Fire Study (46 page)

We packed our supplies and headed out. The merchants of the caravan agreed to

include us in their group and we spent most of the night preparing our wagon. When

we finished with the cart’s alterations, we stood around it, discussing the plan for the

next day.

“Marrok, you’ll ride Garnet. Janco can take Kiki, and Ari, you’ll drive the wagon.

No matter what happens, Ari, make sure we get to the Keep’s gate,” I ordered.

“Yes, sir.”

“What about me and you?” Leif asked.

I grimaced. “We’re the cargo.” The last thing I wanted to do was get inside one

of those crates again, but there was no other way. “Ari is going to use me to get us

inside. He’ll demand his five golds for bringing me to the Vermin.”

“I never thought I’d miss my days as necklace snake bait,” Leif said.

“What happens once we’re inside?” Ari asked.

“That will be the signal for the Citadel’s citizens to riot, which should keep a

bunch of the Vermin and Warpers busy.”

“But what about all those powerful Warpers?” Leif asked.

“Can you make a null shield?”

He hesitated. “Yes.”

“When the riot starts, all the magicians will come to the Keep’s gate and help you

build and maintain a null shield,” I said.

“But it won’t last long.”

“I just need a little time.”

“Time for what?”

“To get to the Fire Warper.”

Leif stared at me. “You can fight him?”

“No.”

“Tell me again why this isn’t a suicide mission.”

“I think I can stop him and keep him in the fire world. And in doing so, I think I

might be able to pull some of the Warpers’ powers from them. If Bain and Irys are

still alive, and if you round up as many magicians as you can, then you should be

able to counter the Warpers.”

“That’s a lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘thinks,’” Janco said.

“And there’s no ‘when,’” Ari said.

“When?” Leif asked.

“When she returns. There’s a when, isn’t there, Yelena?” Ari asked.

“The only way to keep him in the fire world is if I stay, too.” The words tasted

like ash in my mouth. Thinking about an event was completely different than stating it

aloud. Once said, it was final. But Valek would be there and I would find him. No

“if,” “think” or “when” about it.

“There has to be another way,” Leif said. “You always manage to produce

ingenious plots.”

“Not this time.”

Everyone remained quiet.

I was about to suggest we all get a little sleep when Leif asked, “What if we can’t

counter the Warpers?”

“Then you’d better have a person who’s unaffected by magic on your side,” a

voice said from beyond the wagon.

We all looked at one another. The same question perched on everyone’s lips. A

ghost voice?

“Although this time I would appreciate it if you didn’t leave me behind.” Valek

stepped into view. He appeared to be solid. His angular face held annoyed

amusement. The faint moonlight glinted off his bald head. He wore the brown tunic

and pants of a Bloodgood clansman.

Disbelief followed surprise; I reached out to touch him. He pulled me close and

my world filled with the sight, smell and feel of Valek.

Seconds, minutes, days, seasons could have passed and I wouldn’t have noticed

or cared. I clung to him as if my feet dangled over a precipice. His heart beat in my

ear. His blood flowed in my veins. I molded my body to his solid flesh, wanting to

fuse with him and let nothing—not even air—come between us.

Relief and joy frolicked in my heart, extinguishing the smoldering grief until I

remembered my promise to the Fire Warper.

Blazing sadness ignited, flooding my senses. My reward for babysitting the Fire

Warper would have to wait. Better to have him here.

I gathered my resolve and calmed myself. The others moved away, leaving Valek

and me alone. His lips found mine. Our souls twined. The gaping emptiness inside

me filled.

He pulled away, breathless. “Easy, love.” His panting turned into a coughing fit.

“How did you survive the fire?” I asked. “The roof collapsed and you didn’t…”

“Two things happened at once. At least, I think they did.” He gave me an ironic

smile. “I was carrying Gale when the roof fell. The force of it sent us through the

floor and into a small root cellar.” Valek rubbed his ribs and grimaced.

“You’re hurt and I can’t heal you!” A nasty gash snaked along the side of his

skull.

“Just bruised.” He ran a hand gently over his head. “A beam knocked me out and

I would have probably died from the smoke and heat, but Gale kept us in a pocket

of cool air. She had been hit by a piece of the barn’s wall when it shattered. But she

came to and used her magic. She conjured a cushion of air around us to keep the

burning debris from filling our hole.”

“Why didn’t I see you the next morning? Why didn’t you call out?”

“The roof had tented around us, and there was nothing you could do to help until

the fire died.” His hand went to his ribs again. “I didn’t have enough air to yell and

Gale needed all her strength to keep us alive.”

“Why couldn’t she blow the fire out? Or save the children?”

“Her powers are limited. It’s all part of her weather dancing thing.” He gestured

past the wagon. “You can ask her. I’ve brought her along.” When he saw my

questioning look, he added, “We’re going to need all the help we can get.”

I looked on the other side of the wagon. Gale held Onyx’s and Topaz’s reins.

Kiki had already found them and nuzzled Topaz. Garnet stood nearby. Gale’s

unease about being surrounded by horses was reflected in the queasy look on her

face.

“Did you learn anything else?” I asked Valek.

“Yes. Finding clothes when you’re half naked is harder than you think. And

scared horses can travel pretty far in the wrong direction before you find them.” He

studied the group of horses. “Onyx and Topaz are fast, but there’s nothing like a

Sandseed horse when you’re in a hurry. And despite your detour to Booruby, love, I

had a hard time catching up.”

“You could have found a way to tell me you were all right. I’ve spent the last

week in utter misery.”

“Now you know how I felt when you jumped into the stable fire. And you know

how I’ll feel if you don’t come back from fighting the Fire Warper.”

I opened my mouth then closed it. “You were eavesdropping.”

“I had hoped to hear everyone discussing how much they missed my altruistic

qualities, my legendary skills as a fighter and as a lover.” He leered. “Instead, you’re

making plans for tomorrow. Interesting how life goes on in spite of itself.”

Valek sobered and stared at me with a fiery intensity. “With all that planning,

love, I’m sure you can figure a way to return.”

“I’m not smart enough.” My frustration wrapped around my chest and squeezed

until I wanted to scream aloud. “I don’t know enough about magic! I don’t think

anyone does. We’re all just bumbling along, using it and abusing it.”

“Do you truly believe that?”

“Yes. Although I’ll admit to being a hypocrite. First sign of trouble and I fall

back on using magic.” My ability to guide souls hadn’t taxed my energy like using

magic. I didn’t draw from the power source. It was a natural effort just like inhaling

and exhaling. “When I think about magic, all I see is the harm it has done to this

world.”

“Then you’re not looking in the right places.”

And this from someone who was immune to magic’s effects. I’d seen firsthand

the Kirakawa ritual, the blood magic, the corruption of power, the Sandseed

massacre and the tormented souls. It had to stop.

Valek studied my expression. “Think about what you said to the Commander

about magic.”

“I tend to agree with the Commander about how magic corrupts.”

“Then why did you mention to the Commander how magic could harness the

power of a blizzard and save his people instead of discussing the possibility of using

power as a weapon? If magic corrupts, then why hasn’t it corrupted you? Or Irys?

Moon Man? Leif?”

“We haven’t let it corrupt us.”

“Right! You have the choice.”

“But it’s a very tempting choice. Power is addictive. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Oh yes. Sitia has been battling Warpers for ages. Though you wouldn’t know it

from all the peace and prosperity hanging around.” Sarcasm dripped from Valek’s

words. “Let’s see, how long ago did the magicians use blood magic? I think Moon

Man told me two thousand years. Then you’re right! It’s only a matter of time. A

matter of two thousand years. I’ll take those odds any day.”

“I never realized how annoying you can be.”

“You know I’m right.”

“I could prove you wrong. I can be corrupt.” It was my turn to leer.

Valek looked over at Janco and the others. They milled about a small fire, trying

to appear nonchalant, but I knew they listened to every word.

“Not in front of the children, love. But I’ll hold you to that.”

The night disappeared in a hurry. We finished prepping the wagon and updating

our plans to include Valek and Gale.

The others had taken Valek’s return in stride, although Janco made a comment

about Valek’s lack of hair. “You ever notice how couples start to look alike?” he

asked.

In a deadpan, Valek replied, “Yes. In fact, I was just thinking how much you and

Topaz resemble each other. It’s uncanny.”

Ari chuckled at Janco’s chagrined expression before saying, “The caravan is

leaving soon. What part of the line do we want to be in?”

“Near the back, but not the last wagon,” Valek instructed. “When we’re out of

sight of the gatehouse, head to the Keep.”

“Yes, sir.” Ari snapped to attention.

I stared at our small group. Marrok eyed Valek with dislike, but he had assumed

the posture of a soldier waiting for orders. Leif chewed on his lip, a nervous habit.

Gale’s face was bleached with fear, but she set her mouth into a determined frown.

She told me her power was weak compared to a Stormdancer, but she could agitate

the wind and kick up enough dust to impair the Daviians’ vision.

“We don’t know what we’ll encounter inside the Keep. Listen for instructions

and follow orders even if they don’t make sense,” Valek ordered.

“Yes, sir,” everyone said in unison, including Gale.

Before we could get into position, I handed three of Opal’s glass animals to Leif

and the other three to Gale.

“What are these for?” Leif asked.

“Keep one each, but give the rest to Moon Man, Irys, Bain and Dax if they’re still

alive.” I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “I think I can use the animals to

communicate with you when I’m in the fire world.”

Leif peered at me with sad eyes, but I turned away before he could say anything.

“Come on, you first.” I gestured to the cart.

Leif, Gale and Valek hid in the three boxes at the bottom of the wagon. We put

another empty crate and some genuine goods on top of them. Then I lay down

inside the top crate.

When Marrok closed the lid, my heart slammed in my chest in a sudden panic.

My throat closed when the rugs were piled on top. The wagon lurched. I wanted out.

I felt trapped. The others could get out of their boxes through the hidden panels we

had installed on the wagon’s floor. I could not. This wasn’t going to work. The

Vermin would figure it out before we could reach the Keep. And then what would

happen?

I drew in a few steadying breaths. We would be captured. I would be fed to the

Fire Warper just like I wanted. All we would lose was the element of surprise. While

helpful, I believed even with it the chances of the others living through the encounter

were little to none.

My morose line of thought was not helping my state of mind. So I focused

instead on the motion of the wagon. It had been a long and emotionally exhausting

night. I fell asleep during the trip to the Citadel.

The sound of an unfamiliar voice roused me from sleep. We had stopped, and I

gathered by the voices we were at the Citadel’s north gate. The voices came closer

and a person banged on my box. I jumped, clamping my lips against a shout.

“What’s in this one?” a man asked.

“The finest silk sheets woven by the Moon Clan, sir,” the merchant replied.

“Perhaps you care to purchase a set? Just feel the fabric and you’ll know your wife

will be most anxious to try them out.”

The man laughed. “I’ll not be spending a month’s pay for a night with my wife.

That’s why I married her.”

Their laughter trailed away as the guard questioned the merchant on his reasons