Page 34 of A Filling of Fables and Firelight

He blinked, pulled from his imagination to the very real and even better sight of Rana standing in front of him. Her hair was loose, falling around her shoulders like a cascade of black silk, and she wore a sapphire dress with a silver trim that he could easily identify as her own handiwork. She gently wiggled the plate of Adhavian Delight. “I, too, am often overcome by the sight of Adhavian Delight, but I find that actually picking a piece and eating it helps.”

Kamaran reached automatically for a sugar-dusted cube, paying little attention to the color. Rana rewarded him with another smile, and she set the plate back in the middle of the table before swiping a piece of her own and popping it in her mouth. She lowered herself gracefully to the floor.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of an extra hour of your company?” Rather than immediately reaching for her sewing, she leaned back on her hands and tilted her head, regarding him with a curious expression.

“I came to see if you had any questions.” He continued to hold his back straight, willing the throbbing ache to subside.

“Questions?” Her brows furrowed.

A strange prickling sensation started climbing up his spine. “About your assignment? For the Queen’s Contest.”

Understanding dawned, clearing her expression. “Oh. No, I think I have it all worked out. I already spoke with Zamar and we made a plan. I’ll confirm with the ladies, of course, but he seemed excited about my ideas.”

“Oh,” Kamaran echoed, feeling as if a heavy weight were pulling his heart down to his toes. “That’s good.”

She was frowning again. “Is something wrong?”

“No.” He drew the word out as he shoved aside the overwhelming disappointment that she had apparently not needed him in the slightest.

Although I shouldn’t be upset. I was relieved when none of the other ladies wanted my opinions on things, because it meant I wouldn’t have to pretend I knew what the words they were pointing to meant.

“Will you help me with something?” he blurted out before she could follow up with any other prying questions. The prickling feeling continued.

Rana gave him a long, searching look before nodding. “What do you need?”

He lifted his hands out of the way as Zade bounded over and leapt lightly onto his lap. He absentmindedly ran a hand down the fox’s back. “Those papers you took—will you read them to me?”

“Of course.” She picked up the bundle. “Do you want me to move over there so you can see?”

“I…” Kamaran faltered. For as much as he wanted her near, he knew that it wouldn’t make one bit of difference.

She was already rising, apparently taking his hesitation as confirmation, when she suddenly froze. Her eyes grew wide as they looked from him to the fox perched on his legs and back again. Her voice cracked as she whispered, “Kamaran. Don’t move.”

Zade, rather than settling down into his customary donut shape, was standing completely still, save for the subtle twitching of his large ears. His eyes were focused on something just over Kamaran’s shoulder. Kamaran started to turn, intent on finding out what it was that held the creature’s attention.

“Don’t. Move.” Fear trembled in Rana’s voice, and her face had gone pale.

The prickling sensation he had attributed to nerves moved along his shoulder now, and he realized with a rush of terror that there was something crawling on him.

In the blink of an eye, everything happened at once. Zade launched himself at Kamaran’s shoulder, knocking him backward with the unexpected momentum and sending a flash of hot, searing pain up his side as his torn muscles protested the movement. He let out a grunt of pain. Rana gasped, throwing a hand over her mouth.

Just as quickly as he had jumped onto Kamaran’s shoulder, Zade leaped back to the floor. He dropped something from his mouth, backed away, then pounced on it again, ripping and tearing with his tiny teeth. After a few moments, he sat back on his haunches, calmly licking his nose as if he hadn’t just engaged in the most aggressive hunting behavior that Kamaran had ever seen.

“What is it?” He gingerly forced himself back to an upright position and craned his neck to see what was left of the ravaged red and black carcass on the floor. A broken claw and an ugly black stinger were all he needed to see. The adrenaline pumping through his veins made way for cold ice.

“It’s a red scorpion,” Rana announced quietly, the expression on her face a mirror image to the horror that he felt. “It must have been on the back of your shirt. If Zade hadn’t noticed…” Her words trailed off.

I could have been dead by tomorrow. Kamaran finished the grim thought in his mind.

As if reading his mind, Zade trotted over and rubbed himself against Kamaran’s legs like an affectionate cat before sauntering back to the carnage and crunching away happily.

“Well,” Rana said with forced brightness, clapping her hands together. “That was excitement I could have done without.” She studied him. “You should probably lie down. I’ll call Jasper.”

“No!” The word came out louder than he intended, and Kamaran cleared his throat. “No. I’d like to stay here.”

Near-death experiences aside, sitting in front of Rana’s fire was the one place he was able to be himself. His hours with her were precious, and he would rather deal with the pain than give them up.

She narrowed her eyes. “Fine. But then I’m helping you to the couch.”