Page 21 of A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

Swallowing the sudden lump in her throat, Zorina could only force out a single word. “Why?”

Herrick stopped and turned to face her, taking both of her hands in his. He took a step closer, his gaze locked on hers. For a long moment, they stared into each other’s eyes. “Why do you think?” he asked, his quiet words caressing her heart.

She bit her lip, and his eyes darted toward the movement with a flash of an emotion she couldn’t identify. Her pulse thundered at the intensity of his gaze. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were attempting to flirt with me.”

A saucy grin lit his expression as he gazed into her. “More than attempting,” he whispered, his voice sounding alluringly husky.

Zorina tried to fight the delightful shiver that ran down her spine at his response, struggling to remember why she avoided this sort of attention in the first place.

No man can be trusted, she reminded herself. No one can—least of all a guard who asks invasive questions.

Before she could either draw nearer or shove him farther away, Anala apparently made her decision for her.

The red panda skittered between their feet, surprising and tripping them both. Zorina shrieked as she began to fall, only to be temporarily caught in strong, muscular arms before Herrick lost his footing as well. They crashed to the forest floor in an awkward tangle of limbs.

Somehow, she landed on top of him, her face smashed up against his beard. His arms encircled her waist and back, holding her firm against his armored chest. Her own hands were trapped between their torsos, and she could not move with his solid grip around her.

Zorina stiffened as his beard tickled her skin. “Let. Go,” she grunted, trying in vain to squirm against him.

“Must I?” he asked, a hint of mischief in his tone. From the way his beard moved against her cheek, she could feel his grin rather than see it.

Anger boiled in her at his flirtatious lilt. “Yes, you must. Release me at once.”

Herrick sighed, his huff of breath sending tingles wherever it touched. “Very well.” He then rolled over with her still pressed against him, shoving his hands to the dirt as he straddled over her. With a smirk, he met her eyes. “Is this better?”

Heat washed over her at his continued proximity. “No! Get off!”

Regret lit his green eyes before he scrambled to his feet, and she wondered if he felt ashamed of his actions or lamented over her rejection—or possibly both. Then, he reached a hand toward her. “May I help you?”

Zorina peered up at his earnest expression and released a breath. “Fine.”

Herrick easily tugged her to her feet, his strength more than evident—a detail she tried not to notice. Of course he’s strong. He’s a guard, and he’s significantly taller than me to boot.

Anala chirped as she ran circles around them, seemingly unaware of the chaos she’d just caused.

Zorina shook her head at her accidental pet. “Let’s go home.”

Once again, Herrick held out his arm, and she begrudgingly took it. As the sky began to darken in earnest, she reluctantly admitted to herself that it was safer to have him with her than not. Only for his sword, of course.

They traversed the rest of the distance to her tucked away home in silence until Herrick caught sight of the vine-covered shed she lived in. He stopped her again, a concerned look on his face. “Don’t tell me you live here.”

Zorina shrugged. “Fine. I won’t tell you that. But this is my destination.”

He frowned as he glanced back and forth between her and her small home. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

She laughed. “Perfectly. I’ve lived here for two-and-a-half years and never had a problem with it.”

Herrick still looked skeptical. “It’s covered in vines.”

“Yes. All the better to hide it from the world.” After the words left her mouth, Zorina realized that she should not have said them. They revealed far more than she wanted to about her life.

Before he could ask anything further, she blurted, “It’s getting late. Goodnight, Herrick.”

Then, without giving him a moment to respond, she dashed the remaining distance to her door with Anala at her feet and escaped inside.

Chapter seven

The Masked Piper