Inked

18

"You called?" Dustfinger turned around, scattering sparks, and saw the boy, staring at him with something like timidity in his black eyes. Dustfinger opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, he made eye contact with Silvertongue, who gave him a slight nod. They would be leaving soon.

Dustfinger still hadn't properly reprimanded the boy, but there was no time now. "Just be careful what you get yourself into," he muttered to Farid and went to join in the last preparations. Farid watched him go, perplexed. Dustfinger's warning hadn't made any sense. He had expected a scolding for yesterday but had instead gotten some very vague advice. 

Oh well, Farid thought as he entered the center of the camp, where everyone was gathered to wish the men well. Bags were thrown over the backs of the queen's horses. Violante had provided transportation to her castle. Except for the Bluejay. He was saddling up a dark, old horse. Farid had assumed he would be given the finest horse in all of Ombra.

Apparently the Bluejay's family had noticed this too. Meggie, carrying Valor on one hip, was waving her hand around, pointing at the horse, then at her father, then at the castle, a look of confused indignation on her face. The Bluejay seemed to be trying to reassure her that all was well, but Farid knew Meggie was smarter than that. If she sensed that something was wrong, it usually meant there was. Farid wondered if the horse had anything to do with Dustfinger's unusual warning.

But before he could brood on the uneasy feeling settling over the camp, the last of the men hopped on their horses and made to exit the site. Farid's lips turned down in a sneer as Doria put an arm around Meggie's shoulders to comfort her. He glanced around, but Soleil was nowhere to be seen, and why wouldn't she be? The sun had not yet reached its apex and she didn't have any relations to the robbers. She was probably still sleeping in her tent. For now, Farid was forced to stand stiffly a few feet away from everyone else. Not even Dustfinger gave him a wave goodbye; he only had eyes for his precious wife, and then for the task ahead of them. No one really had any idea how their efforts would turn out, whether they would able to stop a war and save the kingdom -- again -- or not, whether they would all return home or not. Most likely not, on that last one.

Another feeling settled over the camp, or maybe it was just over Farid: a tense bitterness, an irrational anger. He could not explain it. He just knew that he was suddenly upset with everyone in the camp for leaving him alone, for not caring enough to stick around, to talk to him. Meggie and Dustfinger had been all he had in this world, or in any other, and now they had been ripped away by love, foolish blind love.

"Good morning, Farid. It sure is early, isn't it? What's all that about the early bird gets the worm? Surely those men can't all share one worm, can they?" Soleil interrupted herself every few seconds with a yawn or a stretch. Apparently she wasn't a morning person, and he understood perfectly: fire shines better in the dark.

Farid smiled at her and brushed some of the sparks off her tangled, scarlet hair. "It's a good thing they're robbers then, huh? They can always steal more worms," Farid joked back. "Though I can't imagine worms would be very appetizing."

"You would know," Soleil teased and Farid laughed loudly, catching Meggie's glare out of the corner of his eye. He could've sworn Doria gave him a reproachful look as well, but Farid pretended not to notice. Two can play at this game, he thought.

As the last of the horses clomped out of the camp, the women began to return to their normal business, though they moved easily and languidly, appreciating that they didn't have to prepare such large meals or wash so many garments for a while. Resa took Valor from Meggie and brought him to their tent for a few more minutes of sleep.

"So, what do you fancy doing today? We could practice our tricks by the lake again. I've been wanting to try this new...thing... I'll show you once I've mastered it. Anyway, if you don't want to do that..." Farid had one ear open to Soleil's ideas, but his other ear tuned out her ramblings and focused on Meggie's conversation with Doria, a skill he had not forgotten from his old life as a thief. One always had to be paying attention to his fellow robbers as well as his surroundings -- or in this case, his former lover and her new interest. 

"It's all going to be perfectly fine, Meggie. Your father is the strongest and bravest of them all. Lazaro has said it himself countless times. Everything will turn out all right, just like it always does." 

Meggie huffed and Farid could tell she was close to snapping at Doria -- which he would have enjoyed immensely -- but instead she took a deep breath and said calmly, "I hope you're right. Still, something feels wrong, and I'm not going to wait for someone else to find out what."

Farid knew where this was going, but unfortunately, he was going in the other direction. Literally. Apparently Soleil had decided for the both of them that playing with fire by the lake was the most entertaining of the options she had posed. It's not my problem, it's not my problem, he told himself as they skirted the forest. Meggie could take care of herself, as she had before. But still, he couldn't stand the thought of her getting hurt any less than he could stand the thought of Dustfinger, or the Black Prince, or any of the others coming to harm. 

Then again, how much help would he be if he went with her? The men weren't supposed to leave the castle, or the kingdom, so really, what was there to worry about? What danger could they be in?

But there was that feeling again. That gloomy, ominous foreboding, like the crystal clear sky would open up and pour any minute now. Meggie felt it too, and she was usually right about these things. As long as Devondria's spy was in Ombra, nobody was safe.

As Soleil wove an intricate web of fire between her fingers, Farid made up his mind: He would go with Meggie to Ombra castle and demand answers, or reassurance, or whatever else it was she was looking for. He wasn't picky; he just wanted to be sure she was safe. More importantly, he would not let Doria tag along. 

But that left Soleil. Farid knew she wouldn't appreciate his leaving her behind to go with the girl he used to love on some potentially-dangerous mission. And Soleil wasn't the type of girl who would be content watching the children and helping the women with their chores. 

Then, if she came along too, that would only leave Doria, and he wouldn't be very happy doing a woman's labor either. Of course, there were plenty of solutions to getting Doria out of the picture permanently...

Before Farid could settle on an effective strategy, there was a flash of color. He looked to Soleil, who had by now completed her net of flames. "Sorry," she said quietly. "Things are moving a bit too slowly for Her Majesty's taste." 

"Her Majesty?" Farid asked, but the response he got wasn't pleasant. Soleil gave him an apologetic smile before throwing the fire at him. Farid had no time at all to react; he was powerless over these flames. 

The world burned bright orange, then bright blue, then white. And then everything went black as soot, the scent of charred flesh lingering in Farid's nostrils.