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Ignore her, Felix told himself. You don’t help people, you kill them. Even helpless old ladies if they’re foolish enough to get in your way.
“Young man!” The old woman scurried up to him and grabbed hold of his shirt sleeve. “Goodness, child, didn’t you hear me? Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
He pocketed the air Kindred. “First of all, lady, I am not a child. And, secondly, where I’m going is none of your concern.”
She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him. “Well, never mind then. All I know is I need help, and you’re tall and you look strong enough.”
“Strong enough for what?”
She pointed at a nearby tree. “Up there!”
Felix frowned and peered up into the thick tree, heavy with leaves. Perched precariously on a branch high above their heads was a small gray-and-white kitten.
“Somehow my darling little kitty got herself up there,” the old woman explained, wringing her hands, “and now she can’t get back down. She’s so very frightened, can’t you see? And so am I. She’s going to fall or get snatched up by a hawk!”
“You really do have to be watchful for hawks,” he said, then snorted. The woman stared at him blankly. “Watchful. Hawks. Get it?”
She pointed again, more frantically this time. “You must climb up the tree and save my kitty before it’s too late!” The kitten let out a tiny but plaintive mew, as if to emphasize the dilemma.
It was rather unfortunate for this woman that Felix had happened along in her time of need. Had he been Jonas Agallon, he’d likely have already rescued the cat, and would now be busy milking a goat for its dinner.
Even just that brief thought of the failed rebel leader had managed to darken Felix’s mood.
“I don’t save kittens, lady,” he growled.
Her eyes brimmed with tears. “Oh, please. There’s no one else around to help right now. Please do this, in Goddess Cleiona’s name. She loved animals—all animals, big and small.”
“Yeah, well, I’m Limerian and our Goddess Valoria only liked animals if they ate kittens for breakfast.”
A hawk passed overhead, its shadow crossing Felix’s path. The woman shielded her eyes from the bright sun as she looked up at it with panic.
Felix wasn’t sure if it was a real hawk or a Watcher, but it did look rather hungry for small felines.
Cruel and uncaring, remember?
He glanced at the woman who looked up with him with such hope that he might help her.
Damn it.
It didn’t take very long at all to climb the tree, grab the cat, and return to the ground.
“Take it,” he said gruffly, shoving the furry handful away.
“Oh, thank you!” She gratefully took the kitten into her arms and kissed it multiple times. Then she grabbed Felix’s face and noisily kissed both his cheeks. “You are a hero!”
He just glared at her. “I am most definitely not a hero. Now, do me a favor and forget you ever saw me.”
Without another word, he began walking away from the old woman, her cat, and the stupid tree of shame.
• • •
He reached the city late that afternoon, when the sun had begun to slip behind the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of red and orange.
Felix took a deep breath as he approached the first palace entrance. Two guards crossed their sharp spears in front of him, stopping him from taking another step. He sized them up. Both massive men made Felix’s own tall and muscular frame look puny in comparison.
“Greetings, friends,” he began with a grin. “Lovely day, isn’t it?”
“Go away,” the mountainous guard on the left said.
