I’ve told you much about myself and my writing. Now I want to show you more of the world of my fantasy. What better way to do that than through stories? Welcome to my new turn to flash fiction, featuring characters you’ve met in my books and others who may be less familiar. So, is the cat just clickbait for the post? Find out in this first story, which takes place shortly before the events of Adamant in Dust. It’s standalone and doesn’t have any bearing on the main story… or does it?

Fight or Flight

“Where have you been?” Egan slouched toward his twin with a sleepy growl.

Gael cast a furtive glance over his shoulder and quickened to meet him. “Sorry. She spotted me on the way out, and I had to dodge around, trying to lose her. You know how quick she can be.”

Egan stared, his sluggish mind working to make sense of his brother’s words. “Oh,” he finally said with little change of expression. “She’s prowling already. It’s just half past five in the morning—half an hour after my shift’s supposed to end. Does she ever sleep?”

“Wouldn’t put it past her,” Gael muttered. “I swear she was skulking by our room, waiting to pounce on me.”

“Don’t know why,” Egan groused. “She’s never shown any interest in me.”

“Do you want her to?” Gael’s voice rose in disbelief.

“No… but she’s not bad looking, just bossy and aggressive. If she toned it down a bit, she might catch someone. And, well… one doesn’t like to be overlooked in her hunt, all things considered.”

“Good grief, Eg—wait… why don’t you take her off my hands then?”

Egan blinked awake. “No, I’m not offering… and it doesn’t work, remember? Either they get upset, or you do.”

Gael had the grace to look abash. “I’m not saying go steady or anything. Just take her to the fair. That’s what she’s fixated on at the moment.”

“Absolutely not! Especially since we’re doing extra shifts so other guards can go. And what if she likes me? I’m not looking to switch places with you.”

“You know, if you like her, you could pursue her…”

“I don’t,” Egan said. “And let’s not start that again.”

Gael sighed. “I know it bothers you, and I’m just saying that I—”

A door beside them creaked, and Egan gathered his wits enough to realize they had ambled in front of the prince’s chamber.

Adlaren poked out of the smaller door to the adjoining room, patting downward with his hand. “If I can hear you, it won’t be long before the prince wakes too,” he whispered.

Gael cleared his throat and said, “Sorry.”

“Is there trouble?” Adlaren asked, closing the door behind him.

“No,” Egan mumbled. “It’s been a long shift, and I just want to sleep, not worry about going to the fair with a pushy lassie.”

The prince’s steward cocked his head.

“Chantilly,” Egan said.

“Ah,” Adlaren said. “She’s finally turned her attentions to you.”

Egan gave him a sour look. “No, she’s still after Gael. And you know, I’m good with that. But Gael wants me to take the hit for him. Not this time, mate.”

Adlaren turned to Gael with a smile. “You could do worse. She’s honest and hardworking. In different circumstances, you might find it flattering.”

“Ha ha—very funny.” Gael made an effort to control his tone. “You know she’s just trying to find a suitable husband to raise herself above the status of a tenant farmer’s daughter. More than one soldier has reported their narrow escape. She prefers them. A servant’s got to be high enough to get into her bullseye. I’m surprised she hasn’t tried it on you.”

“Aw, he’s probably too posh for her,” Egan said.

“No,” Adlaren said. “She was particularly attentive when she first arrived some years ago.”

“Blimey,” Egan breathed.

Gael’s eyes went wide, but he said, “Figures, I guess. She’s probably working her way down a list. How did you shake her?”

“Nothing particular. I was polite and treated her like everyone else until she stopped. It didn’t take long.”

“That’ll do it,” Egan said, rolling his eyes at his brother. “You should try it too. Don’t pay her any extra mind. You go into such a titter at sight of her that she’s probably reading it wrong.”

“She makes me nervous,” Gael said. “Besides, I’ve made it plenty clear. She’s asked me to go to this fair every day for a week now, and I’ve refused her every time.”

“You made excuses,” Egan said. “That’s not the same.”

“Well, I wish you well in your dilemma,” Adlaren said. “I need to start preparing. Lord Teyrnon will wake—”

“Ha—there you are!”

Gael winced at the sharp voice accompanying the bustling woman that turned into the corridor. He looked around for escape. Adlaren gave him a reassuring tap on the arm and stepped out.

“Miss Woodley, please keep your voice down. The prince is still sleeping.”

“Oh, I do beg your pardon, Master Ladde,” Chantilly whispered loudly. “I was just in the queen’s chambers, and she’s up already. So, I had to pluck Pom out before her ladyship started sneezing.”

A cat nestled in her arms, squinting at them with a lazy mug. Egan noticed that his orange patches matched the maid’s hair exactly. Pom was Cook’s mouser and wandered at night, going through any open door. The queen often left hers ajar, even though she couldn’t tolerate his presence without sniffles, sneezing, and watery eyes. Master Rikert believed she had an aversion to something in the cat’s fur. He advised against her association with the animal, but Queen Meregana was too fond of cats.

“Well, I’m off on my patrol.” Gael tried to slip between Egan and Adlaren, away from the chambermaid.

“Not so fast, Master Benen.” Somehow, she zipped around in front of him, too close to circumvent. The cat meowed in protest. “I’ve been hoping to talk to you.”

“If you could take it along with you,” Adlaren said, motioning them down the hallway.

“Right you are, sir,” Chantilly said, making a grab for Gael’s arm.

The guard swerved and reversed his direction. “Actually, I’ll go that way. Drop you off at the room, Eg, if you don’t mind the company.”

Egan mumbled a “humph” and started moving. Chantilly executed a deft maneuver to catch up. But Gael had wedged himself between the wall and his brother. She had to settle alongside Egan. Pom arched in irritation, digging claws into her sleeve.

“None of that, you sassy tom!” She wrapped iron grips around the feline’s arms and legs, baring her teeth at the hissing cat until he slumped back.

Gael was itching to go faster, but Egan sauntered along in no hurry.

Chantilly smoothed her lips into a smile and addressed Gael. “It’s the last day of the fair, and I haven’t gone yet.”

Gael avoided her gaze and kept walking.

“You should go,” Egan said.

“I very much want to,” she said, still trying to catch Gael’s eye. “But a dainty girl such as myself shouldn’t venture into such riotous frolics alone.”

Egan started coughing. Gael glared at him. “Servants have been going in groups as soon as their chores are done,” he said. “I’m sure you can join them.”

“Ugh, but all the girls have gone already or are going with their beaus,” Chantilly pouted. “It won’t do for me to tag along.” She waited pointedly. Gael closed back into obtuse silence. The cat growled. She relaxed her hands and sighed. “Surely, you would come to the aid of a damsel in distress, Master Benen.”

“Surely…” Egan said.

“How gallant of you to offer, Eg,” Gael said.

“No,” Egan snapped. “I mean, I’m just too tired—been up all night. Would be terribly dull.”

Chantilly studied him with curled lips, like a pair of hand-me-down shoes. “It would be better if you took me, Gael.”

“Not possible,” he said. “I’m on patrol all day, standing in for men out all night and those wanting to go. It’s good to give the lads a break.”

The woman frowned, her tread stomping harder. “Surely not all day. There must be a man that could step in for a few hours.”

“Couldn’t ask that of them,” Gael said, warming up to the subject. “Dad says it’s the price of leadership. He’s preparing me.”

Chantilly pinched her face and threw a dark look at Egan, who let out a loud yawn punctuated with an elongated stretch.

“Why do you need to patrol the castle in the day anyway?” Her voice lost its honeyed coating. “It’s fortified, and there’s many servants tearing about.”

“Not so much, with the fair going on, as you’ve said,” Gael said. “Why, it’s probably much safer on the fairgrounds with all the crowds.”

“The crowds are the danger,” she said. “Empty halls are no threat.”

Gael surveyed his surroundings. They had meandered beyond the family chambers to the quiet recesses just before the servants stairs. “Well,” he said, ignoring her glower. “You can never—”

Gael and Egan stopped as they rounded the corner. A man bounded out of the stairwell, bringing up short at sight of them. His mouth dropped. Then, he bolted down the adjoining passage, not bothering to hide the sack clanging behind him. Egan recognized a candlestick jutting out before Chantilly hollered.

“Oy!” She took off like a lighted match. “Garnock, you lout—how dare you!” In a few strides she closed the distance and launched the cat. “Kill!”

Pom flew free and hurled at the would-be thief with all his pent up fury. Sharpened claws dug into the bare head and raked through the stringy hair.

“AGGGHHHH!”

His bag of loot clamored to the floor as he contorted, scrabbling blindly to dislodge the bloodthirsty feline behind him.

“I didn’t slave over those candlesticks day after day, polishing them to outshine the sun, just so that you can pocket them with your grubby fingers!” Chantilly reached him and gave a hearty kick to his shin.

“Oww!” The man buckled while still twisting against the manic cat. Red streaked his hair.

Gael moved forward to apprehend the burglar. He tried to shift the spitting animal and got several scratches for his efforts. Egan came up. Between them, they finally yanked the puss off with one last shriek from Garnock and a tuft of his brown strands.

“Serves you right, and after Lord Greyson was so kind as to give you a position.” Chantilly took Pom from Egan and had the cat snug again in moments. She eyed Gael as he pulled the whimpering man to his feet. “See, nothing here that’s needing a soldier.”

Gael looked from her to the furry bundle in her arms, and back again. “You two make quite a pair. Take him to the fair, and you’ll be right as rain.”