Foolish Risk - sequel to A Starless Sky

Hot smoke and cold air tickled the inside of Marabell’s nose, the scent of tea leaves easing her nerves as she added them to the pot of water. She kept her actions smooth and slow. Too brisk a movement was likely to send the girl across from her skittering back to that beast of a horse, the pair of them dashing off into the predawn black.

Nora—that obviously wasn’t the girl’s real name, an ‘s’ already on her lips—couldn’t have been more than seventeen. A wild mane of tangled blond curls added to the shadows and hollows of her face, glassy eyes staring blankly into the fire. She was long past simple fear, beyond exhaustion, into that dark place where the body goes numb and the mind plays tricks on you. That was exactly how Cassie had looked before—

Marabell gently cleared the lump from her throat. She swirled the pot and poured the tea into a tin cup, holding it out to Nora with a smile. 

The girl took it, wary, but not resentful. Good. She was scared, but likely used to trusting people. Marabell just had to prove herself trust-worth. 

“I’m from back east. Hooper,” Marabell said softly, pouring herself a cup and easing back against her pack. “Been on the road about two weeks. I’m headed to Jecksonville, so still another week to go.” She sipped, glancing around at the snow draped rock and sand around them. “Forgot how few and far between hotels are out this way. It’ll be nice to sleep in a real bed again. Even if it is in that ridiculous library.” 

Silence hung in the night air as she sipped her tea, waiting. She’d promised that she wouldn’t pry. But if her hunch was correct…

The girl’s face flickered, eyes lifting from her cup. “A bed… in a library?” 

Marabell’s smile deepened. “My little brother, Nash. He’s always been a learner, curious about everything. He inherited our father’s book collection last year, adding it to his own, filling that tiny house nearly to bursting.” 

Her heart tugged, the mental image of Nash’s shy smile and signature eye roll behind his round glasses filling her chest with warmth. “The universities are idiots for turnin’ him away.” 

Nora didn’t speak, but her head tipped ever so slightly to the side, glassy eyes drawing a little more focused. 

Should she say it? Things could go sideways real fast, depending. But the girl’s reaction could also tell a lot about who she really was. 

“The upper crust ain’t so fond of folks like us.” Marabell carefully tucked her hair behind her ear, angling her head so the light caught it. 

Nora gasped, sinking back into her massive coat, eyes widening as she stared. “You’re…” 

Marabell nodded, not letting the sinking feeling in her chest show. 

So, “Nora” was one of them. She’d thought as much, the button up boots and fine dress hem speaking of money. Marabell took another sip of tea, releasing her disappointment into the dark, cold air. 

She could be wrapping herself up in a heap of trouble by sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. But it didn’t matter. This girl needed her help. Whatever scared her, sent her running through the night, put that edge of desperation in her eyes… 

Marabell would risk it to make sure this girl didn’t end up like Cassie. 

***

Suzanna sucked in a breath, forcing her eyes away from the pointed tip of the woman’s ear and back into her cup. 

Matthew had told her stories about elves; self righteous and aloof, greedy and selfish, he’d said, his perfect nose curled up. Of course, he’d also said other things too. Things that had made her hope and dream, things that had turned out to be lies the moment her magic had flared out of control in her uncle’s study.

A bitter tang filled her mouth, her rib cage growing tight, the bruises on her wrists thrumming as the feeling returned to her frozen hands. 

Why had she even touched that book?

“No,” she whispered. She couldn’t go down that path right now. It would only bring back the panic, the what if’s that would pummel her mind, wear her down, dimming her attention even further. She had to think! 

She glanced the elf. No, the woman. Marabell. 

She’d offered her a spot to warm up, no questions asked. It could be a trick, some sort of plot to wait until Suzanna nodded of and then make off with… Suzanna didn’t have any goods, other than the jewelry in her hidden pocket. Well, and Brego. Her tired brain grew illogically smug at the thought of someone else having to deal with his surly temper, even if she couldn’t afford to lose the jerk. 

Her eyes skipped back across the fire. Marabell sipped her tea, relaxed and patient. 

It would be a huge risk to trust a stranger. And yet, Suzanna wanted to. Wanted it so bad, she could feel it in her chest, her whole body aching with the desire to have someone she could trust again, just a little, even for only a moment. 

It was foolish. But sometimes hope could drive a person to take foolish risks.