Falling Ashes (10 page)

These children seemed terrified of their father, which made me nervous, too. Hell, if he didn’t like his own children in the barn, he would not like a complete stranger sleeping there.

‘I’ve got to sneak out without your dad seeing me,’ I said urgently. ‘Is there a way?’

Annie nodded. ‘There’s a loose plank behind the hay. I usually crawl through there when Daddy comes. It backs onto the horse paddock, so I usually pretend I’ve been playing with Buttons.’

‘Buttons?’

‘My pony,’ Annie explained.

‘Show me the gap in the wall,’ I demanded.

Annie and Hamish led me to the back of the barn, where they lifted one of the wooden planks along the wall. It was a tiny hole that only a child could squeeze through. Hamish slid through easily and beckoned Annie forward.

Heavy boots could be heard crushing along dry grass. Their father was mere meters away.

‘Go,’ I urged Annie, who dropped to her knees and crawled through the gap.

‘Come on,’ Annie whispered, beckoning me through the hole.

I got onto my knees and knew at once that I would not be able to crawl through. My best shot was to slither through on my side, like an absurd snake. First, I shoved my bag through, before putting my arms through the hole and wiggling my way across the dirty floor. Annie and Hamish grabbed me by the hands and tugged, trying to pull me through. I got stuck when my buttocks tried to pass through the gap.

‘Your butt is stuck!’ Hamish said, pulling on my arms harder.

Scowling, I managed to push myself through the tiny gap and get to my feet with the help of the children.

‘See ya, Lady,’ Hamish whispered as he and Annie flitted around the side of the barn to head their father off.

Panting, I leaned against the wall of the barn and attempted to brush myself off. That had been a close call, but thanks to those kids, I’d managed to escape being seen. Now I had to find Hawthorne and get off this farm before I was discovered.

In the distance, I could heard the children and their father bickering.

‘Why didn’t you come when I called you, huh?’

‘We were playing with the horses, Daddy!’ Annie said.

‘I didn’t see you in the paddock. You were in the barn again, weren’t you? I told you not to play in there! You know what happened last time!’

‘It was Annie’s idea-’ Hamish said defensively.

‘Nuh! You said!’

The arguing died away, and I hoped that the children would not reveal what they had found inside Daddy’s barn. I didn’t fancy being shot in the head today.

Resting my head against the barn, I breathed deeply and looked up into the bright morning sky. It took me a few seconds to realize that something was staring back at me.

Hawthorne was on the barn roof, peering over the edge; his up-side down face cocked to the side curiously.

‘What are you doing up there?’ I groaned, pushing myself away from the wall and taking a few steps back to observe him.

Hawthorne leapt from the roof and landed with a muffled thump next to me; the dry dirt creating a cloud around him.

‘You’re lucky no one saw you,’ I scolded.

Hawthorne looked at me as if to say the exact same thing in return. His eyes quite clearly said:
You’re the one who is a wanted criminal, not me.

I pursed my lips. ‘Don’t look at me like that.’

He stared and I tried not to break eye contact with him, but it made my eyes water. ‘Ugh … You’re right,’ I caved, stooping down and snatching up my rucksack. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

~

I knew where Ræven lived for I had spent a few nights there during my time in Frost Arch, a city that had been covered in snow. However, according to Ræven, almost all of the snow had melted after the disappearance of Elvira Frost, ruler of the city. Only Jack, Ræven, Hawthorne, and I knew what had taken place that day in Elvira Frost’s Ice Manor.

I wondered if it would look very different, having never seen Frost Arch in anything but arctic conditions. I’d have to be very careful not to run into anyone from the Forsythe family, or their household staff, as I was not very well liked amongst them.

I pushed those thoughts from my mind. I would get Hawthorne to drop me off at Ræven’s doorstep, so there was no chance of being spotted by someone undesirable, like a guard, or a Forsythe.

Frost Arch was only a few hours away when riding Hawthorne. I had to admit, travelling without Jack was much faster; I could make it from one side of the country to the other within a day.

However, I was not prepared for what I was about to see.

Hawthorne landed in a pretty town with cobbled stone streets, and luscious green gardens. Cherry blossom trees lined the walkways, their pretty pink petals cascading down and cloaking them. The air was rife with the sound of crickets chirping and children laughing.

‘Where are we?’ I asked Hawthorne, pulling my hood over my head to hide my face. Hawthorne had changed his coat to a leafy green colour, to blend into the scenery.

He nudged me towards the house before us, and I was struck with a strange sense of familiarity.

‘No!’ I gasped in disbelief, looking the pretty townhouse up and down.

I spun around and studied the street around us.

‘
No
!’ I repeated, my mouth wide open.

It was Frost Arch, and it was completely unrecognisable. Everything screamed life and vitality. Was this what the city had looked like before the rule of Elvira Frost, who desired everything cold and hard, like ice? Even the wall that had surrounded the perimeter of the city was gone.

I turned to Ræven’s townhouse, which was covered in flowering vines, and stepped up to the front door. I lifted my fist and knocked three times. I waited for several minutes, knocking randomly, just in case she hadn’t heard me.

It hadn’t occurred to me that R
æven might not be home. How thoughtless of me. Of course, Ræven wouldn’t be home. She was a messenger, travelling across the country to deliver letters. She could be anywhere right now.

The messenger shop: I would try there next. I wondered if the middle-aged shop keeper would recognise me; no doubt she had seen the wanted posters.

Perhaps this was a bad idea. I was in the middle of a city where my face was known …  where I had enemies.

I had to try and find
Ræven. The whole trip would be a waste otherwise. I pulled out a scarf from my backpack, and wrapped it around my nose and mouth. Of course, in this warm weather I would look strange, but at least no one would recognise me. Hawthorne slunk down an alleyway to wait for me.

I hurried along the cobbled streets, admiring the multi-coloured foliage on the trees. It was like a painting; green grass, pink petals, and blue sky.  I thought I could really enjoy this city if I was to give it a second chance, though I knew that was not possible.

The streets were familiar, yet strangely different. It took a while for me to get my bearings. Finally, I located the messenger shop after several minutes of wandering.  Adjusting my scarf to ensure it covered most of my face, I stepped into the cramped messenger shop. It hadn’t changed since I’d last been here, many months ago.

‘Allo, dear,’ said the large, hairy woman behind the counter whose name I couldn’t remember. I thought it might be Gretchen, but I wasn’t sure.

‘Hello.’ My voice was muffled behind the scarf. ‘I was wondering if Ræven was in?’

‘No, she ain’t here.’

‘Can you tell me when she will be back?’

‘Can’t say.’ She shrugged, scratching the stubble under her chin.

‘Why not?’ I pressed, rather agitated.

‘
Ræven don’t work here no more,’ said Gretchen.

I raised my eyebrows. ‘What? What do you mean she doesn’t work here anymore? Where does she work now?’

‘Fired her,’ said Gretchen simply. ‘Unreliable. Kept going missing for days at a time.’

I felt a stab of guilt.
Ræven had skipped work to assist me in finding Helena two months ago. Was it my fault she had been fired from her messenger job? Regardless of whether it was my doing, I didn’t know where Ræven was or if she even lived at the same house.

‘Do you know where I can find her?’ I asked.

Gretchen rolled her eyes and looked at the large map that plastered the shop wall. This map showed all the towns and cities the messenger shop delivered to, and the price it would cost.

‘Pick a city,’ she said. ‘She could be anywhere, that girl. Free as a bird, the saying is, isn’t it?’

‘Thanks for your help,’ I muttered, turning for the door. I was not very thankful at all.

‘You know,’ Gretchen began slowly. I turned to face her, my hand still on the door. ‘You ain’t foolin’ no one.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I know who you are,’ she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

I stepped away from the door. ‘Do you?’

Gretchen nodded. ‘It’s me Power, knowin’ things I shouldn’t.’

‘Well, why don’t you tell me what you know?’ I said, feeling rather daring. 

‘You’re the one.’ She gave me a yellowing smile. ‘The one they’re lookin’ for.’

‘Is that right?’ I said, growing angrier by the second. Gretchen’s taunts would not be tolerated.

Remain calm
, I told myself.

‘You’re the one that got rid of Elvira Frost,’ said Gretchen.

I hadn’t expected that. ‘I … what?’

‘Yeah,’ Gretchen continued, proudly. ‘All the city folk bin wonderin’ who did it, and I says “I reckon it’s a Fire-Mage that did it” you know? Who else could get rid of an Ice-Mage?’

‘How do you know I’m a Fire-Mage?’ I asked.

‘I told you, it’s my Power, knowin’ things I shouldn’t. Besides, the damn shop’s temperature increased by ten degrees when you walked in.’ She tapped the thermometer that was on the wall.

Gretchen was not taunting me at all. The look in her eyes was one of unmistakable gratitude.

‘You aren’t … mad?’ I asked hesitantly.

‘Mad?’ Gretchen repeated with raised eyebrows. ‘Why would I be mad? The whole city is in your debt, freein’ us from the never-endin’ winter! Don’t you know the history of this City? Only now are we free to talk about it.’

‘I know a little,’ I admitted. ‘It used to be called Phoenix Arch, didn’t it?’ 

Gretchen nodded. ‘Phoenix Arch was founded several hundred years ago by a warrior Fire-Mage by the name of Ronald Phoenix. You see, he was on a quest to find a peaceful place for the evicted citizens of his destroyed hometown. Then he found this place.’ Gretchen waved a hand at the shop window. ‘He chose this place ‘cause of the warm weather and beautiful trees that grew.’

‘So how did Elvira Frost come to rule?’ I asked.

‘Well, for several hundred years, the Phoenix family ruled this city. They was like royalty, passing down the right to rule from father to son. They was all Fire-Mage’s, of course. It was important for the blood-line to stay pure. The last Phoenix to rule was Walter Phoenix, a foolish man who married very young.’

‘Why was he foolish? What did he do?’ I asked at once.

‘He married an Ice-Mage,’ Gretchen said simply. ‘I remember it, the weddin’, I mean. The whole city was invited.’

‘Elvira Frost?’ I said, pulling a face. ‘A Fire-Mage married an Ice-Mage?’

Gretchen nodded. ‘Not long after the weddin’, Walter Phoenix died under strange circumstances. They had no children, so the power fell into Elvira Frost’s hands.’

‘Couldn’t someone else take over? Brothers? Sisters?’ I asked.

‘They was all too scared of her, weren’t they?’ said Gretchen. ‘As soon as she came to the city as a young girl, everyone noticed a change in the weather. Things gradually got colder, and as soon as she came into power, there wasn’t a single sunny day. She changed the name of the city to suit her, and we was forbidden to talk of the Phoenix family, under threat of imprisonment, or even death.’

‘And no one did anything about it?’ I said in disbelief.

‘As a powerful Ice Mage, Elvira Frost’s strong magic cast a chill across the city. It was rumoured that the intensity of her magic was too strong for her body, and it completely consumed all the good in her,’ said Gretchen.

‘So, the city was in a constant state of winter because no one had the courage to stand up to her?’

‘We was livin’ in fear,’ she said. ‘Besides, only a Fire-Mage could defeat an Ice-Mage.’

‘Well, isn’t it lucky that I happened to come here?’ I said, sarcastically.

‘No coincidence,’ she said. ‘Fire-Mage’s aren’t that common, you know? I wouldn’t be surprised if you was distantly related to the Phoenix’s.’

I scoffed. ‘I think I’d know if I was descendant from-’

‘Would you?’ Gretchen asked with raised eyebrows.

I was about to retort when I considered the possibilities.

I didn’t know much about my mother or father’s families. Hell, I’d never even met any of my grandparents. It wasn’t something we talked about. All I knew was my mother and father had run away together many years ago. It brought up many new questions.