It’s #bookqw and my heroine ‘might’ be in deeper trouble than she’d thought.
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More from Chapter 4:
Raven rolled his eyes, looking reasonable for the first time as his muscles relaxed under her hands. He pointed with his chin. “Use the cot yonder until we fetch you help.”
She glanced around—a second’s turn—but Raven rammed sideways. Fern threw her weight the same way. He fought harder than before, his brows knit above narrowed eyes that almost glowed. She tried to keep her face blank, her wrestling competition look. His arm was rising, and she shook with the effort of holding it down. Then, his fist balled, and flashed into flames?
Before she could move, Beri lunged, swatted Raven’s hand and suffocated the orange-brown flames. “Come now, that’s nae fair. She’s nae like us. It’s nae right to deal with her in that manner.” He dropped to sit cross-legged a few feet away.
Fern didn’t dare look up again. Beri didn’t know her at all, but he’d helped her. She didn’t even want to think about what Raven might have done with his magical fire. They were in a tree, dammit.
Raven snorted and heaved this way and that. They rocked, but he couldn’t dislodge her.
Yet.
After a minute, Raven sagged to the floor, just as her arms would take it no longer.
She wanted to rub her aching muscles. Or her queasy stomach—did this tree ever stop moving? But she had to outlast Raven. “Give up and take me to Hillux. I’m on a wrestling team at Boulder High, so you’re not going to win.”
“Ressing? Boulder High?”
“Wrestling. You know a, er, fighting team. At school.”
Raven wrinkled his brow. “Ye learn to fight in your school?” His gaze flicked to her hand on his wrist. “Of course you do.”
“Extracurricular.” At his blank look, she shook her head. “Never mind.” She’d never met any kids on the island, just Gran and the councilman. The island was rural, but… “Surely you two attend high school?” Duh. Wings and all, probably not. Damn, she should just let him up. Confused looks passed between them, and she stole a longer glance at Beri. Would he continue to defend her?
“Nae, we are unfamiliar with this,” Beri said.
“What do you do on this island? Tutoring? How do you learn things?”
His face lit up. “Apprenticing.”
Beneath her, Raven said, “Merlin has taught me what I need to know.”
Fern froze. Merlin as a teacher. Wings. Fire at his fingertips. Beri had said, She’s not like us. Maybe they weren’t like Gran either.
“I apprentice to Sir Humus, Lady Lark and several other elders,” Beri said.
What? Fern’s gaze shot to him. Why did Gran need an apprentice? And why hadn’t Fern ever seen him? Raw emotion bit at her. Isn’t my help enough?
Oh, no. Were these the helpers Gran had promised?
“Aaaargh.” Raven heaved and threw her off. She scrambled after him, but he gained his feet first and unfurled his wings at the same time. He darted to the opening, and she followed, arms reaching to grab—
He leaped. And when his wings spread, she remembered they were in a freaking tree.
She skidded to a stop. Beri seized her arm and hauled her back, while Raven kept going. He cast a wide-eyed look over his shoulder as his wings carried him up. Catching sight of her below him, his features relaxed and settled into smug lines. The tree swayed, and she crouched to keep her balance.
“It’s affected her thinking,” called Raven. “Stay while I fetch Willow.” And he flew off.
“Dammit.” Fern straightened…and gasped. A muddy glow was creeping out from inside her right shoe.
~~~
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