Page 113 of When Roses Burn

“You’re right,” I said, hoping to diffuse the situation a little. “I’m not supposed to be beyond the wall. I made a mistake coming out here. I really wanted to make the potion stronger so I could help more.”

He eyed me suspiciously, but some of his irritation eased a little. “How did you know these mushrooms were out here?”

When his gaze shifted to Zephyr, the sprite cringed and floated back a few feet. “I was keeping watch for her.”

“You were what?” Knox demanded.

“Nothing happened, and this was all my idea,” I interjected. “You’re getting upset over nothing.”

It had been the wrong thing to say as his eyes shot back to me and his lips twitched. “It. Is. Not. Nothing,” he bit out. “Get back to the castle.”

I was trying to diffuse the situation, but his order irritated me. “I’m not yours to command.”

His claws wrapped around my upper arm, pulling me closer.

“Let me bite him!” Gizzi said.

“No!” I told him.

But while I wouldn’t let Gizzi poison him, I was tempted to punch him in the face. However, I doubted that would calm his temper.

“This is my kingdom and you will do as I say,” he snarled.

“I’m not a child you can order around!”

He thrust his snout into my face as an inhuman, awful sound issued from him. I struggled not to piss my pants while trying not to let my terror show. I was at least successful in not wetting myself.

“Then you shouldn’t be acting like one and running around in the woods where you don’t belong!” he spat.

“I’m not the one throwing a temper tantrum because someone disobeyed me and wandered outside the walls! The sprites leave the castle grounds, as do you and your friends. I⁠—”

“You’re not them!” he yelled. “They have common sense and ways to defend themselves! I can’t say the same for you.”

“I have powers!” I shouted back.

“Great. Next time, throw a potion at a basilisk. I’m sure that will terrify it.”

My teeth ground together as we glowered at each other. “I can do more than make potions. I can cast glamours and illusions, and I can create energy as a weapon. I’m not defenseless.”

And my powers had strengthened. I’d tested them while he was gone. I kept my newfound ability to talk to Gizzi to myself. Knox believed I was a child and the enemy; he didn’t get access to my secrets.

“You’re not equipped to handle these woods,” he stated.

“I did fine the last time I was out here.”

Gizzi groaned in my head as Zephyr released an audible noise of distress. I hadn’t considered it possible, but Knox’s orange eyes burned hotter. It looked as if a real fire had blazed to life within them.

“And when were you last out here?”

His deceptively calm voice unnerved me more than the conflagration in his eyes.

“Yesterday,” I said, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “And I’m fine.”

Knox’s eyes shot past me to Zephyr, who yelped and flew behind a tree. The sprite poked his head out to stare at me like I’d lost my mind.

“You brought her out here?” Knox asked him.

“I have these two things at the ends of my legs. Maybe you’ve heard of them, they’re called feet,” I told him. “Well, I often use these feet to do this marvelous new thing called walking, and I walked myself right on out the door in the wall. No one brought me anywhere.”