Lightning Flashed - blogfest

Lightning flashed, illuminating the flat wet stones, grass grown long between them. Her feet stepped lightly, carefully, ankles flashing white beneath the hem of her skirts. She glanced back at the castle, shadowed by mist and rain, pausing long enough to see that her spell of gloom held before hurrying forward on silent feet.

The path soon narrowed, and the stones turned into steep steps that cut between a thick knot of tall trees, down to the river and the stone wharf, one of many the royal family maintained. This one, however, had been forgotten.

Or so she’d been told.

It didn’t look forgotten, she thought, noting the lack of debris revealed by each crack and flash.

She pulled her cloak closer, peered into the dark. Eyes narrowed, she scanned the shadowy tangle of wood and bramble that hid the wharf until the smallest of movements caught her eye. 

“Show yourself,” she said.

A moment later a light flared, and she let go an inaudible sigh, putting her knives away.

Her Master stepped forward, bringing the light with him. “I am glad to see you have not grown soft and forgetful…” he said, crossing the space between them.

And as soon as he was close enough to touch, the rain ceased above their heads. It still fell all around them, hard and fast, splattering against stone, filling cracks, hitting leaf and branch.

“We are safe now,” he said. “No one can hear our words, even if by chance you were followed.”

She didn’t ask how. Only envied the trick and wondered how long until she learned it.

“Soon,” he said, sensing her thoughts, her desire, “But first, the matter at hand, the reason you were sent here.”

She looked up at him, hope fluttering in her chest. Had the time come at last?

To read more flash fiction from this blogfest, go here - and enjoy :)

ps 303 words, a tad over...