things considered...I’d say my magical debut went well.
It was quieter around the corner. One lantern hung on a wall next to a doorway down the way. The moon was slight that night, the shadows fully drawn.
We paused.
“I didn’t think so.”
I didn’t need to see Draw’s face to know he wasn’t as pleased to be in my company as I was his.
In fact, for the first time since I met him, he seemed uncomfortable.
I couldn’t make out his green eyes well in the darkness but something about him felt far away.
I had grown used to how Draw made himself available to me and his withdrawnness felt cold.
“You’ve given the people of Sage Ravine a lot to think about, now that they believe the queen has magic on her side.”
I pulled the tail of my hair over my shoulder to fret with it. “Do you think I laid it on too thick?”
“If you mean, ‘Was it effective?’ yes, it was. If you mean, ‘Did I just tell an illiterate village that their young people aren’t going to die in battle because there are greater powers at work?’ I would also say yes.”
I didn’t get this at all. Was Draw mad at me?
“Wasn’t it my job to help win the village to the queen’s side?”
“But not give them false hope.” The words might have demanded a shout from anyone else, but from Draw, the accusation was whispered.
“Draw, you know how demanding our queen can be. I did the best I could.” My voice wavered. “The trick was small. I don’t know that it made anyone believe I’m going to, I don’t know, set the Dark Mage on fire. They know it’s a war. And you’re not being fair. I want to keep everyone safe too.”
It felt like he was going to say something, but he didn’t. He only shifted in place and scrutinized the distant lantern.
I folded my arms across my chest. Away from the crowd, I was starting to feel cold and more than a little miserable.
Finally, he said, “Of course you do. I don’t doubt that. I’m sorry it sounded like I did.”
I was scared to ask the question, but Draw was my greatest ally in Landsome. Even if it wasn’t possible for us to be together, I didn’t want us to stop being friends. I had to ask it. “Why are you mad at me?”
He lifted a hand to his mouth and left it there, finger diagonally across his lips. His eyes were pensive, layered with shadow. He seemed to be weighing something.
He tsked offhandedly before he spoke, but I understood what he was about to say was anything but trivial.
“Dottie, you’re free to make your own decisions, so I hope this isn’t interpreted as trying to sway you.
I know how much you wanted to come to Landsome.
” He hesitated. “It’s only that I ask as a point of clarity. ”
This man was much more perceptive than I recognized. Even before he said it, I knew without a doubt he knew, but how? How had he known I was making a play for Ironclaw?
He asked, “Have you chosen Ironclaw over me?”
My jaw went slack. I was right. I’d made the decision only yesterday, had barely spoken to him since, and somehow, he knew.
“Could we sit?” I didn’t wait for an answer and found the steps of a building. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness. After a moment, Draw sat too, angling himself toward me.
“Okay, this is tricky to explain. I don’t...I’m not used to talking about my feelings much.”
“I’ll admit my conversations are usually limited to the workings of the queendom.” I heard a small smile in his voice.
The shadows helped. I didn’t have to watch his face as he read me.
“I liked kissing you. So much.” There, I said it. “I think I made that clear.”
“I understand you have to go home eventually,” he said slowly, then heat came into his voice, “but why then can you indulge in a dalliance with Ironclaw? I thought what we had was genuine. Or have you not realized that Ironclaw is not the hero your books make him out to be?” He sighed.
“I said I wasn’t going to sway you.” He didn’t apologize, only noted his inability to stay neutral on the subject.
“I don’t want Ironclaw.”
“You don’t?” Draw’s voice was significantly lighter. I felt him shift next to me. “Then, by the stream...” He trailed off, waiting for me to come clean.
A soft laugh escaped me. “Can you read lips or something?”
“Read lips?” Draw was taken aback by my accusation.
He made an amused noise in his throat. “Not in so much. I can ‘read’ people though. Plus, it doesn’t help that it seems everyone in this host is keen to keep me abreast of your movements.
All half this court does is gossip. We’d have Amédée beaten in no time if only we could rumor him to death. ”
I put my elbow on the step behind us and leaned back. I couldn’t believe I had to say it aloud, but the Dark Mage was a formidable opponent, one I did not want to see Draw up against. And, to keep that from happening, I had to take control of Ironclaw. Perhaps it was only fair Draw understand why.
“I need to seduce Ironclaw so he does what I tell him to do.”
An astonished silence hung in the air.
Then Draw burst out laughing.
I was immediately affronted.
“It’s not laughable,” I said bitterly.
Draw continued to laugh. “What an absolutely stupid idea,” he wheezed.
Okay, that was a bit far.