Read with BonusRead with Bonus

1.

Horses.

Horses surround me.

How do I know this? Well, they smell, they’re loud, and they don't know how to stand still.

I hear a lot of talking too. Horses are just like their owners.

“Where’d they go?” Barks a rough voice.

“Over the edge?” Asks another.

“Look at her hair.”

“Where’d all this fog come from?”

“Is she dead?” I almost laugh at the stupid question.

“Only one way to find out.”

I wouldn’t do that if I were you, I think to myself but it’s too late. It is his scream, not his kick, that has my eyes flying open. I see him collapse to the ground just a foot away from me, looking at his leg.

“It’s broken!” He keeps screaming over and over again.

I push myself up onto my knees, then stand up, glaring at the men around me. They all take a step back as I do my best not to wobble. The fog around us becomes thicker.

What they, and their unfortunate friend, don’t know is that my body turns rock solid to protect itself when it feels threatened. It has been that way all my life.

“You broke my leg!” The man sobs, pointing at me.

“I did no such thing.” I spit. “And there are healers in the village yonder, so stop squealing like a pig.” I take a step closer and lean down to him. “That should teach you not to go kicking whomever you please, dog.”

He limps away, glaring at me.

I stare these men down, quickly realizing they are soldiers. I do not recognize their banners or their colors, but I catch a whiff of firewood and smoke and even though it is summer, the heat increases dramatically.

I clench my teeth. Only the Fire folk smell like that. Who exactly am I dealing with?

“You girl, where did they disappear to?” I blink at the man sitting on his horse.

“Who, sir?” I feign innocence.

“Stupid girl! Where did those rotten farmers go!?” One of the men barks. I step towards him.

“Hit me, sir. I dare you.” See what happens. He falls back a few steps.

“Oh-ho, this girl has guts!” One of the men chuckles.

The man, whose leg I broke, continues to grunt. The sound is pathetic, and I can’t stand it. My irritation starts to build up.

“Someone shut him up!” I snap. The loud grunting becomes muffled.

“Enough.” A new voice commands.

I look to my left where the new voice comes from. A young man sits tall on a brown horse. He is handsome, with eyes like storm clouds and hair like lightning.

“You! You’re in charge of these ruffians?” I demand. He scoffs quietly to himself, a hint of a grin playing at his lips, before composing himself.

“Your name, lady?” He tilts his head forward.

“Who asks, sir?” I see a hand coming my way and I cannot help but grin.

“I said enough, Brit.” The young man’s voice reminds me of thunder. The guard drops his hand as fast as he brought it up, a scared expression etched on his face. Even I was slightly out of place at his tone.

He turns his storm cloud eyes back on me. “Forgive him, lady, he can be quite dense at times. I am Captain Jace Brandon.” A name I have never heard of. He grins. “Has the tiger shark lost her bite?” I narrow my eyes at the nickname.

“Remi Rose, sir.” I answer.

My foster family, the Lakewood’s, made themselves a name when they came to the coast. It is a well-known name; known for their salt cows, salt butter and, since I arrived, their pearls; but I do not carry their name.

“Lux Rose,” Captain Jace glances at his soldier and his broken leg, then back to me, “are you responsible for breaking Toppet’s leg?”

Lux? I scoff. What is that?

“That depends, captain. He struck me first, and I didn’t have the chance to hit back before he fell, wailing for his nursemaid and mother.” I do not miss the way the soldiers bite the inside of their cheeks to keep from laughing.

Captain Jace looks back to his soldier, Toppet, and shrugs.

“If you did not kick the maiden, you wouldn’t have broken your leg.” He clicks his tongue. “Musk, Gole, help Toppet onto a horse and find a healer.”

“Yes sir.” The two soldiers heave up Toppet and struggle to get him onto a horse. Toppet keeps grunting every time he moves. He glares at me through watery eyes and I glare back. He grunts one more time as he finally gets on the horse.

The attention comes back to me as they ride away.

“What are you, that a man should break his leg with a single kick?” The captain muses out loud, a boyish grin plastered on his pale face. His eyes run over me from head to toe, fascination sparkling in his storm cloud eyes.

“Something precious, something rare, something not to be shared. Remember this Remi Rose: We do not throw our Pearls to the swine.” I heard Old Yawna’s stern voice, but the captain already launches into another question.

“Lux, have you seen two men and a young lady past this way? One was injured.” Captain Jace asks, getting back to the topic on hand. I swallow.

What business did this ruffian have with my fosters?

“I do not believe I have, captain.” I am not a good liar, everyone in my town knows that.

Captain Jace narrows his eyes just slightly.

I feel it then, a presence in the back of my mind, a gentle nudge, a light poke. He is gifted then, with the mind, and he was looking for a way in mine. The corner of my lip twitches up. I enjoy the struggle of these types of people.

Naturally, the wall in my mind is thick and impenetrable, so that not even the greatest masters can find a way in. If I felt anything, it meant that that person was pushing their gift to its limits.

“Why?” I narrow my eyes.

The captain purses his lips. “I do not mean to frighten you, but the two males are criminals. The injured man killed one of my soldiers and kidnapped the lady with the help of a young boy.”

“Is that so? Well, in that case, I’ll let you know if I see them. Thank you, captain.” I force myself to widen my eyes and sound genuinely concerned.

Please, my fosters aren’t that violent.

Captain Jace dips his head. “Thank you, Lux Rose.” He looks around then back at me. “Well, it is not like a gentleman to leave a lady in distress. Allow me to accompany you home.” It isn’t a question, it’s a demand.

“That won’t be necessary, good sir.” My irritation, that ebbed away when they took Toppet, suddenly snaps back, like the crack of a whip. I try to keep it out of my voice as much as I can, and off of my face.

“I insist, lady Lux.” He stares right into my eyes.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter