A Talent Ignited by Suzanne Lenoir

Author:Suzanne Lenoir [Lenoir, Suzanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: 1636794831
Goodreads: 143112185
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2023-11-13T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

As soon as she stepped through the temple doors, Annika noticed the weather was changing. The trees had lost their leaves, and the high wispy clouds floated across the stars in the sky. Snow was coming, her mother would say. Seemed early, but a snowstorm before year’s end wasn’t uncommon. Annika pulled her cloak closer around her.

She’d spent the evening with Jurdana, who looked at her as if she was the stupidest girl in the city. Huffing and moaning about how terrible Annika’s skills were. But Annika had doused the lantern and lit it again every time Jurdana had asked. She was feeling at one with fire instead of being afraid of it.

But neither of them discussed trying to reach out for Jurdana again or for Evelyne. That gift was still too frightening. Too out of her control.

Using her gift so many times in one evening had left her exhausted. She and Zuri trudged through the untended temple vegetable garden, weeds growing throughout. She felt the familiar pull to get on her hands and knees and prepare the garden for winter.

By the gate to the street, a voice called out from behind her, “Dash, stop.”

Annika heard the cry and looked around, hoping the shout wouldn’t bring attention to them. A small wiry dog ran through her legs and made a sudden stop at the man’s second call. The dog stood in the center of the street in front of a heavily laden wagon. The cart pony reared in response.

Without a moment’s thought, Annika reached out and felt the familiar slowing of time. The pony froze in midair, as did everyone around her, including Zuri. Annika stepped forward and swept the dog into her arms, out of harm’s way. And then, everything returned to normal. The horse cart clattered along as if nothing had happened.

Zuri looked confused. She followed Annika to where the dog’s owner was extracting himself from a hole in the ground near the western temple wall. Annika gave him a hand up. He was thin, with a bushy head of hair and a crooked smile.

He took the dog from her and squeezed and nuzzled him like a child, sticking his face in his fur. “You naughty beast. What’ve I told you ’bout running away?” Though he scolded the dog, his tone of voice was light and loving. “Thank you kindly. He’s always a bit of a rascal.” He reached into the opening he’d come from and withdrew a rope full of dead rats tied tightly together. They reeked of sewage.

“You’re a ratcatcher,” she said.

“Best in town,” he gloated, shaking the rope and making the dead rats swing about. When he did so, Dash tried to take a bite of them. “Enough, boy.” He raised his hand; one of his fingers was shorter than the others. “Made the mistake of getting between him and his prey once.” He wiggled the shorter digit. “Never do that again.”

Zuri peered into the dark hole. “Strange way to get into the temple undercroft.

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