Page 121 of A Flash of Golden Fire

I brought his bowl over, the scent of the rich broth seeping into my nostrils. My stomach growled.

“Here, I’ve got that,” he said, taking his bowl and spoon. “You get yours. Sit beside me, please?”

“Of course.”

I got my bowl of stew and settled myself on the bed. We didn’t have to wait for the liquid to cool as the trip from the kitchens had done that already. My first bite proved the perfect temperature: hot enough to warm us, but cool enough to eat with haste.

“Fuck, this is good,” I muttered, chewing and swallowing.

“What’s this made from? Chicken? The flavour’s wonderful,” Captain Martin muttered, slurping the broth from his spoon.

I froze.

“I…didn’t ask. Oh God, itischicken…”

The captain met my horrified gaze.

“Oh, Rooster…”

“It’s fine,” I said, lowering my spoon into the bowl.

“Squid popped in to see how I was and said two of the chickens had perished in the hubbub of the storm. I wasn’t going to tell you. I suppose Mr Guthrie decided to make use of them.”

I nodded. I wanted to eat the rest of my stew, but now I was filled with sadness and regret. Of all the things that could have brought me to tears over the past twelve hours, a meal wasn’t what I’d expected to affect me.

I turned away from him. I’d tried to be so brave all this time.

“Are you crying, my darling?” Captain Martin asked.

“Not because of the chickens.”

Well, not solely because of that.

An arm circled me and pulled me against the captain’s warm chest. He nuzzled me and kissed my face. “It’s been a hell of a day,” he whispered in my ear.

And I released what I’d been holding so close, all the tension from thinking I would perish in the storm, the stress of trying to call up my powers, when I had never done so before, and seeing the captain injured. The effect of all these things had piled up and now spilled over.

“Oh, fuck, I’m sorry. You need to eat your stew and get well,” I blubbered.

“It’ll keep. I want to make sure you’re all right.”

“I just… I don’t knowwho,orwhatI am. Or what I cando. Or if Ishoulddo it.” I tried to explain. “I’d assumed the magic to be out of my control. Now, I’ve been proven to have some, but that brings with it all kinds of other considerations.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true. You’ve a lot to bear, Rooster. I do see that.”

“Thank you.”

“And I will be with you and stand by you to help you learn more about these powers. They’ve done nothing but good for me. I wouldn’t be here right now if you didn’t have them.”

I started sobbing again, thinking about that very valid fact.

After a bit, I recovered my emotions, wiped my face with Dinesh’s handkerchief, and we ate the rest of our meal.

“How is Domingo faring? That storm frightened him,” Dinesh said.

“He’s all right now. Except that I had to explain to him that I wasn’t the devil’s child, only as confused about my fucking powers as everyone else.”

“I don’t know how he could think you had anything to do with the devil.”

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