Page 42 of Keeper of the Flame: Orrick

“Well, I like it better being young,” said Orrick.

“I want to do magic,” said the little boy. “I want to put my hand in the fire like you can and not get burned.” He reached out for the Eternal Flame and Orrick’s heart about stopped.

“Nay,” he said, his hand slashing out to pick up the candle. He didn’t want the boy to get burned. But mostly, he didn’t want the Eternal Flame to be taken. He wasn’t even sure what would happen if someone without magic touched it. It could possibly destroy them. “Here, make magic with this if you want.” Orrick shoved the worthless wand into the boy’s hand.

“Do you mean it?” Noah’s eyes grew wide as he held the wand up in front of him with two hands. “You’re giving me the magic wand you got from Merlin?”

“Sure, take it. It’s all yours,” said Orrick, placing the candle on a stool behind him.

“Have you seen Lady Hope?” asked Corbett.

“Who? Me?” Orrick’s hand thumped to his chest. “Why?”

“Orrick, why in God’s name are you acting so jumpy?”

“No reason.” Orrick smiled and picked invisible lint from his sleeve.

“Well, if you see her, tell her Lord Irwin is looking for her and it sounds important.” Corbett turned and headed for the door. He stopped when he got there and turned around. “Orrick, do you think it is odd that not only Lady Hope’s sister is here at Castle Blake, but also her betrothed? And why does she even need a ward if she’s betrothed? I don’t remember her father saying anything about sending the other two along with her.”

“Between you and me, I don’t like Lord Irwin at all,” admitted Orrick.

“He’s here with Lady Hope to steal the Eternal Flame,” said Noah, standing up and dramatically swishing the wand through the air.

“They are?” asked Corbett. “Noah, don’t be making up lies about people.”

“I’m not,” said the boy. “I heard Lady Hope talking to her sister. She can’t stand Lord Irwin. She wants to give him the flame so he’ll leave her alone.”

“She does?” Now it was Orrick’s turn to be surprised. It was a satisfying thought to think she didn’t really like the bastard. Still, she was betrothed to the man and it didn’t matter if she had feelings for him or not. That thought disturbed Orrick because he didn’t want to see Lady Hope have to marry someone like Lord Irwin.

“Will you be joining the men in the practice yard, Orrick?” asked Corbett.

“Don’t you mean . . . Sir Rick?” Orrick raised a brow.

“Sorry,” said Corbett. “I can’t keep up from one minute to the next with who you are.”

“Well, don’t worry, because I plan on staying as Sir Rick from now on,” said Orrick.

“Nay. I want Orrick back,” complained the boy, swiping the wand through the air.

“Orrick is gone and he is going to stay gone forever as far as I’m concerned,” stated Orrick. “I like being Sir Rick so much better.” He reached for his weapon belt and buckled it on.

“Come along, Noah,” said Corbett with a nod of his head.

“Wait, I want to blow out the candle.” The boy hurried over toward the candle, but Orrick hurriedly picked it up and held it out of his reach as he blew into the air.

“I want to light the hearth for later,” Orrick told him. “It’s always so damp when I come back at night.” Orrick walked over and lit the hearth with the Eternal Flame from the candle. The fire shot up in a loud whoosh as it burned. He then held out the candle to the boy. All right. Now you can blow it out.”

It was a close one but, thankfully, Orrick had managed to shift the flame to the hearth, therefore making the flame left on the candle nothing but regular fire. This was proving to be too risky. After his workout on the practice field, he was going to have to find a much safer place to keep the flame.

Chapter 13

Hope couldn’t keep her eyes off of Sir Rick as he sparred on the field, taking up another challenge with Lord Irwin . . . her betrothed. She worried for Rick’s safety, since she knew what a conniving, sneaky man Irwin really was. She wouldn’t be surprised if the man stabbed Sir Rick in the back as soon as he turned around.

“Hope, Hope, over here,” called out Grace, waving her hand above the heads of the onlookers, making her way toward her sister. Right behind her was the little boy named Noah.

“Grace, what is he doing here?” she asked, looking down at the boy who was holding a carved stick in his hand.

Grace leaned in and whispered to Hope so no one else would hear them. “He’s going to help us sneak into Orrick’s tower room.”