The Spark of a Feudling by Wendy Knight Page A

grounds. Or it might have been that she had grown up with Christian and never addressed him properly. He was always just Christian to her. It was all very exhausting. She resolved to not mention any of William’s names at all.
    â€œWhat are you doing so far from home, and alone?” Lady Charnock sniffed, because it was unheard of for a woman to travel without a proper chaperone. But sorcerers had their own rules. Trying to mesh them with society’s expectations was difficult.
    â€œI am on my way to battle.” Ada raised her chin defiantly, fighting a smile when Lady Charnock looked beyond horrified.
    William did not fight his smile. It bloomed across his face as he met her eyes. Ada was starting to think smiling must be his natural expression and anything else was uncomfortable for him. Or else he found everything amusing. Both confused her. “I wasn’t aware that there was a battle near here.”
    â€œI’m not aware that there is, either. I just feel it calling me.” She shrugged, trying to do it delicately so that she didn’t send Lady Charnock into fits.
    â€œBreakfast is served, Your Ladyship,” Harriet said from the doorway. Her eyes swept angrily over Ada to settle on William, softening so she looked like an overgrown puppy.
    Thank the heavens. Ada rose to her feet, belatedly realizing William should help her up. Her mother would be so disappointed. And probably in hysterics at the thought of Ada behaving in such a way when they went to London for the social season. Good thing I’m not going to London, Ada thought with a determined scowl.
    William placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her from the room. Again her skin seemed to jump, and the wildness of her flames calmed under his touch. Maybe because he wasn’t magical, as she was? Ada thought hard, trying to remember, but she was fairly positive she’d never been touched by someone non-magical. That must be the cause of this strange reaction , she told herself, but she didn’t really believe it. There was a pull toward William that she didn’t understand, and had only felt toward one other person in all her life.
    Christian.
    The earl was away, so it was only the three of them at the overly large table. William sat on her left. Lady Charnock sat across from them, and they ate quietly. Ada answered questions when they were asked, but she was confused and, now that she had eaten, she was also exhausted. Battle hungry flames? Where’d you go? Wake me up or we will die in battle.
    â€œMy lady… I’m not a sorcerer, but perhaps resting before battle is advisable.” William’s voice broke through her haze of sleep-deprivation and she started. Good heavens, she’d nearly fallen asleep into her food.
    â€œI don’t want to trouble you,” she said, but her words sounded slurred. When had she last slept? She couldn’t remember, since the night before she’d been riding like a demon through the forest and the one before that had been spent overcome by butterflies and thoughts of Christian. Maybe the night before, although she couldn’t remember. And training with her father had made her doubly exhausted.
    The battle that kept calling her had chosen a very inopportune time.
    â€œI believe my son is right. Rest, and you might live through the battle to fight another day.” Lady Charnock, if Ada wasn’t mistaken, looked a bit amused and even more shocking — concerned.
    â€œI couldn’t intrude on your kindness.” She tried not to slur her words but she was so very tired. Her dazed mind wondered if the servant girl had drugged her. Or poisoned her. That would be problematic indeed.
    â€œHarriet, show Miss Aleshire to the guest room, please.” William’s voice wafted through the fog and she felt him help her to her feet, holding her up when she nearly collapsed.
    She was a mighty warrior. This was unacceptable. Ada would