Fire Study Read online

  As a forest-dwelling clan, the Greenblades usually wore the colors of the forest. I glanced around and, sure enough, spotted a few women wearing Nutty’s bright cotton creations. I had assumed they were Zaltanas, but upon closer examination, I could see the lighter maple coloring of the Greenblade’s skin.

  In Ixia, I knew which Military District someone lived in by the color of their uniform. Here, it was all a matter of knowing how each clan preferred to dress. Interesting.

  “Yelena, do you need some new material?” Fern asked. She pulled out a bolt of fabric from under her table. “I just finished this beautiful green pattern. See?” She held it up to the torchlight. “Just a hint of gold woven through the fabric. Matches your eyes perfectly.”

  I laughed. “You’re quite the saleswoman. But Nutty just made me another outfit.”

  Undaunted, Fern found another bolt. The rich gold color caught my attention as soon as she spread it out. “This would be for the shirt.” She watched me for a moment. “Should I send this to Nutty for you?”

  “You’re evil,” I said.

  She grinned. “I’m only thinking about what’s best for my customers.”

  “And your cash box.”

  A predatory smile flashed on her face. I paid her for the material and left before she could convince me I needed another set. I bought some Avibian honey for the Stable Master before buying some grilled beef to eat as I searched through the other market stands. Items displayed for sale or trade included handcrafts, clothing, fruit and baked goods.

  I stopped for a minute to examine an intricate silver ring that held a black moonstone. Putting it down, I dismissed the thought of purchasing the ring. Only a few coins remained of the money I had earned as a Magician’s Aide.

  Besides, I already wore a butterfly pendant and snake bracelet. Both had been carved and gifted to me by Valek. I fingered the pendant on my chest, wondering about Valek.

  Was he in his carving room, creating another animal statue? Perhaps he was discussing military tactics with Ari and Janco or dueling with Maren. She had taught me how to fight with a bow, and Maren’s own skills had improved. Perhaps she was with Valek right now, working on some complicated project that required them to be together every day. Maybe Valek would forget about me. Be content to have Maren by his side.

  No. I forced myself to ignore those thoughts. I had plenty to worry about without creating phantom worries. Determined, I headed back to our campsite. Perhaps another magical sweep of the area would reveal Moon Man and the others to me.

  Leif and I waited another day for some sign of Moon Man. I prowled around the market, cursing under my breath. Each minute we delayed reduced the possibility of recapturing Cahil and Ferde. I scanned the forest with my magic, connecting with the woodland creatures. The area remained serene. Undisturbed.

  That night we discussed our next move. Sitting by the fire, I stared at the flames. My bow was within reach, but I didn’t believe the weapon would do much damage against the Fire Warper.

  “We should go back to the Citadel,” Leif said. “That makes the most sense.”

  “What about the Sandseeds? They left their clan unprotected in the plains. They might need help, and we should tell them about Moon Man and Tauno.”

  “Tell them what? That we lost them? I’d rather tell them Tauno is afraid of heights and Moon Man is claustrophobic.”

  And I would rather have them with us. Delaying the decision, I said, “Our direction of travel is the same for either the Citadel or the plains. Tomorrow we’ll go north.”

  Leif agreed. He spread his bedroll by the fire and lay down. Using Kiki’s saddle as a pillow, I put my cloak on and tried to get comfortable on the cold ground next to Leif.

  “You should move closer to the fire. You’ll freeze,” Leif said.

  “I’m fine.”

  He was quiet for a while. “Perhaps Moon Man and the others are lost.”

  “Doubtful. If they were lost in the jungle, I would have found them.”

  “Marrok’s afraid of getting lost,” Leif said in a soft voice. “And you’re afraid of—”

  “Leif, go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.” I rolled over, turning my back to him. I didn’t want him to put a name to my fear. Naming it made it true.

  Cold and uncomfortable, I tossed and turned, trying to sleep. Disturbing dreams of fire and death invaded my mind. Flames would spark in a benevolent dream, here and there until they multiplied and consumed the picturesque scene, burning the images into a storm of black ash. I woke coughing on imaginary smoke, my body coated with sweat.

  To avoid the nightmares, I watched the moon rise above the forest’s trees. When Ferde had been on his soul-stealing rampage, the Master Magicians and I theorized the timing of his ritual murders were linked to the phases of the moon. We were wrong. He just needed enough time to torture his victims into submitting their wills to him so he could steal their souls when they died. The old Efe symbols and ritual he used to collect their souls would have made him the most powerful magician in Sitia if he been able to gather all twelve of them.

  Valek and I had stopped him from absorbing Gelsi’s soul and completing the ritual, but now he was free to try again. And Cahil helped him. How could he? I couldn’t really believe Cahil would get involved after witnessing what Ferde did to those girls. But he had assisted with Ferde’s escape from the Keep’s protective cells, and now traveled with him. Was he that greedy for power? He could no longer claim the Ixian throne. Did he want to rule Sitia instead?

  I studied the moon. Waxing toward full, the bright disk lit the landscape. I wondered about the moon’s power and why certain things like the Kirakawa ritual needed the moon’s presence to work. I could feel the invisible layer of power blanketing the sky, but I felt nothing from the moon.

  In a subtle flicker of the light, Moon Man coalesced out of a blue shaft of moonlight as if he had been summoned by my thoughts. He stood next to our fire without clothes or his weapon.

  Are you a dream? I asked him.

  Deep lines of exhaustion etched his face, but he managed a weary smile and said, Perhaps I have always been a dream. What do you think?

  I think I’m too tired to discuss Story Weaver philosophy with you right now. And if you’re not real, then, at least, make yourself useful and tell me where you really are!

  I am here. Moon Man slumped to his knees.

  12

  I JUMPED TO MY FEET and ran to Moon Man’s prone form by the campfire. Wrapping my cloak around Moon Man’s muscular shoulders, I shared energy with him.

  “Are you all right? What happened? Where are the others?” I asked.

  “Everyone is fine. I will explain later.” He pulled the edge of my cloak closer to his face.

  “Will you? Or will you just spout some vague details in typical Story Weaver style?”

  He answered with a soft snore.

  I suppressed the desire to share more power with him and wake him. Sleep was the best way for Moon Man to recover his strength after using magic. Unfortunately, I couldn’t sleep. I grabbed an extra blanket from Leif’s saddlebags and spread it over Moon Man. My cloak didn’t seem adequate protection for him against the chilly night air. Despite my reluctance, I added some logs and coaxed the fire into a warm blaze.

  As I stared at the dancing flames, I wondered what other surprises waited for me. The answers would be revealed in time, but my ability to deal with them remained uncertain.

  Even with the loud calls of shoppers and stand owners from the bustling market, Moon Man didn’t wake until the sun reached its apex. By the time the Story Weaver finished eating the meal Leif had thoughtfully prepared for him, my impatience had built up enough energy that I could probably scale a smooth tree without the aid of a rope.

  “Tell us everything,” I demanded before he could swallow his final bite.

  He smiled at my agitation. Weariness still pulled at his features, but his eyes sparked with an amused glint.

  “And don�
�t try any of that cryptic Story Weaver mumbo jumbo or I’ll…”

  “What?” Moon Man asked.

  “I’ll hurt you. Bad. So talk.”

  Moon Man glanced at Leif.

  My brother shrugged. “I’ve seen her swinging that stick around. Now, if you had your scimitar…”

  “Too risky,” Moon Man said. He saw the rising fury in my eyes and wisely began telling us what had happened.

  “After you and Leif distracted the Fire Warper, we chased the Vermin through the jungle. And would have caught them if you had not needed my help.” Moon Man aimed a pointed stare at me. “How is the scout?”

  “Alive and well,” I said.

  “Back to his old self?”

  I hesitated, but I wouldn’t let Moon Man change the subject. “He’s fine. Continue your story.”

  “Helping you drained all my energy and I needed to rest for a while,” Moon Man said. “Marrok tracked the Vermin to the Illiais Market and then north to the city of Booruby. It is a thriving place and we lost the Vermin’s trail. Too many people.”

  He shuddered. The motion reminded me of Leif’s claim that Moon Man was claustrophobic. The city was the complete opposite of the wide open space of his home in the Avibian Plains. Located at the northern tip of the Cowan Clan’s lands, Booruby’s eastern side bordered the plains, and was too far for my magic to reach.

  “Where are the others?” Leif asked.

  “We rented a room at one of the inns. I left Tauno and Marrok there to hunt down any information about the Daviians while I rejoined you.”

  Leif looked around the campsite. “How, exactly, did you get here?”

  Moon Man grinned. “A secret Story Weaver power.”

  “You used the moonlight,” I said.

  He beamed his approval. “I came through the shadow world. Moonlight reveals the world of shadows, allowing access.”

  “Is that where you showed me the story of my life?” I asked, remembering the dark plain that had transformed into visions of my childhood.

  “Yes. It is a place where I unravel story threads to help others learn from their past as they weave their future.”

  “Is it a physical place?” I had been there twice. The second time Moon Man had brought Leif and me to untangle our knots of hostility and anger toward each other. Each time, though, I had felt intangible, as if my body had turned into smoke.

  “It exists in the shadows of our world.”

  “Can anyone with magical powers get into the shadow world?”

  “So far, only Story Weavers have the ability. But I am waiting to see if there is another who is brave enough to claim that gift.” His eyes met mine, and I caught a glimpse of shadows. I looked away.

  Breaking the silence, Leif said, “However you arrived, you still need to work on your transportation skills. Maybe next time you can bring some clothes along with you.”

  Leif and I bought Moon Man a tan-colored tunic and pants, and we purchased supplies for the trip. Packing the saddlebags, I readied the horses. Moon Man would ride Garnet until we reached Booruby.

  We went north, taking a well-used path through the forest. I scanned our surroundings with my magic, but thought the odds of being ambushed remained low because of all the other caravans and travelers crowding the trail. Leif also used his magic to smell the intentions of the Vermin, but he couldn’t discern anything.

  Once we reached Booruby, we would find the others and decide our next move. I brooded over the fact we had lost the Vermin and worried about which direction Cahil and Ferde had gone. Back to the plains or plateau? Or engaging in another scheme to gain power?

  Ferde had kidnapped Tula from her home in Booruby. His only victim found alive, Tula had been sent to the Magician’s Keep. I healed her body and found her soul only to lose both to Ferde. Guilt welled in my throat. His freedom ate at my heart.

  I tightened my grip on the reins, causing Kiki to snort in agitation.

  Sorry. I relaxed. I was thinking about Ferde and Cahil.

  Peppermint Man like apple, Kiki said, referring to Cahil.

  Why do you say that? I knew Kiki loved apples.

  He black apple. No one wants.

  I saw an image of rotting apples on the ground.

  Bad. But good come.

  Kiki showed how the seeds inside grew roots and became a tree after the apple decayed. Are you saying a good thing might come from Peppermint Man? Or if he dies, it would be beneficial?

  Yes.

  Cryptic horse advice? Well now I could die happy—I’d heard it all.

  Two days later, we reached Booruby. Clusters of wooden and stone houses marked the outskirts of the city. The forest thinned. And the clear air fogged to a haze of smoke, coal dust and sawdust that hovered over the main street’s buildings. The thick air assaulted us with the smells of garbage mixed with human waste. People bustled along the walkways and wagons full of goods choked the roads. Stores and stands had been wedged between factories and business offices.

  Moon Man’s alarmed face showed his discomfort as we maneuvered our horses through the crowded streets. He led us to the Three Ghosts Inn. The stone-faced building leaned its narrow four-story height against its neighbor. Through a tight alley, we led the horses to an empty stable just big enough to hold six horses.

  The stalls were clean and had fresh straw and water. A stable boy soon joined us as we took off the horses’ saddles. The quiet boy helped us groom and feed them. He shot me a shy smile when I tipped him.

  We had passed a number of inns on our way into the city. “Why this inn?” I asked Moon Man as we carried our bags through the alley.

  “I liked the name. Although…” He paused as if deep in thought.

  “Although?” I prompted.

  “I have not encountered the three ghosts. Perhaps you will have better luck.”

  I laughed. “You don’t really believe in ghosts?”

  Moon Man stopped and I bumped into him. He turned around, revealing his shocked expression. “How can you not? They are lost souls. You can help them find their way. Like you did for Reyad.”

  I put a hand out to steady myself. “Reyad was…” The man I had killed in Ixia. The reason I had been awaiting execution before Valek offered me the food taster’s job. “How did you—”

  “Story Weaver, remember? I know all the threads that are woven into your life.”

  “But I thought his ghost had been my imagination. A manifestation of my fears. Why haven’t I seen any others? If I can help them, why aren’t they all around me?”

  “Perhaps they are and you do not wish to see them.”

  “This is weird,” Leif said.

  I agreed with him. My skin crawled with goose bumps, imagining being surrounded by invisible ghosts.

  “I could teach—”

  “Let’s get inside.” I cut off Moon Man’s offer. Of all the things I wished he would teach me, seeing ghosts wasn’t high on my list.

  “Yes, let’s. I’m hungry.” Leif patted his stomach.

  We entered into a common area. Wooden tables and long benches scarred with hard use lined the slender room. A fire crackled in the stone hearth, but the area was empty.

  “Dinner’s a few hours off,” a woman said. She leaned from a doorway near the back wall. Spotting Moon Man, she smiled and walked toward us. “Mr. Moon! I’m so glad you’re back. Your friends left this morning, but I suspect they’ll be coming back for dinner. Mr. Tauno loves my vegetable stew.”

  The woman’s steel-gray hair was pulled back into a bun. Small wisps of hair framed her oval face. Her fair skin caused me to wonder if she was a refugee from Ixia. When the Commander had launched his campaign to take over Ixia, many Ixians fled to Sitia before the Commander closed the border.

  The innkeeper scanned Leif and me with bright intelligence in her sky-blue eyes. Her gaze lingered on my hands before returning to Moon Man.

  “Will you be needing another room?” she asked.

  “Yes. Mrs. Floranne, this i
s Yelena and Leif.”

  She wiped her hands on her apron before shaking our hands. “I’ll be showing you to your rooms, then.”

  We followed her up the stairs. Stopping on the third floor, she led us down the slim hallway. She opened the second door on the left.

  “This’ll be Miss Yelena’s room. Will Mr. Leif be staying with you, Mr. Moon, or do you need another room?”

  Sweat beaded Moon Man’s face and he glanced around the tight hallway as if seeking a way out.

  “Leif can stay with me,” I said, spotting two beds inside the tiny room.

  Disapproval radiated from Mrs. Floranne’s stiff demeanor, but before she could comment I added, “He’s my brother.”

  Her face softened and she relaxed. “I’ll be ringing the bell when dinner’s ready. Don’t be late.” She left us alone.

  Leif stifled a giggle. “Interesting place you found here, Mr. Moon.”

  “If Leif had been my lover instead of my brother, would she have let us stay together?”

  “I do not know,” Moon Man said.

  “Perhaps the ghosts dislike improper behavior,” Leif said, laughing.

  Moon Man went to his room down the hall to check if Tauno or Marrok had left us a message. I mulled over Leif’s comment as we put our few belongings on the beds.

  “Is it considered improper if Valek and I…? You know.”

  “Yelena,” Leif said with mock indignation. “Don’t tell me you and Valek—”

  “Just answer the question.”

  “Some clans like the Bloodgood Clan are very strict and require a couple to be married before living together. Others, like the Zaltanas, prefer a couple to marry, but don’t get upset if they’re not. Then there are the Sandseeds who don’t even believe in marriage. They just do what they want.” He spread his arms wide. “With their aversion to wearing clothes, I don’t understand why the Sandseed Clan isn’t overrun with children.”

  “We are careful with our seeds of life,” Moon Man said from the doorway. “I did not find a note. Do you want to take a walk through the city? I need…” His gaze traveled around the room. “It is better for me outside.”