DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS

24

“The lamp festival is great,” Calvin said, smiling up at Devon. “There’s food, and dancing, and art exhibitions, and—”

“And the lamps!” Selina finished. She rocked on the balls of her feet, clearly excited. She turned back to Kianna. “Will there be a dance demonstration this year?”

Kianna pointed to the lower section of the paper. “No, but there will be a dance competition.”

Selina’s smile fell. “Competition?” She glanced to Calvin. “We’re not that good. We can’t compete.”

Kianna put her hands on her waist. “Says who? I don’t see why you can’t compete. Treat it like a demonstration. Just go up on the stage and dance your heart out. If you don’t win, that’s okay. At least you’ll have fun.”

Selina and Calvin looked at each other as if conferring about the matter in their heads. Devon crossed his arms over his sweaty shirt, and fixed his eyes on Kianna.

Her cheeks warmed under the weight of his gaze, but she didn’t avert her eyes. She held his stare.

“We’ll do it,” Calvin announced.

Immediately, Kianna realized what she had been doing, and embarrassed, turned her attention back to her siblings.

“But we have a condition,” Selina said.

“And what’s that?” Kianna asked, curious.

“You have to help us practice,” Calvin said.

“Of course,” Kianna agreed.

“What about me?” Cat asked, sounding offended. “I want to help too!”

Selina shook her head. “You have two left feet.”

Cat exaggerated a gasp, her hand pressed against her chest. “Hey!”

The group laughed, and Kianna couldn’t help but notice the way Devon’s lips curved up as if he too wanted to smile and laugh at Selina’s joke. Moments ago he had been playing and laughing with her siblings. Why did he hold back now?

Selina clapped excitedly. “When can we start?”

Kianna glanced at the field. There was still so much to do. She had to finish sewing the clothes, then start on supper, and when she was done, she should help with the crops. “I don’t—”

“As soon as she finishes this.” Devon pointed to the clothes in her lap.

She stared at him with big eyes, silently asking him how she would do that. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice gentle. “I’ll take care of the field. You go help them.”

Kianna worried her lower lip with her teeth, considering. This was so kind of him. “Are you sure?”

The half smile was back to Devon’s lips. “I am.”

Despite herself, Kianna smiled back at him.

Devon

The warrior glanced at the manor atop the hill. A candle flickered past the windows, indicating someone, probably Kianna, was still awake, despite it being almost midnight.

The young woman never stopped. She woke up early and went to bed late. She prepared breakfast, cleaned up after everyone, worked in the field, schooled her siblings, washed, sewed, and swept … it was a never-ending routine.

And she never complained. At least not out loud. He knew that she had to be hurting on the inside. Or exhausted.

Despite all she had on her plate, when Selina and Calvin asked her to help them practice the dance for the lamp festival, she only hesitated because she knew the weight of her duty. Devon couldn’t help but take care of that. He could handle the field while she spent a couple of hours with the kids.

The smile on her face had been worth it.

Her beautiful face. Her beautiful spirit.

Devon looked to the dark sky, dotted with millions of stars. The gods had to be mistaken. There was no other explanation for it. He would bet his soul, which belonged to the gods, that she didn’t have one evil bone in her body. Not even a sliver in her blood.

She was the most kind and hardworking person he had ever known.

And the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

His heart squeezed and he let out a string of curses.

Why did these feelings snake inside his chest uninvited? He wanted to resist her charms, but every time he looked at her, he found himself powerless. Despite his strength, she could disarm him with a single look, with one small smile.

Devon shook his head and turned his back to the manor. He had to stop these thoughts, these feelings. He was a warrior of light, and he had a job to do here. Nothing more.

Devon patrolled the perimeter of the property. He walked by the cherry tree and the bench Kianna liked so much—in the little free time she had to herself, she could be found on the bench, usually with a book in hand.

Devon stopped short. There they went again, his thoughts turning back to her.

What was wrong with him? A groan started in his chest. Determined to accomplish this damn patrol without any more interference, Devon stomped past the lake. He rounded the estate line in the middle of the forest, then cut back behind the field. He glanced at the growing crops. Ophelia had told him the field didn’t use to be so close to the house, but once her husband died and they sank into debts, they had to sell many of their possessions, including their house in town and most of the estate, leaving only the area around the manor. Thus, the field butted up to the back of the family home. If they didn’t make a profit this year, even a little, she would have to consider selling the rest of the estate, and moving them to a small house in the town’s poorest neighborhood. She didn’t know how they would feed themselves then, but at least they wouldn’t be spending so much on the manor, in the field, and on employees.