Page 33 of Daughter of Shadows and Ash

I scanned the area, ensuring no ambush awaited us.

"Come on, I'll take you to Epherinia. The constable can help find your family." I extended my hand, offering a gentle smile.

He wiped his eyes, further smearing the dirt across his cheeks, and took my hand. "Thank you, kind lady."

"I couldn't leave you alone out here," I said, leading him to Raven.

The boy froze, gaping at my mount. Raven cut an imposing figure with his towering height and unflinching gaze.

Raven had been won from an old warlord, Vanya once told me. He was the kind of beast who never backed down.

Life in Vanya's stables had softened his war-hardened edges, but now, back on the road, he carried himself like the warrior he once was, his eyes bright with renewed purpose.

Adventure called to him as strongly as it called to me.

Raven lowered his head to investigate the boy, nosing at his pockets for treats. Finding none, he snorted his disappointment.

I knelt beside the child, retrieving a small biscuit from my pocket and pressing it into his tiny palm.

"What's your name?" I asked as he offered the treat to Raven, giggling when the steed's velvety lips brushed his palm to accept the bribe.

"My name's Davian." He pressed his palm just above Raven's nose. "Can I ride him?" His green eyes sparkled with hope as he looked up at me.

I laughed. "We're going to have to." Rising, I guided him to Raven's side, gripped his small hips, and lifted him into the front of the saddle. Once his hands clutched the horn, I swung upbehind him, creating a protective circle with my arms as I took the reins. With a gentle nudge, I turned Raven back toward the path.

"What's your name, miss?" Davian twisted to look at me over his shoulder. The frightened child was gone, replaced by a bright-eyed boy vibrating with excitement. My chest tightened as I thought of his family. His mother must be frantic, discovering her child missing. I pushed away thoughts of searching for Billy. I couldn't spare the time to look for another lost child. The one I'd found needed to return home quickly.

I ruffled his dirty hair, golden strands gleaming beneath the grime like his brilliant smile. "I'm Lor. Better hold tight. Raven loves the wind in his mane too much to stop for fallen riders."

I don't believe for a second he's the only one.

I laughed and urged Raven forward. Davian's knuckles went white on the horn, but his whoops of joy filled the air as if the threat of falling only made it more thrilling.

We reached Epherinia sooner than expected, crossing through the main gates as dawn painted the sky. After securing Raven in the city stables, we walked the main path until we faced an imposing statue. The crowned figure loomed above us, one hand resting on his sword's pommel, the other cradling a miniature sun. The king's likeness marked this as the square. Beyond his golden form, a shop window caught my eye, its display filled with books. I knocked on the door, praying the owner had arrived early.

"Can't you read the sign?" a gruff voice called from within. "We don't open for another-"

The door swung open to reveal the old man who had tended my wounds after Donovan's torture. His weathered face broke into an instant smile.

"It's you!" His gaze dropped to Davian, brows furrowing. "And who's this? Your child?" His eyes darted between us, searching for shared features.

"I found him during my journey. Could you help us contact a guard? He needs to return to his family." The old man nodded, beckoning us inside.

"Up those stairs, lad. Get yourself cleaned up while we sort this out." Davian bounded up the steps behind the desk, eager to wash away the evidence of his ordeal.

"You never mentioned knowing Vanya. Just who are you?" I studied the old man's face.

"You never asked. Would it have mattered? You needed a place in the capital, and I needed help." His gesture encompassed the chaos of his bookstore.

“You certainly do.” The shop was indeed in disarray, stacks and stacks of books waiting to be placed on a shelf or displayed on a table. The desk was littered with parchments. How the old man functioned was beyond me.

He stepped behind me to a small kitchen in the back of the place, making a small plate of food and setting it on the wooden table. Soft steps came down the stairs as Davian returned, sans dirt.

“Well well well, there is a cute face under there after all. Wouldn’t even know I found you crying in a bush.” I cooed.

He began wolfing down his food, barely pausing between bites, “I would rather not talk about my tears. I’m twelve and still act like a baby.” His voice dropped, shame coloring his words.

"Hmm, I don't know," I mused. "Not many twelve year olds would've had the courage to stay alive, let alone face Raven. He prides himself in the fear he strikes in others."

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