Page 20 of A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

Pain lit his green eyes for just a moment, but he quickly masked it with his insufferable indifference.

Zorina grabbed the broom and began sweeping up the mess from Anala’s latest rampage. If only she could sweep him up and out the door as easily.

“Zorina—” he began.

“Don’t.” She briefly glared up at him, then continued cleaning. “I think your work here is done. You’ve learned everything you need to about how Anala behaves. Besides, now that she knows you have a magical pouch, she’ll probably try to take it again. It would be best if you just leave—and not come back.”

Herrick frowned, his eyebrows creased severely together. “You don’t get to decide that.”

“Then I’ll leave and not come back!”

He arched an eyebrow. “Would you seriously quit your job over this? Seems a bit hasty and foolish to me.”

He was right, of course, but she certainly wasn’t going to admit that. Not entirely, anyway. Scowling, she swept a bit harder. “Well, no. But it’s very tempting if you’re still going to be here.”

An awkward and uncomfortable silence filled the shop. Zorina ignored it as best she could while she continued sweeping.

At last, Herrick spoke in a calm voice. “I will guard outside for the rest of the day and keep your little pet from dashing in here.”

She nodded, not trusting herself enough to speak without being unaccountably rude. But as he exited the pottery shop, remorse washed over her. Perhaps in her panic, she had overreacted to the potential threats to her safety, and the shop felt oddly empty without him.

Until the shop closed for the day, Zorina assisted customers as they came, and Herrick managed to keep Anala from bursting into the shop. Not that the red panda hadn’t tried, but the guard had successfully kept her out. It was a relief, but at the same time, it made the guilt twist deeper in her stomach.

When the workday ended at last, Zorina stepped out of the shop and peered up at Herrick. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I should not have reacted the way I did.”

For a long moment, he studied her, then nodded. “Apology accepted. I’m sorry, too. I reacted badly as well. Can we start over?”

His earnest smile made her heart thump harder than it should. That alone was enough for her to reject his offer. And yet… “Yes.”

His smile widened. “May I escort you home?”

The word, ‘No,’ was almost on her lips, but somehow, “You may,” slipped out instead.

Herrick then held his arm out, and Zorina placed her hand over it. “I’m curious to know where you live,” he said as they began the trek toward her home.

A jolt of nerves struck her, and she almost pulled away—but she didn’t. Maybe we’ll stop at the forest’s edge instead.

Yet, when they reached the forest, they kept going. Zorina did not call him to a halt, nor did she run away from him.

Something must be wrong with me to allow this attempted flirtation, or whatever it is.

Anala had joined them, and frequently bounded ahead before pausing and returning to Zorina’s side throughout the journey. The red panda’s antics helped to calm Zorina’s frantic mind as she allowed herself to open up to another person for the first time in years. But only on the surface; she would not tell him—or anyone—the full history of her unsavory past.

No, she kept the conversation light and insubstantial. While part of her wanted to pry into his past, she knew she could not do so without allowing him to do the same to hers.

“So,” he said, tilting his head down at her. “Strong and brave, am I?”

Zorina groaned and rolled her eyes. She’d hoped he’d either not heard her say that or had forgotten about it. “I only said it to appease Anala.”

Herrick lifted one eyebrow. “I’m sure.” One corner of his lips perked up in a smirk. “Or perhaps you were attempting to flirt with me?”

She shot him a fierce glare before elbowing his arm and beginning to pull away.

His free hand unexpectedly landed on her forearm, stilling her movements. “Stay.”

It was the second time he’d made that request, and it still puzzled her. Somehow, it felt even more personal this time.

Does he want me not only to stay in Adael, but near him?