Page 47 of Keeper of the Flame: Orrick

He hurried back to the table to find the empty bottle that once held the taper. “Look,” he said, pointing. “Someone took the candle and lit it from the fire in the hearth. And when they did, the Eternal Flame transferred to them. So now they are the Keeper of the Flame, not me.”

“Egads, Orrick! Who would do such a thing?”

Orrick looked back to the wand lying on the bed. “The only person who spends a lot of time in here is who would do it. I’m afraid Noah has stolen the Eternal Flame whether he did it on purpose or by accident.”

“Noah?” Corbett’s concern showed on his face for the boy. “What does this mean?”

Lightning flashed from outside the window again, and a loud crack of thunder seemed to rock the walls.

“It means he is dealing with something that holds so much power that it can destroy him if he is not careful.”

“Orrick, I don’t want the boy hurt.”

“Neither do I,” said Orrick. “Noah is human. He doesn’t have magic. And because of that, the Eternal Flame’s power is going to be too much for him to handle. I’m not sure what will happen. All I know is that we need to find him and get the flame back at once.”

“And if we don’t?” asked Corbett.

“If we don’t –” Orrick looked down at his burned and bleeding hand, flinching from the pain. He hadn’t felt pain in a hundred years and now he wished he’d never feel it again. “If we don’t, I’m afraid it might kill him.”

“Let’s go,” said Corbett, running for the door.

Orrick grabbed a cloak hanging from a nail on the wall and hurried after Corbett, only hoping they weren’t already too late.

Chapter 14

Hope lay back in the bed she shared with her sister, opening the book she’d stolen from Orrick’s chamber, finally going to get a chance to read it.

Grace mumbled from next to her and turned over, going back to sleep. The girl usually feared nothing, but thunderstorms did upset her. This one seemed to be the worst for some reason. It made her so jittery that she was even afraid of entering Orrick’s room. It took Hope most of the night just sitting with her and talking to calm the girl down. Now that Grace felt safe with Hope at her side, she would hopefully sleep peacefully until morning.

“It’s too dark in here to read,” she said aloud, realizing the fire in the hearth across the room didn’t light the area by the bed. She wanted to stay near her sister in case she needed her, so sitting by the hearth to read wasn’t the best idea.

Spying the burning candle she’d brought from Orrick’s chamber, she decided to move it next to the bed for light. She had stuck it in an empty bottle in her room and placed it on the table. Getting out of bed, Hope padded over the floor to get it. It was atop the table, flickering brightly.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Hope walked toward it with an outstretched arm. She felt good around this candle and it didn’t make sense. It was stolen. She should feel like a thief, but she didn’t. Instead, she felt strong, brave, and like nothing or no one could harm her. She’d never had this feeling before.

There was a knock at the door and Hope’s heart jumped into her throat. Who would be coming to her room this late at night? Her eyes sought out Grace, still sleeping in the bed. Normally, Hope wouldn’t open the door but, for some reason, she didn’t fear who might be on the other side.

Throwing a cloak around her night rail, she hurried over to the door, holding the candle in one hand. Pulling the door open, she was surprised to see her betrothed standing on the other side.

“Lord Irwin?” Her brows dipped. “What are you doing here so late at night?”

“I need to know how your exploration is going.” She smelled the strong scent of whisky on his breath. “Have you found the Eternal Flame for me yet? Or have you found anything at all to give us information on it?”

The fire from the candle crackled as she held it up for light, seeing the deep shadows splayed across his face. He looked evil, she thought. Turning her head slightly, she looked at the Eternal Flame book lying atop the covers of the bed. She could have told him about it, but she didn’t want to. She’d yet to even have a chance to look at it and she wouldn’t risk him taking it from her.

“Nay,” she lied, closing the door slightly and trying to block his view.

“I thought you were sneaking into the sorcerer’s chamber today. What did you find there?”

“I found nothing,” she told him. “The storm approached and I had to call off the exploration of his room.”

“Dammit, I knew I should have done it myself. If so, I would have had that Infernal Flame by now.”

“Eternal,” she corrected him, thinking she was starting to sound a lot like Orrick that first day that she’d met him.

“Well, let me in and we’ll discuss a plan for the morning.” He tried to open the door, but she pushed back, not allowing him entry.

“Nay, it is late and my sister is sleeping. Besides, it isn’t proper for a man to be in our room with us, especially late at night and while I’m in my night rail.”