Reflection of Fire

Part I Chapter 5

Rey came to with a start. Her head ached and she was in a bed – not her own. Her first thought was that it wasn't the one from home – school – and then she remembered she'd been staying at an inn. But this wasn't her room. It was much larger and – and she was not alone.

Seated between herself and the window was the figure from the forest, still cloaked in black.

"Where am I?" she wanted to know, hating the slight tremor in her voice.

"You're my guest," he replied in that same toneless voice.

It occurred to her that he may have carried her here and she swallowed. That couldn't be proper. Where was Finn? Were they in the same inn? Or had he – heaven forbid – taken her elsewhere?

"Where are the others?" she asked, glancing around uncomfortably.

"You mean the traitors you call friends? I have no idea." Not knowing what to do with that statement, she didn't answer, just glared at him. "You don't trust me," he stated, sounding surprised.

Her eyes narrowed. "That's what happens when you encounter a creature skulking through the woods."

He stood up and she fought against the urge to shrink away from him, aware that her statement had been more offensive than was perhaps wise in this situation. Instead of whatever she imagined he might do, he merely pulled off his hood and looked down at her almost quizzically. A long scar ran from a little above his eyebrow, down his cheek, and disappeared into his collar. Despite the indication of a violent life, his features were aquiline and it was likely that he was a lord of some sort. If the quality of the room hadn't been enough to give that away.

She scrambled into a sitting position when he stepped closer and met his gaze.

"Tell me how you met the girl. Beatrice."

A slight frown crossed her face. Who was he that he would care? "She got lost. I helped her," she said shortly. Surely there could be no problem in telling someone that?

"Lost." There was doubt in his voice. Did he suspect her motives? She didn't respond to that, just fixed him with a challenging look. "And she came to you. You. An orphan from that school."

Embarrassed by the description, she looked away, and was surprised when he did the same.

"What were you doing?" he continued after a pause.

"I just – I went for a walk. Like I was doing today before you came along," she snapped, recovering her ire.

He cocked his head at her, considering. "It was hardly weather for a young lady to be on a stroll."

The intensity of his gaze was unexpected and she broke from it, not answering immediately. When the silence stretched several seconds, she glanced back at him.

"Is that what you learned at that school? You were so lonely, but so afraid to leave. Desperate to sleep... did it help to walk and imagine different circumstances?" he asked very quietly.

Uncertainly, she studied his face for some sign of guile or trickery. But the question seemed in earnest, despite her confusion at being asked it. "Sometimes it does," she admitted, wondering how he could possibly know how she'd felt during all those long years at Jakku. Was she so obvious about it?

"Especially when it provides a new prospect," he said, toneless again.

Thinking of Beatrice, she nodded. "I didn't do anything to arrange for that to happen."