Sora's Quest (14 page)

She glared, receiving the full gist of his words. She would have spat at him, but he spoke instead, catching her off-guard. "How did you sleep last night, by the way?" he asked.

Sora snorted. "Fine."

"Any nightmares? Monsters in your dreams?"

"No, surprisingly," she said. It was a lie. She barely slept a wink, flinching and starting at every rustle in the bushes. She muttered, "The only monster around here is Crash."

Dorian's eyes widened, then he grinned, looking at her strangely, as though uncertain whether to laugh. "Come now...he's not such a bad sort...."

"Bad sort? He's the worst sort! A murderer for hire, and he killed my...my Lord!"

Dorian seemed surprisingly thoughtful about it, though perhaps it was just another game. "We've all done our share of bad things," he said evenly.

Sora balked. "He is a killer and should be hung!"

"Now that's a strong opinion for a child," came a soft voice from the trees.

Sora sat up. She turned, her eyes combing the deep shadows between the trunks. Crash stood in the deepest shade, his arms crossed and one boot propped up on a tree root, his black cloak shifting in the wind. Who knew how long he had been standing there? Perhaps since she had awakened. Had he heard their entire conversation? She felt another blush begin under the collar of her shirt and climb up to her forehead—the second blush of the morning.

He spoke to Dorian, ignoring her completely. "Mayville is only a short way off. I didn't see Burn."

Dorian cocked an eyebrow at this. "Probably because he didn't want to be seen."

"What?" Sora blurted, forcing herself into the conversation. "Who's Burn?"

No one answered her. On some silent cue, Dorian got up and started clearing their campsite. Bags were packed and ashes scattered from the fire. They threw pine needles and leaves around, arranging branches so it looked like no one had ever stopped there. Sora was reminded that they were being followed. Hunted. She remembered the name—
Volcrian
—and shuddered, suddenly afraid, glancing over her shoulder into the trees.

Finally they were ready to ride. Sora waited in the middle of the campsite, crossing her arms defiantly, her empty satchel slung over one shoulder. She would wait to be directed. It was a small rebellion, but the best she could manage.

Dorian climbed into his saddle with some difficulty, favoring his wounds, then shot her a pointed look. "You're being a nuisance, sweetheart," he said. Then he nodded over her shoulder. "Go with him."

Sora was puzzled at first. Not about being a nuisance, but the second part. "With Crash?" she asked, to clarify. Her heart sank even lower at the mention of his name. "Can't I just walk behind your horse?"

He grinned at her expression, ears twitching. "An opportunist! I like that. But no, sweetness, quite the opposite. You've already slowed us down too much. Volcrian is on our heels. And we can't have you running away...."

"What? I wouldn't!" Sora exclaimed. The lie was so transparent, she almost laughed at herself.

The thief raised an eyebrow. "You're riding with Crash today," he repeated, and she caught the wryness around his soft lips.

Sora let out a long, expressive sigh, definitely nonplussed.

Dorian nodded again to where Crash was saddling his steed a few yards away. "Go on now.
Be good.
"

She glared, ruffled by his words. Be good. She had never been condescended to before, not like this. It was even more infuriating than the sneers of the city nobility. This man was a common peasant and a thief at that!
How dare he....

She turned, seething quietly, adjusting the cloak on her shoulders. Then she stalked towards Crash's horse, fists clenched, and stood waiting for him to finish with the saddle.

Her eyes traveled around the forest, counting pine cones, taking note of a few birds' nests. She wondered if they would be eating breakfast any time soon. She had a sudden longing for the manor's kitchen, for the warm tiles and smell of pastries. If there was one thing she missed, it was her usual thick slice of toast in the morning, smothered in butter.
Mmmm, butter.
Or a fresh bowl of porridge with blueberries. Or fruit from her orchard. Or scones and jam.
Yes, scones and jam, fresh from the oven!
The smell would drift from the kitchen through the whole bottom floor of the manor. She could remember being a small child, bent over her math book, thoroughly distracted by the smell of warm, sweet honey scones seeping under the door....

Sora snapped out of her reverie; had someone asked her a question?

Crash was staring at her with an annoyed frown.

"What?" she asked.

"
Get on
," he said, as if he had repeated himself several times.

"Oh," Sora grunted, then wiped her mouth, surprised at a bit of drool on her lips.
Goddess!
Was she really so hungry?

She stepped up to the horse and put her foot in the stirrup, a little uncertain. She had expected to ride behind him, not in front of him. She wanted to protest, but she also didn't want to look the assassin in the eye. She mounted the horse after a slight hesitation, expecting him to whip out another cloth and try to drug her. But he made no move toward her.

In fact, he completely ignored her as he swung up into the saddle. She sat forward, her back rigid, loathe to touch the man in any way, but he reached his arms around her for the reins. She could feel the press of his thighs against hers. They were warm, firm with muscle. She closed her eyes and thought again of her manor, of the breakfast table, of a delicious fresh scone....

He turned the horse, steering almost completely with his legs, and they headed for the road. Sora's stomach growled but she pretended not to hear it. The sun was bright, although it was still early in the morning. They followed the road as it wandered to the right, where it dipped down the side of a steep hill covered in loose shale. The countryside had become notably more rocky since the previous day, the grass tough and dry, the dirt mixed with rocks and pebbles. It had a dull red sheen, rich with iron. They kicked up small clouds of the red dirt as they made their way forward.

The horse picked its way carefully down the hill, treading slowly over rocks. Sora had to lean back against Crash to keep her balance, and she hated the feeling of his chest against her shoulder blades. It reminded her of her birthday night and their panicked ride through the woods. She felt sick. Today was going to be very long and silent; she wasn't going to say one word to the killer. Not. One. Word.

"Ow!" Sora yelped as the horse stumbled over a rock.

"Pay attention," Crash growled.

Sora shot a glare over her shoulder.
There. Glaring doesn't count as speaking,
she thought. Then she winced as the horse stumbled over another rock; her back was still sore from the previous day's ride, and the stiff, awkward position wasn't helping.
I'd sell my soul for my own horse right about now,
she thought. She wondered if Crash felt the same way. He probably didn't like sharing his horse—or who knew, maybe he got a sick satisfaction out of torturing her. He didn't seem concerned that she was in any sort of discomfort. It occurred to her that perhaps he was jarring the horse on purpose.

"Ouch," Sora flinched again when the horse jolted beneath her, taking an uneven step. She was so sore!

"Try not to damage her, Crash," Dorian called. "I'll scout ahead!"

His little brown steed sped past them, having scaled the hill much faster with only one rider. They were left in a cloud of red dust. Dorian took the lead.

Crash didn't reply, but picked up the pace, rocking gently in the saddle. Sora kept waiting for the next surprising jolt, the next misstep, but it never came; now that they were on flat land, the dirt was firm and most of the rocks were pushed to the side of the road. The horse took off at a fast trot, and she was surprised by its smooth gait. She hardly felt the shift from trot to canter.
Well...this is much better,
she amended.

Over time, she grew accustomed to the motion of the horse and began to relax. Her shoulders slouched, the tension running out of her. The thin morning mist evaporated as the sun rose higher in the sky, but the spring weather stayed cool and refreshing with a brisk wind.

"Ugh, how much longer?" Sora groaned after a while, breaking her promise to herself. She spoke out of sheer boredom, more to herself than to the man behind her. The countryside was nothing but stubborn scrub grass and iron-rich dirt, and she was tired of thinking about her Cat's-Eye necklace and the terrifying Fennbog swamp.

Crash didn't reply until almost ten minutes later, when he finally said, "Burn is approaching. Mayville is just beyond that rise."

Sora felt the horse pick up speed; she was taken off-guard and wobbled in the saddle, close to falling. Crash grabbed her arm and jerked her upright. "You don't ride often, do you?" he sneered.

She recovered quickly from her slip. "Of course I ride!" she snapped back. "By myself! And on finer beasts than
this
."

"Well, obviously your 'fine' beasts make no difference. You're a terrible rider."

"How dare you!" Sora growled, half-turning in the saddle, fully rising to the occasion. "I'm an expert rider! I can jump any fence or wall! I was instructed by the finest of horsemasters, straight from the City of Crowns!"

"Ah, here's Burn."

Crash's dismissal was obvious. Sora's mouth snapped shut, and she turned to look ahead of them, her cheeks still hot with anger.
The nerve!
she thought, even more disgusted at the man behind her, if that was possible.

The steed trotted around a bend in the road and she was finally able to see the last member of their group—he was up ahead, talking to Dorian. Sora's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't truly known what to expect from a man named "Burn." Perhaps someone like the Wolfy mage: small and slender, with nimble hands.

But this man was huge, even at a distance; probably close to seven feet tall. He sat upon a giant Clydesdale, chestnut in color with a white blaze down its nose. Burn's hair trailed freely past his shoulders, a tawny golden-brown, and she could see two long, elegant ears protruding. Another Wolfy? Could it be? Sora stared in fascination at the strong, square jaw, the shoulders as wide as an oak. She couldn't see much else at this distance. He wore a dull, dented chestplate over his clothes, his only piece of armor, and a heavy scabbard across his back, as long as she was tall.

"Mayville is just ahead," she heard the man's voice boom. It was a deep baritone that carried easily over the countryside, like an avalanche of rocks. "Been waiting here for a day or more. What took you so long?"

She watched the man lean down to hear whatever Dorian was saying. Then that large, square head swung around. He was a distance away, but she could still see the gleam of his eyes, bright gold in the sun, and his long, long fangs. Longer than Dorian's, and broader; lion's teeth. She felt her mouth go dry.

Sora braced herself, but she couldn't prepare for the broad, welcoming smile that split his canine face. She fidgeted nervously in the saddle. Was it a good sign, or did she look more like a warm meal?

Finally Crash drew up alongside the two. It was difficult to judge Burn's age by his toughened appearance, but he definitely looked the oldest of the lot. He continued to gaze at her with close interest, not at all concerned with her discomfort. Yet his curiosity wasn't threatening. She felt more like a source of entertainment, like he couldn't quite believe his eyes.

"What vision is this?" he said, confirming her thoughts, and he glanced up at Crash. "A beautiful lady, in the arms of our assassin? A prize?"

"Her necklace." Crash ignored the comment. "A powerful tool against Volcrian."

"I can see that," Burn replied. His voice was several leagues deep, like the bottom of a great crater. Every time he spoke, she felt a cascade of water fall over her ears, echoing into a rocky basin. She couldn't imagine him speaking softly. His height, too, was overwhelming, and he was as wide and encompassing as a mountain.

"Your name, child?" he spoke.

"S-Sora," she introduced herself, wincing when she heard the tremor in her voice. She cleared her throat. "My name is Sora."

"Sora
Fallcrest
," Dorian mentioned, with a wink.

Burn took her hand unexpectedly, clasping it in a very large palm. Her hand was fully engulfed in his, and yet his hold was surprisingly delicate. She felt like he was trying very hard not to grip too tightly. His skin was so thick and calloused, she doubted she could puncture it with a needle.

"Well met," he said, and didn't make any mention of her family name. "I am Burn, mercenary by trade, at least for the time being." He leaned down and murmured, "Honestly, I prefer more mundane pursuits, like bookkeeping. Have you eaten breakfast yet? I'm starving."

Sora found herself smiling.

Crash maneuvered his horse, carrying her away from the gentle warrior. "No time for breakfast," he said shortly. "Did Dorian fill you in about last night? Volcrian has found us."