by Chanda Hahn
Intruder.
Intruder.
Run.
My plodding through the storm only scared them.
“Yes, yes. I know,” I muttered. “I’m the intruder.” I sneezed and stumbled in the dark, landing in a puddle. “Oh, just great.” Here I was, a fearsome sorceress—sitting in a puddle. I was so wrapped up in my own woes that I didn’t hear the approaching horses.
“Well, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes,” a gravelly voice called out. “I think I found a mud swallow.” A lantern swung my way, and I blinked, blinded by the light. When my eyes adjusted, I saw that I had stumbled close to a road, and a transport had pulled up. The driver, a man with a graying beard and kind eyes, held up his lantern to illuminate the area. I glanced at the banner hung under the door and lit up in delight when I saw Candor.
“Are you going to Candor?” I asked. If I made it there, I would at least get some clothes from my sister.
“That’s what it says.” The driver tossed his thumb toward the banner. “But do you have fare?”
I reached for my purse and remembered I had nothing except my night dress. Heat rose to my cheeks.
“I don’t at the moment. But I can pay you once we reach my relatives in the capital city of Thressia.”
He rubbed his chin and looked me over, and I studied him warily.
Sheesh, she probably doesn’t have any money. But the missus would throttle me if she heard I left a poor child out in the rain.
He was on the fence, so I put on the most pathetic face I could. “I swear, that misfortune has only set me back at the moment. I can and will pay for my fare.”
“Oh, come on.” The driver hopped down from his box and helped me up into his transport wagon. I did the best I could to wring out my nightdress, but it was all but ruined. I wasn’t sure how I was going to present myself at the palace. Would they even let me in the front door, or would they turn me away?
It felt good to be out of the rain, and I leaned my head against the sideboard. I heard the snap of the reins as the transport moved forward.
“Halt!” a loud voice shouted, and the horses came to a stop. The sudden stop forced me off the bench and I slid onto the floor.
“What is going on?” I shouted out at the driver.
“Another passenger.”
“But we didn’t go anywhere.”
The door opened, and a dark figure jumped into the transport. Liam turned to me, his face wide-eyed with worry. When he saw me sitting on the bench, I caught his look of relief. He leaned out the door and spoke to the driver. “I’ll pay for our fare as long as we are going north.”
“As you wish. Can we go, or are more of you going to pop out of the woods?”
“No, you may proceed.” Liam slammed the door and moved to the bench across from me. His long legs bumped mine, and I shuffled to adjust my nightdress and turn sideways. I waited for the accusations to start, followed by the condemnation. Instead, he leaned his head back, closed his eyes and ignored me.
His silence unnerved me, audibly and mentally. Surely, he would have some thoughts or reprimands, but he left me a blank slate. I wasn’t even picking up an aura. Instead, I was left to stew in my own internal dialogue of assumptions, which left me tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable on the bench seat.
But no matter how I positioned myself, I was chilled to the bone, and my nightdress became uncomfortably cold. His green eyes opened, and he sighed in annoyance.
Ah ha! I thought, as he finally revealed his feelings. He is frustrated with me.
Liam stood, claimed the seat next to me, and pulled me in close. Lifting his arm, draping the cloak over the two of us.
I gasped and scooted away, but he pulled my elbow until I fell against his side, my cheek resting against his chest. He turned to sit sideways in the transport and held me close, his left arm resting comfortably on my arm.
Frozen stiff, I dared not move or breath.
“Relax,” he muttered sleepily. “It’s my duty to keep you safe. And if that means keeping you warm and alive until we reach Rya, then so be it. I will be your blanket. Don’t worry, your virtue is safe with me.”
I would have struggled more if I hadn’t seen the flash of white signaling truth with his words.
“Why did you follow me?” I asked.
“Shh.” He pressed his finger to my lips. “I’m tired. I spent all night tracking you. Less talk. More sleep.”
I shifted, and my right elbow poked him. I heard a mental groan of pain and my eyes widened as I remembered the gash in his side. Carefully, I reached down with my hand and felt the wound. Using magic, I eased his pain.
I heard his sigh of relief, and I gritted my teeth and let my own tears of empathy fall. It hurt so much, and he had been hiding it from me. This wasn’t the same wound my mother had bandaged. It was a new one that I would question later. I took as much pain as I could handle until I heard Liam fall into a deep sleep.
Chapter Eight
The sun brushed along my eyelids, tickling them awake. I was warm, comfortable, and I didn’t want to move. I nuzzled my pillow that smelled like leather and woods . . . then my pillow moved.
Oh. My arm’s asleep.
My eyes flew open, and I lifted my head to glance into Liam’s solemn green eyes. He didn’t smile, just gave me a curious look. Embarrassed, I pulled his cloak over my head and hid. Then my body shook. No, I wasn’t shaking. Liam was vibrating with silent laughter. I peeked out from under the cloak, and this time his stoic expression broke, and the corners of his lips lifted into a smile.
I relaxed, sat up, and the cloak fell from my shoulders, and immediately I felt exposed. I turned, giving him my back as I wiped the sleep from my eyes. I was aghast at how much mud and dirt coated my nightdress and my feet.
Carefully, I undid my long hair and tried to comb through the mass of tangles with my fingers.
It’s like moonlight.
My fingers paused in their detangling as I listened. I must have misheard. He wouldn’t have complimented me. I glanced over my shoulder and Liam was staring out the window intently. I let out a long breath and went back to doing the best to make my hair presentable. My hair was down to my waist and all I could do was put it back into a braid. Once finished, I moved to the other side of the transport and wrapped my arms around myself.
Liam glanced over at me.
So pathetic.
That one hurt. I turned away to stare out the window.
Liam leaned forward, and I flinched thinking he was going to touch me. He gave me an odd look and rapped on the roof. The transport pulled over and Liam stepped out. He spoke in low tones with the driver, and I used the distraction to wipe at my face.
I was not pathetic. I was a woman, and I could take care of myself. Liam hopped back in and we were on our way again. He seemed fine with the lack of talking, so I obliged him by ignoring him. Which went against every single fiber of my being. I was the chatty one, I could hardly keep a secret, and I loved pulling conversations from my sister’s thoughts.
It wasn’t the same with Liam. He had a strong mental wall, and he hid his emotions and thoughts well. When a thought did escape his mental grasp, it jarred me or made me uncomfortable, like getting pricked by a cactus.
The transport’s wheels bounced over gravel, but soon the road turned to brick, and the horses’ hooves clipped gracefully along. I leaned forward and looked out the window and worried.
We were heading into a small city.
“What city is this?” I asked warily.
“It’s Hinsburg.”
“I don’t understand. I don’t want to stop in Hinsburg. I asked to go to Thressia.” My voice rose, as did my panic. The closer we came to the city, the louder the thoughts of the people became. First like gnats that annoyed me, then the pressure became greater, like a constant buzz. I grimaced and covered my ears as if to keep out the thoughts, but they only became more painful. The population was far greater than Nihill.
The pain became unbearable, and I ground my teeth.
“Aura, what’s the matter?”
I struggled to breathe as I heard the cries of the children that were hungry. A woman being beaten by her husband. A lost child, a thief accosting an old woman. It wasn’t the few hundred of my town, but thousands of people.
“Aura.” Liam grasped my elbow.
Lorn was right. I wasn’t strong enough. I shouldn’t have left home. “I’m fine,” I groaned, trying to retreat further into my mind to block them out.
“No, you’re not.”
“I am.” I shook and sweat beaded across my brow. The transport stopped in front of a shop, but I dared not leave. I collapsed on my bench seat and buried my head in the thin padded cushion.
“Tell me what’s going on?” Liam begged. Flashes of blue signaled his worry.
“There’s too many. It’s too overwhelming. I can’t shut them out,” I cried.
He reached for me, but I pushed him away. I couldn’t stand to be touched when overcome with an empathetic state. My sisters learned that lesson long ago, and usually would tuck me in with a blanket and give me tea. “Don’t touch me,” I commanded.
“No,” he growled and pulled me into a hug. His arms wrapped around me, and he pressed my forehead into his chest. I waited for the onslaught of his emotions to hit me like a hammer coupled with the thousand-voice orchestra of the city, but they were slowly fading away.
I stopped struggling. Somehow Liam was canceling out my empathy. The ringing in my ears disappeared. I listened to the sound of his breathing, even and calm. He was an anchor in a storm of mental anguish.
“How d’you do that?” I breathed out.
“Do what?” His soulful eyes searched my face.
“Make the voices stop?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even know what was happening to you. My only thought was to protect you.” He pulled back and brushed a stray hair from my face.
And that’s when I saw how beautiful and bright he was. Blinding white with his need to protect. It was his own magic that showed up and protected me. He became a shield when I needed it most.
“Your magic is beautiful,” I whispered.
He frowned and shook his head. “I don’t have magic.”
“You’re wrong. You have defensive magic. By touching me, you shielded me and made”—I waved my hand in the air dismissively—“the bad stuff disappear. You do have powerful magic. Untrained, but strong. I think it’s your determination of will, that desire to protect, that strengthens your magic.”
He cleared his throat and looked away. “That’s what I swore to do. Protect you until you get to Rya.”
I nodded and turned in my seat to glance out the window to see where we stopped. It was a dress shop. My brows furrowed, and I looked at Liam in confusion. “What are we doing?”
“Getting you clothes. I don’t assume you want to continue traveling to Rya in your nightgown.”
My cheeks burned. “No.”
“Then let’s go.” He pulled away and stepped out of the transport. He extended his hand to help me down. When he released my hand, the buzzing of the voices returned. He took his red cloak and wrapped it around my shoulders, covering my dirty dress. Thankfully, his own thoughts were shielded as we stepped through the door into Cora’s Fine Clothing.
A chipper woman with red curls piled on her head and wearing a striped-green high-collared dress greeted us.
“Greetings, and welcome to my shop. I’m Cora, and what can we get you today?” She flashed her teeth at Liam while her lust flashed into my mind.
Oh yes, this is a pleasant surprise. What a hot slice of man pie.
I held back a chuckle. I instantly knew when Cora dragged her eyes away from Liam and saw me.
Eh, what’s this? She can’t possibly be wanting a dress from my collection. I’ll be the laughingstock of the town. Is she his lover?
I sucked in my breath.
“I’d like a dress for my—” Liam began.
“Sister,” I interrupted. “Nothing too fancy. Just sensible, since I lost my trunks during our travel.”
Cora’s smile brightened like the stars. Oh, that’s what I thought. There’s no way a handsome man like that would ever be seen with that sickly-looking thistle. “I’m sure, I have something that would be to her taste in my back room. Let me get it.” Cora waved a polished nail through the green curtains. She disappeared into the back.
“Brother?” Liam uttered.
“Yes, well, I don’t have a ring on my finger, and without it, it would look like I’m your lover by the state of my undress. So this is the best course of action.” Heat rose to my cheeks as I tried to explain. “Plus, she fancies you.”
“What? No, she doesn’t.”
“Yes, she does. She thinks you are a hot slice of man pie.”
“She said no such thing,” Liam scoffed, and he shuffled away from me. I could tell that the revelation of her liking him unsettled his usual stoic self.
“But I don’t think I’m welcome here,” I whispered.
“Nonsense, this is a dress shop, and you need a dress. Why wouldn’t you be welcome?”
“It’s not that simple. She has a certain clientele, and I don’t fit the mold.”
“That’s ridiculous. There are plenty of pretty dresses here.”
I was about to explain further when Cora waltzed out of the back room with a simple brown shift dress and wrap belt. My hopes dropped at seeing the boring earth tone dress that was very similar to the ones I already owned. There goes getting something beautiful and different.
“How’s this for your sister?” Cora held up the dress to her own petite frame. “It is sturdy fabric, can be worn for multiple days without showing wear and dirt from travel.”
My hands clenched, digging into the red cloak. “It’s fine—” I began.
“It’s hideous,” Liam spoke up.
“I assure you, this is well within a reasonable range for your sister.”
“Madam, don’t let her current state of travel fool you, for she may look like a piece of coal”—I shot Liam a disgusted look, but he was too far into his rant to stop—“but under that layer of dirt is a precious gem.”
My mouth dropped open and so did Cora’s. She stuttered, “M-maybe, if you give me a price range, I can have something made up and delivered to you.”
Liam walked over to the dress in the window, a long-sleeved sky-blue dress with a matching riding cloak. “We’ll take this one.”
“But sir, that’s very expensive.”
“And throw in riding boots, silk stockings, and any underthings she may need.”
Liam reached into his belt and pulled out enough gold to pay for the dress and then some, tossing it on the counter. By Cora’s internal dialogue, I knew he vastly overpaid. She bobbed her head and quickly undressed the stuffed mannequin in the window.
“That’s far too extravagant,” I exclaimed. “I’m fine with the simple brown one—really.” I rubbed my temples to keep away the buzzing that was coming from the townspeoples’ thoughts.
Liam walked over to me and leaned down. “You tried hard to hide your disappointment from me, but it was clear as day. I wasn’t going to see you in that plain brown thing.” He reached out and lifted my chin so I looked into his serious eyes. “Not when you deserve so much more.”
I looked away, and as soon as contact lessened the pain came back. I winced.
“Will you tell me what’s going on?” he asked.
I shook my head. “You will despise me when you find out. Think that I’m weak. I can’t stand for that to happen.”
He sighed. “I can sense you’re in pain, and being near me lessons it, correct? Because of—” he hesitated. “My magic.”
I nodded.
Liam frowned as if he still didn’t believe. “I still don’t understand, but I will do anything to keep that look from your pale eyes.”
“What look?”
“The one where i
t looks like someone killed your favorite pet.”
I snorted. “I don’t look like that.”
He grinned. “You have a way of seeming so small and pathetic that my instincts kick in and I want nothing more than to protect you.” A flurry of images came at me.
I blushed and fidgeted with his cloak, and then I gasped as I saw his thoughts. “You went back and beat up the other man who accosted me. You found out from Tobias and went after Clive. That’s how you injured yourself here.” I pointed to the wound that had slowly stopped bleeding.
“Who told you?” Liam’s hand covered his side.
“I can’t believe you did that,” I retorted. “You didn’t have the right to challenge them to a duel, no less.”
“I never mentioned a duel.” His brows furrowed.
I clamped my lips shut. Cora came out of the back room with a chemise, corset, stockings, and boots.
“Here you are,” she sang out in a cheerful voice.
“She will change here and wear them out,” Liam stated.
“Certainly, come into the fitting area, dear.” Cora gestured to a silk screen panel for me to change behind.
I stepped behind the screen and was about to pull off my nightgown when I glanced at my dirty fingernails and hands. It was a shame to ruin a perfectly clean dress by putting my dirty body in it. I hesitated to change without getting a bath, and then I heard the door jingle as it opened and closed.
Liam had left, and the assault of thoughts came barraging at me.
Like putting lipstick on a pig. Nothing she does will help her sickly, sewer rat figure. I had that gown put on display to catch Nicolette De Tourel’s eye during her morning walk. Now, I have nothing thanks to this scrawny thistle.
I crumpled to the ground and held the clothes in my lap. Once, I had thought of my magic as a gift. One that allowed me to spy on my sisters in good fun, but that was in the safety of our own home. Anywhere beyond our front door, and it became a curse. A debilitating curse that could freeze anyone like the children’s rhyme; sticks and stones will break your bones, but words can never hurt me. That wasn’t the same for thoughts. Those were like poison that ate away at my soul and self-esteem. With my guard down, the horrid and mean could send me into a dark spiral.
