Chimera Fields Roast Mutton

His pointed words fluttered through her like a tongue of fire, and her ears had never felt so flushed. For the truth of things, she had no real answer for the boy - not a good one, anyway, and nothing that would tip this impression in her favour.

"I'm not cowering," she bit back, though any edge she felt to her words probably didn't slip beyond her thoughts. Her voice remained soft, despite any fluster or anxiety she felt within. "You just . . . surprised me. That's all." And stiffly, she tried to raise herself from the ground, but her nerves still quaked. She made progress, yeah, but she still felt small next to him, like a shadow of her usual self - and she wasn't sure all what to say - so she asked, "There. Is that better?" and these words oozed with a sledge of sass - which she honestly felt - but her eyes widened and locked on the boy with a flash of genuine shock, "oh - ah, I didn't mean it like that."