Page 59 of Knightfall
“That better not be a metaphor,” Declan added wryly as he joined us.
“It’s not.” I scrambled ahead to shake Terri’s age spotted hand. He didn’t recognize me, of course. I’d been a tall blonde woman when I’d helped him. Not the petite princess his filmy eyes looked at now. He was a bit startled when he heard my plan, but quickly agreed.
We waited in the village square as everyone from town gathered with baskets and curious faces. Terri looked proud when he announced that Ryan and his wife would be joining them for the day. He forgot to mention Declan. I wasn’t sure if it was on purpose or not. Terri was on in years.
The village reaction was mixed. Some people came up to greet us, others stood back and whispered behind their hands.
“It’s because I’m here,” Declan muttered to me.
“Bull. It’s because half the women in the village are secretly wondering if they can smother me in order to get their hands on you.”
He chuckled. “And what would they do if they caught me?”
I shrugged. “All the wrong stuff. They wouldn’t know they need to hold you down and spank you before they rode you hard.”
He laughed and held out his elbow to escort me up the road, but his eyes were alight. Perhaps even on fire. “Is that what you would do?”
I tilted my head close so I could whisper up at him. “If you’re a good boy and control your magic today, that’s what Iwilldo.”
Declan’s eyes dilated as he looked down at me. “Challenge accepted.”
My heart swelled. Nerdy sweet little Declan was stepping up and teasing me back. I didn’t want to jinx the possibilities by thinking about more. I’d just bask in this … whatever it was. I winked and patted his hand. I gestured up the rocky hill we’d followed the villagers to and he looked at the hundreds of thorny blackberries lining the hill. “Have at it, love. I want you to reduce the thorns and multiply the berries. One berry at a time.”
He groaned.
Ryan, who’d been visiting with locals and friends he’d grown up with, bounded over. “Are we ready to start?”
“Declan’s thrilled,” I said. “Want a first row seat with me?”
Ryan shook his head. “Sorry, promised I’d help my mother—” he hurried off.
“Aren’t you going to introduce—”
But Ryan was gone.
I bit back my disappointment. Of course, he wasn’t going to introduce you, idiot, I told myself. No expectations. I left him. Still, it hurt.
Declan helped me climb a bit of ridge and we selected a bush. I sat beside it, facing him. I tried to wash away all thoughts of Ryan and focus on my sweet, blond scholar, who was already shivering in the brisk fall air. “Alright, have at it.”
“That’s it? You would have made an excellent tutor.”
“Try to send a small burst. To reduce a single branch of thorns and produce berries there instead.”
Declan shook his head but held out his hand. A yellow glow built around his fingertips. And then it zinged toward the bush.
BAM!
The bush exploded in berry juice, splattering both of us with purple liquid.
I wiped my eyes. “Well, that’s one way to do it.” I tried to clean my face with my skirt, but the stain was everywhere.
“Sard!” Declan shook the gooey mess off his hands. “We need to change.”
“Why bother? You might just do it again.”
He stared daggers at me.
I simply pointed to the next bush. “Try again, sir.”
