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2.

Lux must be something important, because he keeps calling me that. Should I ask him what it is? But, if it is as important as it sounds, then maybe I should keep my mouth shut. If they know that I don’t know what they’re talking about, it could cause more trouble.

I stare back, feeling like this is a battle of wills, and I am sure that the more I resist, the more guilty I look. I clench my jaw and finally look away. If submitting is what it takes to protect the Lakewood’s, then so be it.

“You’re very kind, sir.” I mumble and take a deep breath. I exhale from my nose and the fog clears up.

“Mark, a horse for the lady Lux.” Captain Jace orders. I hear some shuffling and the horse walks up next to me. The soldier holds the reins as I swing up on the saddle and hands it to me once I find my seating.

All the men are openly staring at me now and I feel a rush of heat flood my cheeks. I don’t like all the attention. I clench my jaw harder and urge the horse forward.

I cannot actually take them to my home, so I decide to go into the town. The captain trots up beside me and his men fall in behind us. I feel no heat coming from him, which is unlike the normal Fire folk.

“I dare say, I have not seen you before, little shark.” He wants to make small talk? What is he, eight? I glance over to him and he stares straight ahead at the road. His posture is upright, proud, regal almost. He looks natural on his horse, like he was raised on it.

I quickly look back at the road. He is handsome, so I guess I’ll entertain him, for now.

“Perhaps your memory is not as good as you think, Captain.” If I was going to entertain him though, I won’t be nice about it. I hear him scoff.

“Perhaps, but I would not forget such a beauty.” Flattery gets you nowhere, I want to say but I don’t. As much as I pretend I don’t like flattery, I do.

“What a contradictory snail.” I can hear my younger foster brother joke.

“I will admit, I do not recognize your banners. May I ask whose house you represent?” I divert. His ego is big enough, he can do without my fancy.

Their colors are dark red, light orange, lilac, yellow and blue. A flaming rose in dark red dominated the center of the flag, making the light colors that decorate the edges stand out.

“The King of the Fire element folk, King Willard the third.” There is something in the way the young captain says the king’s name that grabs my attention. Is it fondness? Bitterness? Envy, maybe? Whatever it is, I find it interesting, and almost endearing.

“Why are the King’s men so far East? I am certain that we Southeasterners have not been causing the King too much trouble.” I frown slightly.

Up until that point, I hadn’t cared much about the King of the Fire element. He hasn’t really made any decrees that made an impression. Come to think of it, he hasn’t really done anything, at least that is the word on the streets. Living so far away from the Core City and bordering their rival element, Water, the Southeasterners' information gets mixed up and oftentimes become propaganda - mostly against the crown, in both elements.

“The king is ordering all maidens between the ages 18-26 to be brought to the palace.” Captain Jace responds.

I cannot help it. I jerk the reins so hard that my horse rears. I swerve on my saddle to face the surprised captain. From the corner of my eye I see the other soldiers draw their swords, but the captain holds his hand up.

“Why?” I nearly shout. He looks calm, like he’s seen this reaction before, and he probably has. All those poor mothers, watching the King’s soldiers take their daughters away.

“The King is looking for a bride. He’ll pick one and send the rest back to where they came from, back to their homes.” He studies me, studies my reaction.

“And if the maids are already promised?”

“They will be brought in.”

“Even tavern wenches?” I watch him, I cannot help it. I am knee deep in shock, and this boy is as calm as pond water.

The king is ordering this? To find a bride? Don’t monarchs marry princesses from different kingdoms to form alliances and to strengthen their country? They don’t marry from their own kingdom, do they? Have the rules changed or something?

“No. As long as they are maids they will be brought in, promised or not.” Captain Jace pauses, then glances at me, a small grin playing at his lips. “What will you say now, darling shark? That you are not a maid but rather, a tavern wench?”

I open my mouth, then snap it shut. If I said yes, then I wouldn’t have to go to the palace. It was a pretty little lie. Easy enough to say, but it damages my dignity. I urge the horse to walk again.

“If that’s so, I’ll ask that you lead us to your tavern. My men and I are weary from our travel,” his small grin turns into a large smile, “and I’ll be willing to pay a pretty price for your company for the rest of the night.”

This infuriating boy! I want to strangle him. I want to leap over and slap that silly smile off his face. I want to shake him until his teeth fall out but I am sure that even without his teeth, he would still be dashing.

He barks out a laugh. “Of course, I would ask for your forgiveness, dear lady. After all, you are not a tavern wench.”

“And how did you come to that conclusion?” I keep a cool tone, getting ready to snap, like a cat getting ready to leap onto its prey.

He glances at me, a sparkle in his eye, a secret grin on his lips. His voice is low and has a playful hint to it. “Because, if you were, you would not look at me with murder in your eyes.” And the tension is gone. I feel my anger deflate. I sit back on my horse, not realizing I tensed forward. Had I been so obvious? “And because I have been around enough tavern wenches to know.” Just like that I want to strangle him again. I glare so hard at the side of his face and I think he felt it because he just grins.

He is like a little boy who basks in all the attention from the ladies, good or bad. He knows he is good looking and that nearly, if not all, the maidens fawn over him, and he enjoys every moment.

Well, he can have any girl he wants, but he will not have me.

It becomes quiet. Only the sound of walking horses and their occasional snorts fill the space. I guess the captain got bored.

My mind wanders back to earlier in the ride. If the King is ordering all maidens to be brought to the palace for him to choose a bride, then how far will his soldiers go? I have never seen a map before, so I don’t know where the Four Kingdoms begin or end. I inhale deeply, trying to relax.

The Four Kingdoms.

They are made up of the four basic elements: Water, Fire, Air, and Earth. From there it is broken down into sub-elements. Everyone belongs to one main element and within their main element, they belong to a sub-element.

History is not my strongest subject but, from what old Yawna has taught me, I know the Water element has two main sub-elements: Fresh and Salt. Likewise, the Lakewood’s have taught me that Fire also has two main sub-elements: Light and Heat. What the difference is between Fire’s sub-elements was never really explained to me, only that sub-heat fire folk radiate heat, like live coal.

No matter, I shake my head. What I do know is that my village, Breen, is at the edge of the Fire kingdom. It borders a village at the edge of the Water kingdom, Highette. At least, that is what the Lakewood’s have taught me.

I almost stop my horse again at a sudden thought. I glance at the captain from the corner of my eye. I forgot the whole reason why I am riding with the King’s men.

Were they pursuing my foster sister, Kas, because of the King’s decree? To take her to the palace so that she would become a potential bride? I look back at the road in front of me, my heart racing. Is that why Torryn was injured? Was he and Miles saving Kas from being taken?

Kas is already promised to a young man. He is in the King’s guard, sent off to fight at the Northern border, Nark, and isn’t due to come home until late next spring. Right now, it is only mid-summer.

If she is taken to the palace, and the King chooses her, then she would be wed to the King and not to her young soldier.

I almost cannot bear the thought. I have seen the way Kas and her betrothed look at each other, the way they talk about each other, the way they hold hands, and laugh at each other’s jokes. The way her betroth surprises her with her favorite flowers on the gloomiest days and the way he always made sure to spend time with her and us, her family.

He is a good young man, fit enough for my foster sister.

I glare at the road with determination.

No, the King will not get Kas. He will not even know she exists, just like he has not known for the past 18 years.

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