The Spark of a Feudling by Wendy Knight

field was empty except for the gray ash of those who hadn’t made it through the battle. Forcing herself to her knees, she stumbled to the forest — looking for Horse, watching for whoever had attacked her from behind. She felt the burns in her back. Christian was going to kill her. Hopefully he’d heal her first.
    Always. Forever.
    Horse stood at the edge of the fire, pulling frantically on his reins, still tangled in the branches. “I’m here. I’m here.” She held out a hand to soothe him, dodging hooves as he tried to rear away from her, eyes wild with fear. Ironic, that the finest horse of a flame-throwing sorcerer was afraid of fire.
    Strong hands, much bigger than hers, reached above her, deftly untangling reins from the branch before shoving them into Ada’s chest. “That was stupid. Are you daft? You could have been killed.”
    Ada blinked up at William. “What are you doing here?”
    â€œI followed you. I didn’t believe you were really going to battle. I — I didn’t believe someone so tiny could be so—”
    â€œWicked?” she asked, her voice hollow around her exhaustion.
    â€œPowerful.” He gave her a pointed look. “There is no wickedness in war. Only one side against the other.”
    â€œYou are very wrong about that, Mr. Langley.” There, she’d addressed him correctly.
    He studied her for a long minute, trying to read her meaning before his eyes wandered to her burned, bloody shoulder, the same that she’d hurt in her first battle. “You’re wounded. Come to my estate and I’ll bring the doctor.” Without asking, he pushed her up onto Horse.
    â€œNo. Your doctors cannot heal me. I have to go home. To my healer.”
    He took the reins and led the horse through the trees, jogging lightly. “A Carules, then?”
    She frowned down at him. “You seem to know quite a bit about sorcerers for not being one.” Could he possibly be a sorcerer and she just not know it? They had no distinguishing marks. And whoever had thrown that last spell had disappeared before she could see who it was.
    He shrugged lightly. “I’m fascinated. I always have been. Growing up with the mighty Duke of Adlington looming over our village makes one curious.”
    His horse waited at the edge of the woods, pawing at the air as it watched the flames. “You need to tell your village to start a brigade or those flames will eat every last house.” She felt like maybe she would fall from her horse.
    He glanced behind him, as if just noticing the inferno, and nodded. Mounting, he said, “Can you find your way to my estate? I need to sound the alarm.”
    â€œI’m not going to your estate…” Her voice trailed off as he spun the big black and white animal and raced away. “Blast.” Defeated, she nudged Horse forward, following the road back to his manor. The bells on the church house peeled through the weak sunlight, and villagers emerged from their houses, bleary eyed, still in their nightdress, but racing for the fountain. And she heard them muttering about the Edren sorcerers and the trouble they cause.
    â€œWe’re protecting you. Don’t you realize that?” Ada murmured, although no one was near enough to hear her. Their words hurt. She’d nearly died, and many others had lost their lives. All to keep the war away from their village. Let the sorcerers fight, and protect the knights, the dukes, earls, villagers, peasants. Everyone.
    William hadn’t returned by the time she reached his estate, and she guessed he was helping with the brigade, which was admirable. “He said you would be hungry.” Harriet met her at the front gate. “He also said he doubted he’d be able to talk you into staying. So I packed a basket.” The girl wasn’t glaring at Ada anymore, and Ada wondered what had changed. She was too tired to care,