FireDance (3 page)

With a few false starts, she got the bunk folded down. On the plus side, she now knew where the lav and kitchen were.

The bunk was hard, but as soon as she lay down, she realized how tired she was. Hahvi relaxed, pulled the light sheet over herself and surrendered to darkness.

* * * *

Rackon sighed in relief as the woman fell asleep. He had been holding his breath while she was awake for fear of telling her something that he shouldn’t know.

When he held her mind in sleep, he had learned far more than he anticipated. Her entire emotional centre downloaded into his brain, and he had been helpless under the storm of her hopes and dreams.

Her pain had bled through into her sleeping mind, and he was unable to help her as she dealt with the translation of what was happening to her body.

It had never happened before. Rackon was not only sleep master to the Citadel, but dream master to the Bormaic. He was known to have complete control of the sleeping mind, but this woman from Resicor fought him the entire way.

Her sleep now was blessedly blank. He could not read any trauma or panic in her mind.

Rackon ran a hand through his hair and glanced back at her. He hoped that she could do what he saw in her mind. His people needed just a little bit of help before they could move their population to the new location. If she could hold back the tide of molten stone long enough for them to put the barricades in place, her assignment would be complete, and she could move on to the next world that needed her help.

Hahvi had a lot of potential. He hoped that she was everything they had been told. If her exceptional mind was an example of her talent, he had hope that she just might be exactly the right talent at the right time.

If she wasn’t, he had no idea how they would get the city installed in its new location.

Chapter Five

Hahvi had never imagined a world on fire before, but Bormaic was as close as anything that went through her mind. “It is covered with liquid stone.”

Rackon was grim. “It is. My people have lived on the fringes of the lava fields for centuries, but now, there is no avoiding it. We need to move the city, but to do that, we need the lava held back for a few days.”

“So that is where I come in.”

“Indeed. Our technology and talents can move our city, but to do that, we need to drop the shielding that keeps the rock at bay. Once you have bought us the time we require, we shall move the city to higher ground.” Rackon’s expression was tense. “Did you dream?”

She blinked and concentrated on the view as they approached. “Nothing major.”

Hahvi had watched her family consumed by flame once again. This time, she had pulled the lava back, but it had erupted under them and burned them all.

He gave her a look that indicated he did not believe her, but he left it alone.

“Have you lived here all your life?” Distraction seemed the better option to laying her nightmares bare.

“Not my entire life. The Citadel recruitment officers came through when I was a teen, and for ten years, I travelled and used my particular skills. It enabled me to train and master my talent.” His hands tightened on the controls as they entered the atmosphere.

The heat from the surface caused the ship to buck and twist, but eventually, it found a calm patch of air and glided downward.

Hahvi kept her mouth shut as they wobbled down to the landing zone that was rimmed with liquid stone.

“It wasn’t that bad when I left.”

“Is there anywhere else to land?”

He shook his head. “No. It is the only spot available until the city is moved. They will come to get us after we land.”

His silent hope was obvious.

Hahvi nodded and held on as they flew low over the waves of heat coming up from the surface. The shuttle skidded to a halt, leaving them on an island of tarmac surrounded by molten rivers.

“Rackon, are you heat resistant?”

He grinned. “Not to your extent, but all of the Bormaic have evolved to live with the gasses in the air, the heat and the minimal food options.”

“Good. When we open those doors, hell is going to flood in.” Hahvi unclasped her harness.

Rackon mimicked her. “Are you ready to try your talent out?”

She blinked in surprise. He was right. This was the first time in her life that she would be able to use her talent without fear of exposure. “I guess I am. Is that the ride to the city you were referring to?”

He sighed in relief. “Yes. Time to step on Bormaic. Enjoy it.”

She followed him to the shuttle exit and waited behind him. Their lift had come to the door side of the shuttle. It should be a short run from shuttle to the flying machine, but who knew?

The blast of heat when the door opened fluffed her hair straight up into a shock of green. When she was able to set her feet on the tarmac, the heat of the ground on her bare soles made her smile. This was her element. This was her power.

She walked past Rackon and extended her arms, a wave of stone lifted away from the ground and rippled upward, cooling as it climbed. When the tarmac was surrounded by cooled stone twelve feet high and six feet thick, she dusted her hands off and followed Rackon onto the small flier.

Their pilot was a young woman with the same dark grey skin as Rackon. “How did you do that?”

“I have no idea, but I am going to do it again.” She grinned and held onto the edge of the flier as it lifted up and out of the landing site. Her first test was successful, and she knew in her soul that she could make this world in whatever pattern she chose.

The power was heady, but the feeling of success was far more intoxicating. Her people had no right to fear her. She was a talent in control of her power and nothing she did would endanger anyone.

It was enough to start a spark of determination inside her. She was going to go home and tell them that there was no reason to fear physical talents. She would not go back into the dome so easily this time. They would have a fight on their hands.

With her thoughts on Resicor, she nearly missed the city as they flew over a restraining field and into the heart of the population of Bormaic.

Cheers rang out as they left the flier. Hahvi was taken by surprise and thought that they must be cheering Rackon’s successful return.

A soft, feminine voice spoke near her shoulder. “They mean you, you know?” The pilot was standing next to her.

Hahvi was confused. “Why?”

“Because hope is always something to be cheered on, even if it falls short of the dream, at least it shows an effort to survive.” The young woman smiled. “I am Aliora. Rackon’s cousin.”

The male in question was speaking with someone who had the air of a person in command.

Hahvi looked down at the young woman and asked, “Are you a talent as well?”

“A surface reader. I know what you will say before you say it but that is about it. Apparently, I hone in on the speech centre.”

Hahvi blinked. “Oh. Is it common among the Bormaic?”

“To have a talent?”

“Yes.”

“Yes. Those who didn’t have extra means of survival left the surface years ago. Our mechanical talents combined with the few who have gravitational-manipulation abilities have made the move of the city possible, but it is Rackon who had the dream that sent him to get you.”

“Is his talent rare?”

“Very. We have only had two dream masters in all our history. Each one had a different focus, and we were wondering what Rackon’s would be until he dreamed of you, and now, here you are.” Aliora smiled.

“He dreamed of me? He didn’t mention it.” She frowned, taken aback.

Rackon turned his head toward her and was at her side in an instant. “What is it, Hahvi?”

She raised her brows, “You dreamed of me?”

He scowled at his cousin. “I was going to tell you later, but yes. My mind found yours six months ago. It was then that I began proceedings to find you and bring you to Bormaic.”

Hahvi closed her eyes in remembrance. “I was dreaming of summer.”

Rackon’s shock was unmistakable, but the man clearing his throat next to him broke up what he would have said.

“Hahvi Karuda of Resicor. We are happy to have you with us.”

Hahvi smiled and inclined her head. “I am happy to be here.”

The man seemed dazzled by her smile, and Rackon quickly filled in the silence. “Hahvi, this is Baron Thakeri, leader of the council of Bormaic city.”

Hahvi extended her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Baron.”

“Please call me Worren.” He gripped her hand, and she felt a peculiar surge up her arm.

She tugged her hand free with a slight jerk and smiled. “I think Baron Thakeri will be best.”

He looked at her with a stunned expression, and Rackon offered her his arm while the Baron appeared to be at a loss for words.

“Hahvi, we have a meal ready and the plans for the diversion are available.” Rackon’s voice had a smug tone that she was going to question him about later.

She took his arm, and he led her through the sparsely populated streets to a council hall that had a certain graceful charm. It looked as if it had grown out of the stone itself, jetting columns had turned into pillars and cooled in an instant. “This looks familiar.”

He chuckled. “There is a reason for that. Come along. Time to get you some tea and something to eat.”

Hahvi knew that something was going on that he wasn’t telling her, but after her body had rejected the forced seduction of the baron, she wasn’t sure that Bormaic was a safe place to let her guard down.

Chapter Six

The food fought her, but Hahvi broke it down while she sipped at her tea. The schematic was hovering above her at head height, and she knew clearly what they needed her to do.

“How long do I have to keep the diversion up?” That was a little bit of information that no one had bothered to tell her.

The baron had recovered from her rejection and was seated with the other councillors. He raised his head. “Two days. We can be ready to begin the move six hours from now, but you will have to hold the diversion for two days while we lift and move the city.”

Hahvi looked at the image of the city lifting off and slowly cruising over the lava fields before it moved up the side of a mountain to lodge on a plateau. It was a lovely image, but there was something wrong with it.

“Why did you pick that plateau?” Hahvi was on her feet and pointing at the model before she knew what she was doing.

The baron frowned. “What do you mean?”

“It is an inactive volcano.”

He nodded. “We are aware. In fact, it is why we selected it. Less chance of our being in the path of a lava flow any time soon.”

She frowned. “Is there an actual real-time image from this week of your landing site?”

The councillors’ faces went from jovial to confused.

Hahvi could feel the fire around them. The coursing pulse of the world itself was registering in her senses.

The baron got to his feet and beckoned her. “Come with me.”

She followed him, and Rackon followed her. They walked out of the bright council chamber and into the lower levels of the building. Finally, they stood in front of a physical model of the city and its surrounding area.

The baron scowled, “Now, explain what you are talking about.”

Hahvi pointed at the lava flow that she was to divert. “Now, this is the diversion. It will run around the city, through these valleys here and course right past the base of your plateau.”

“And?”

“And the lava will break through the crust, mix with the magma under the surface and create a gaseous explosion that will blow the plateau to bits. It is already heaving as the pressure mounts from the diversion you have put into place with your shielding.”

Baron Thakeri grimaced. “I need to discuss this with the geological experts.”

Hahvi sat on the edge of the table holding the model, and she smiled. “I will wait.”

He disappeared into another office, and Rackon looked at her with a concerned expression. “Is this accurate?”

“It is.” She scrubbed her hands through her hair and kicked her feet.

“Do you have an alternative idea?”

She grinned, “Of course I do. There is no sense in telling people that they have messed up if you don’t have a better plan. My plan will mean that I am here for a few days more, but if your generators can handle it, I would definitely suggest putting the city here.” She pointed to a position lower, but near a mountain range.

“Would that work?”

“There is no magma under the surface, it has ample fresh water. With a little effort, you could even get plants and animals going in the valley below.”

“It isn’t flat.”

“I am fairly sure that I can fix that. If I am left to use my talent, I am positive that I can create a flat surface large enough to support your city.” She kicked her legs idly.

“How?”

“I will melt the surface of the stone until it is flat, shiny and an ideal landing site.” Hahvi smiled, “Now, I have a question for you.”

“Yes?”

“Did you really dream of me?”

His skin darkened across his cheeks and forehead. “Aliora, I presume?”

“Of course.”

“Yes, I did. I was asked to meditate on the problem, and the next thing I knew, I was in the dome with you, and you were dreaming of summer fields and a laughing child.”

Her voice was quiet. “My niece. I haven’t seen her since she was a baby.”

“Why not?”

“I was in prison, Rackon. My sister was terrified of being contaminated by exposure to me. I have no idea what her husband’s take on it was, I just know she wouldn’t bring Amlie to see me.”

He sighed and stood next to her, leaning against the table that she sat on. “That explains your dreams.”

She cocked her head and looked at their hands, an inch from each other on the table’s edge. “Do you visit all my dreams?”

“Whether I wish to or not. You begin to dream, and I see what is in your thoughts. I initially thought that the dream sharing would end when we met, but it only became more vivid when you were in medical.”

She inhaled and exhaled slowly. “So, they actually did have to forcibly remove the suit?”