Page 13 of A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

Her stomach clenched at his words. He was getting far too close to the truth for her comfort. Zorina was half tempted to cast some sort of unpleasant spell at him, but doing so would defeat the purpose of keeping her power a secret.

All the same, she let her imagination take wing for just a moment, envisioning him croaking like a frog so she wouldn’t have to listen to his inane questions.

A satisfied smile at the mental picture crept across her lips.

Herrick stepped closer and frowned down at her. “Why are you smiling?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said, grinning wider. “Just picturing you croaking like a frog instead of speaking like an idiot. It’s infinitely more enjoyable.”

He narrowed his eyes and scowled. “Why are you so difficult?”

Zorina shrugged one shoulder. “Why are you so annoyingly nosy? I’m sick and tired of your incessant questions that have nothing to do with you or the case you’re supposedly investigating.”

Herrick stepped even closer, his boots only inches from her toes. “Were you this difficult for your parents? Is that why you’re alone here?”

That hit too close to home. Zorina clenched her jaw and would have slapped him if he weren’t a city guard. She had no desire to be arrested today. “Get. Out.”

He stared down at her, towering over her at his significantly taller height. “Make me.”

Fear washed over her, though she didn’t really believe he’d hurt her. All the same, his size and proximity were intimidating. Despite that, she held her ground.

But he must have seen something in her eyes, for he stepped back and grumbled an apology for frightening her.

Zorina refused to admit that he was right, but she did take advantage of his contrition and used it to change the subject, steering the conversation far away from magic and parents.

Thankfully, before he could turn it back again, a customer joined them. She sold two simple pots to a man in his thirties. As the customer awkwardly carried the bulky pots out the door, a blur of red flashed through.

Herrick sighed. “Not again.”

“You’re not the one who has to clean up after her,” she shot back.

“That’s true,” he said with a smirk.

After the red panda smashed four pots and pilfered six coins, Zorina managed to catch her again. “All right you little sneak, give them back.”

A huff escaped Herrick. “Do you really think she understands you?”

“Maybe,” she said with a shrug.

The red panda, of course, did not give the coins back. She stared up at Zorina with her deep amber eyes and chirped adorably. “I think you need a name.”

“What?” Herrick complained. “You’re going to name that thing?”

Zorina straightened her back. “Yes. I am.” Focusing on the sweet animal in her arms, she asked in a tender voice, “How does Anala sound? It means, ‘fire.’ Seems like a good match for your red fur.”

“And her temperament,” Herrick grumbled.

Another chirp emanated from the red panda, and she snuggled into Zorina’s embrace. “See? She likes me. Looks like it was love at first kiss after all.”

The guard rolled his eyes. “Likely the only way you’ll get it.”

Chapter five

In Need of a Barrier

Herrick

Afew aggravating days later, Captain Firmin called Herrick back into his office to report on what he’d found. The answer was much the same: very little. One of the few changes he’d noticed was the way the newly named red panda and Zorina had formed some sort of odd friendship—though the sneaky animal still smashed pottery as she pilfered coins.