He whirled towards the clock and, with no words, grasped my hand and started pulling me toward my home. “They’ll arrest me if I’m still up here!” I cried.
“That won’t happen. We’ll make it,” he assured me.
And we did, with just seconds to spare. He ran down the steps with me as I caught disapproving gazes from the guards now stationed at the entrance.
We stopped to catch our breath after a few steps into the Outer Ring. Just in time.
After a moment, I couldn’t help but start laughing at how close we were. Quill, still catching his breath, looked at me with happy surprise.
Once my laughing died down, I just smiled at him. “Thank you again. You really saved my ass today.”
“It was my pleasure,” he replied, once again with that lazy smile that was beginning to affect me.
“How can I repay you?”
“Didn’t you already?” he asked as he waved the coin bag.
“Oh, right,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
“Although,” he continued, “you could repay me by showing me Amethyst Pond, the place you told me about.”
“I knew the copper wasn’t enough,” I smirked.
“As I told you, the money is unnecessary.” He stepped closer. “It is just an excuse to see you again.”
My heartbeat quickened, and then my smile faded.
I couldn’t get close to anyone. Certainly not in any romantic sense. I didn’t want that anyway. Getting close to him would put us at more risk, and I would not have it.
I glanced at the sword on his back.
Still, there was one way he could be useful to me—one way he could actually help in giving me back some of the power that I always denied myself.
“I’ll show you Amethyst Pond on one condition.”
“Alright,” he said with an intrigued look.
“Teach me how to fight.”
He blinked.
I told myself I was not interested in him or his friendship. But learning to fight in a way that had nothing to do with magic could be just what I needed. Gardening could only help so much with all the pent-up trauma I had.
“I don’t know anything about fighting nor how to use my dagger properly. You said it yourself—it doesn’t hurt to know how to protect myself. I want to know everything you do.” I stepped closer to him. “Teach me.”
He considered, pulling his lips to the side.
“Very well,” he said after a beat, then turned to walk away.
“W-when will I see you again?” I exclaimed.
He half turned to me, giving me his signature lazy smile. “Soon, my Flower.” And he strode away.
I just stood there, comprehending all that just happened.
Flower? That’s my nickname?
I slowly turned toward the cottage and tried to hold in my smile.
