The girl arrived at the stage steps. I watched her climb but caught Ironclaw’s eye. My silly smile suddenly felt blasphemous. My face froze, the smile melted, and I saw Ironclaw’s eyes narrow in speculation.
My volunteer curtsied awkwardly to the queen despite being in loose trousers, then turned to me expectantly, her expression hesitant but bright.
I took a tan candle from the pocket of my dress and handed it to her.
“Evil lurks everywhere, even where we least expect it. Each day we never know what we’ll find. Even in the humblest or grandest of places, evil could spring. It’s up to us to take it in hand.” I rambled for a minute trying to sound like a mystic woman and trying to work up the nerve to do what I had to do. Draw finally raised his brows at me, in support or desperation, I didn’t know, but I knew it was time. “It’s magic and evil though, that make a most dangerous combination.” With that last word, I slid my hands together, a match in one, the matchbox in the other, carefully concealed by my sleeve. The crowd gasped at what looked like the sudden appearance of a tiny fire in my hands.
In a smooth motion, I brought my fingers to the candle. The girl leaned away from me slightly, uncertain. The wick lit. I flicked my hand to put out the match, which was just beginning to warm my fingertips.
“Though we may never understand the source of darkness, we know it is the responsibility of each of us to extinguish evil in the world.” I turned to the queen.God, I hoped this worked.“Your Grace, if you would.”
Queen Elthra seemed pleased to be involved and bustled forward to stand next to the child, her own girlish movements at odds with her heavy armor. I suppose even a woman who had it all liked to be included.
“Our queen will extinguish this flame, just as she will evil. Your Grace, if you eat this red berry, you will have temporary control over fire!”
I couldn’t help but glance at Draw as I handed Elthra a red gummy bear. I shouldn’t have. His so-often carefully composed face was undergoing a bout of shock. He knew I wasn’t magic and looked terrified on my behalf.
Well, maybe I’d surprise him too.
Elthra chewed daintily, her eyebrows rising at the flavor of the candy. The entire crowd was silent. I had them, and I intended to keep them. Elthra swallowed.
Fortunately, I had done well in high school chemistry and noted that the lubricant Sorrel had so embarrassingly packed in my satchel had cyclomethicone in it. I’d drenched my hand in the lubricant moments before coming onstage and now put my hand to the candle while sneakily pinching the wick, making it look like the fire transferred from candle to me.
Oh, dear gods of Landsome.
My hand bloomed orange. The crowd gasped, shocked this stranger just set herself on fire and the stranger in question was experiencing immediate regret. The flame was much bigger than I anticipated. It was going to light my cuff. I felt my skin warm as the liquid burned off. This wasn’t going to—
“Cease!” the queen’s voice bellowed.
The flame flickered once, then died.
The crowd roared. They absolutely screamed. I caught a glimpse of surprise on the queen’s face before she composed herself, and the young volunteer was actually shaking. I didn’t care to know my own state. It was all I could do to bow and pull the girl along as the queen commenced her final plea for help, her voice filled with a nearly transcendent level of enthusiasm and command, no surprise after her grand magical moment.
“Are you okay?” I asked the girl offstage. We were outside the circle of torches and the light on her face had dimmed.
“Yes, Mistress Witch.”
“Good.” I cast about for parting words. What would a mysterious witchy woman say to a young girl in need of positive influence? “Be brave like you were tonight, and you’ll go far in life.” She nodded and I added in a rush, “Don’t ever set yourself on fire though,” just in case it needed to be said.
The crowd parted around me as I returned to the alley, feeling jumpy. For a moment there, I really did not think the lubricant was going to burn off. It had been a risk.
I slipped the matchbox into my satchel then looked over my hand, running my fingertips over the skin. Though the tiny hairs on two of my fingers were singed and stubbly, my silver ring (which I hadn’t thought to take off) was fine and I already knew from the lack of pain I was okay. I was simply shocked. Relieved for it to be over, still whole. Sorrel had said I wouldn’t carry injuries back to my home, but neither did I want to endure second-degree burns while living out of a tent.
Draw stepped out of the back of the crowd.
“Dottie, that was...unexpected.”
I still had my hands raised in front of me, and he took them in his. Two men had turned when Draw broke through the wall of people and they watched me curiously, half-hopeful I’d start on fire again. Draw noticed and gestured me ahead. He followed me deeper into the dark alley. “Do I need to ask if you’re all right?” he murmured.
I shook my head and said no, pleased I could be honest. All things considered...I’d say my magical debut went well.
It was quieter around the corner. One lantern hung on a wall next to a doorway down the way. The moon was slight that night, the shadows fully drawn.
We paused.
“I didn’t think so.”
I didn’t need to see Draw’s face to know he wasn’t as pleased to be in my company as I was his. In fact, for the first time since I met him, he seemed uncomfortable. I couldn’t make out his green eyes well in the darkness but something about him felt far away. I had grown used to how Draw made himself available to me and his withdrawnness felt cold.
