Daughters of Fire & Sea

by Holly Karlsson

  Though worried for his brother, Eleden had insisted on staying with Runa, presumably to guard her. The Ayanarans who’d survived had all fled, perhaps to check on the Mother Tree, and Runa and the Sireni were the only ones left in the bloodied clearing.

  “I’m fine,” Runa said, though she didn’t feel it. She’d been reaching out to Elenora ever since Sashala dragged Lyric into the trees, but her ancestor hadn’t responded. Runa couldn’t feel her grating presence at all, as if their connection had been severed.

  “Did you do something to her?” Runa asked, looking at Raith.

  “What?” Eleden asked, pausing.

  “Not you,” Runa said.

  To who? Raith asked.

  Elenora, Runa said. It was probably better if she stopped speaking aloud when Eleden couldn’t hear the other half of the conversation.

  I don’t know that person, Raith said.

  She was in my mind. She talked to me.

  Your mind is safe, Raith said. I’m protecting you.

  Runa frowned. Are you preventing her from speaking to me? You’ve severed our connection?

  I've shielded your mind from psychic attacks, Raith said. The wyvern looked back at the trees.

  “Sashala,” Eleden said.

  Runa looked up and saw Sashala jogging towards them. She stood up, brushing off her skirt. Raith leaped off the ground and hovered near her shoulder, watching as the Sireni woman approached. Runa eyed the wyvern warily, but they didn't give any indication that they were about to attack.

  “Lyric?” Eleden asked as Sashala ran up to them.

  “Safe,” Sashala said. Her dark eyes brushed over Runa’s face. “Her wyvern only seems to respond to Runa now that the priests are gone.”

  “Laenadara,” Runa growled. “She did this.” She looked over at Laenadara’s body. Eleden told her Fyre had nearly bitten the High Priestess in half when she’d yelled at him, waving her dagger and screaming Velanian. Whatever she’d been trying to do hadn’t worked, unless she’d wanted to die.

  Why had Laenadara summoned the wyverns, the guardians, for Runa and Lyric? Had she hoped to keep them apart or get them to kill each other? But why? None of it made any sense. They’d successfully summoned the Old Ones, and they’d wanted to help.

  “I don’t understand,” Eleden said, echoing her thoughts. “The Ayanarans aren’t killers.”

  “They did threaten to kill you,” Runa said.

  Eleden shook his head. “Why would they destroy themselves? Why would they summon the dragons only to unleash them upon the world?” His face was grim, as he looked east.

  “What will they do? The dragons?” Runa asked.

  “What any animal feeling attacked would do,” Eleden said. “Attack or flee. When they perceive the threat has passed, they’ll likely feed or nest. Probably both.”

  “And if their rage doesn’t falter? If they continue to feel the need to destroy?”

  “Then the fires in Ayanar will be the first of many. Can you imagine what one of them could do to a city? To Corsicayna or Fabria? What if they burn the fields? Destroy all the crops? Winter will be here soon.” Eleden looked at Sashala. “We must send word to the Gale,” he said. “Warn them about the dragons.”

  “Serith was there,” Runa said, picturing the blue dragon in her mind.

  Eleden looked at her. “You saw Her?” he asked, awe in his voice.

  Runa nodded. “She left as soon as she saw the Three. She didn’t speak to us. Where did she go, do you think? Was she affected like the others? Maybe she’s safe because she left?”

  “We must get home,” Eleden said. “If Sae’shara has awakened …” He turned, staring towards the trees and rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Sashala, take Lyric and Kell to the Talan. Hopefully the dragons left her alone. Return home, as fast as the winds allow. Tell Hali she must be swift. I’ll wait with Runa until Laerdi and Teaeth return with Egan. We’ll fly with Kaia aboard the Skybird. Perhaps the Gale will know what to do with the wyverns. How to fix the girls’ magic.”

  “And if the Skybird was destroyed?” Sashala asked.

  “We’ll figure it out then,” Eleden said. He looked at Runa, who nodded slowly.

  “It seems we’ll all be safer if Lyric and I stay separated for now,” Runa said, “until we figure out what’s going on and why our guardians think we’re dangerous to each other. If the wyverns are part of Laenadara’s spell, then perhaps they can be … turned off or …”

  Raith looked at her, and Runa’s loneliness whispered from the back of her mind. She was surprised that she feared the wyvern disappearing. They’d been together less than an hour, and yet the idea of being alone again bothered her.

  The wyvern landed on her shoulder, their claws tugging at her robe. Runa reached up and stroked her fingers over their spine. Despite being able to see through the wyvern’s body, they felt remarkably robust, the scales rough against her skin.

  “Yes, Captain,” Sashala said. She gave Eleden an inscrutable look then jogged back towards the trees.

  “We’ll leave as soon as Laerdi and Teaeth return with Egan,” Eleden said.

  “Will we be safe in the airship?” Runa asked, looking up into the dark sky. “The dragons are out there somewhere.”

  “The night should offer some protection,” Eleden said, following her gaze. “We’ll have to risk it. The Skybird will be faster than the Talan, as we can fly across the land.”

  “And you think Kaia will take us?”

  “It’s what she was ordered to do,” Eleden said.

  “Maybe she already left, once she saw the dragons.”

  “No,” Eleden said.

  Raith’s head turned to the side, and Runa followed their gaze.

  Kaia was striding towards them with several Sireni at her back. Her face was a mask of fury as her eyes fell on Runa.

  “What madness have you unleashed?” Kaia roared.

  Raith began to glow, a dark, menacing red, and they lifted off Runa’s shoulder.

  “Careful, Kaia,” Eleden called, holding up a hand.

  Kaia slowed, her eyes snapping to the wyvern. She continued walking towards them, some of the threat leaving her body. “Why are dragons in the sky?” Her voice was muted, but no less demanding.

  Runa stroked Raith’s back, feeling a knot of tension between her own shoulders. No threat, she thought.

  “The Skybird?” Eleden asked.

  “Is safe,” Kaia said. “We’re still tethered near the beach.” Her eyes took in the devastation, pausing on the bodies of Laenadara and another Ayanaran. “You said you were communing with their tree.”

  “We summoned the Old Ones to destroy the Taint,” Runa said.

  Kaia frowned at her. “The Taint,” she repeated. “It’s bound to the Shore. Why call the dragons now? Why risk … this?” She gestured at the bodies. “You were ordered to leave it alone.”

  “It’s spreading,” Eleden said, “beneath the ground. Soon the Shore will not be the only place the Taint corrupts. Thousands could die.”

  The Sireni behind Kaia shifted uncertainly, exchanging glances and brushing their hands on their weapons, as though drawing comfort.

  Kaia stared at Runa, then Eleden, a sharp look in her eyes. “Your sister?” she asked, looking back at Runa.

  “I’ve sent her with Sashala to the Talan,” Eleden said. “They’ll travel separately to the Gale. We must inform them that the Old Ones have returned.”

  “Separately? Why?” Kaia’s keen eyes shifted to Raith, on Runa’s shoulder.

  Raith reared up on their back feet, nearly unbalancing Runa with the shift in weight. She followed the wyvern’s gaze and saw three figures coming from the trees, visible by the bright stars overhead and the glow of fire at their backs. It was Laerdi and Teaeth, struggling with someone between them.

  Raith bristled, flickers of red light gathering atop their snout as the wyvern stared intently at the approaching men.

  Don’t attack! Runa thought desperately, wrappin
g her hand around the wyvern’s side. My father. It’s my father.

  Egan flailed between the two bigger men, grunting and hissing as they dragged him forward. As the men drew closer, Runa saw that Laerdi had long scratches across his chest, and Teaeth’s left eye was bloodied.

  Kaia and her Sireni sailors whirled around, reaching for weapons. “What’s going on?” Kaia demanded.

  “We need to sedate him,” Runa said, watching her father’s face contort as he bared his teeth and hissed violently.

  Egan thrashed, arching his back and twisting in a way that made Runa cringe. Raith hissed, and Egan’s wild eyes snapped towards the wyvern and Runa. The unnatural green glow of his eyes intensified, and he inhaled sharply. Runa sagged, feeling as if she’d been punched in the chest. She felt something unspooling out of her, draining her. She blinked, eyes blurring.

  Raith roared, and Runa managed a gasped, “No, Raith!”

  Then Kaia stepped forward and slammed her fist into Egan’s face, snapping his head back. Egan sagged in Laerdi and Teaeth’s arms, head lolling.

  Gasping, Runa felt the world flood back into focus. The terrible feeling vanished, and she tightened her hand on Raith.

  Stop! she commanded, willing the wyvern to listen.

  Raith relaxed and settled back on her shoulder, and Runa breathed out in relief. Why did the wyvern listen now but not when faced with Lyric?

  “What is Egan doing here?” Kaia demanded, whirling back to Eleden. “What have they done to him?”

  Eleden sighed, his eyes troubled. “It’s a long story,” he said. “We need to get moving. We don’t know if the Old Ones will return, and Sae’shara is out there somewhere.”

  Kaia blinked, shock registering on her face. “Is She —”

  “We don’t know,” Eleden said. “Runa saw Her, but She disappeared before the Three became beasts.”

  Kaia looked at Runa appraisingly. “You spoke with Her?”

  “No,” Runa said. “She left before I could. She didn’t seem to want to stay with the Three.”

  Kaia nodded.

  “We should look for kanvar root, on the way to the ship,” Runa said, looking at Eleden. “I thought I saw some when I was walking in the forest earlier today. It’s a sedative.” She glanced at Egan, head still sagging against his chest. “We shouldn’t let him wake, if possible. He was doing something to me, and to Raith,” she said.

  “Who?” Eleden asked. Then his eyes flicked to Raith. “Oh. Yes, I’d prefer if Kaia doesn’t punch him again.”

  Kaia arched an eyebrow.

  “You will tell us what to look for?” Eleden asked. “Will we be able to find it, in the dark?”

  “Yes,” Runa said. “I can make light if you fashion torches.”

  “We should get in the air before dawn comes,” Kaia said. “The darkness is already softening.”

  Runa glanced towards the trees, where Sashala had fled with Lyric. They’d never been apart for longer than a day in their entire lives. Worry tightened her stomach, and she stroked her fingers across Raith’s warm scales. Had she gained an uncle and father, only to lose her sister? And Mother …

  “I need to send a message to Rathgar’s Hold,” Runa said.

  Kaia hissed and crossed her arms. “Let them burn,” she said.

  “To warn my mother,” Runa said, glaring at her. “To find out if she survived.”

  “Sashala may already be sending a gull at Lyric’s request,” Eleden said. “But …” He eyed Kaia. “You have a Skyrunner, don’t you? The Gale wouldn’t have sent you without one.”

  “I’m not wasting one on the Butcher!” Kaia spat.

  “Sashala will have already alerted the Gale about the dragons,” Eleden said, “and with the Skybird’s speed, we’ll reach the Sea before they do.”

  “Please, Kaia,” Runa said, the plea bitter on her tongue.

  Kaia growled and turned away, looking north. “Let’s get back to the ship,” she said, her voice tense. “Then we’ll talk about your message.”

  31

  Lyric

  Four Days Later

  Lyric ducked under Sashala’s fist and swung around behind her, her arm catching the taller woman’s waist. Face dark with concentration, she stopped Sashala’s heel with her foot and twisted around, using momentum to pull her down to the deck of the ship.

  “Good,” Sashala said, slapping the deck with one hand. Her smile was wolfish, the ring through her lip glinting in the morning light.

  Lyric nodded and released her hold on the woman’s shirt. “Thank you, Sashala,” she said.

  “You’re getting better,” Sashala said, clapping her on the shoulder. “It’s good you are training.”

  “Hali tells me magic is sometimes too slow when you need to react instantly.”

  Sashala nodded. “A Windcaller can die from an unseen knife to the ribs. Enough for today, I think. We’ll meet again tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow,” Lyric agreed. She’d trained with Sashala for over an hour, and though Lyric was sweat-soaked and bruised, her companion was still just as relaxed and unwinded as she’d been at the start.

  They parted ways, and Lyric walked to the railing, placing her hands on the smooth wood. She lifted her face to the sky and took a deep, cleansing breath, allowing the wind to rush over her and tousle her sweat-dampened hair.

  Azora flickered into existence beside her, their leafy, seaweed-like wings drifting in the air. They landed on her shoulder and studied her with one gold eye.

  You’re scared, they thought in her head, the image of a fish darting away from a shadow filling Lyric’s mind.

  “Yes,” Lyric said.

  It’d only been four days since they’d left Ayanar and her sister behind and Lyric kept turning around, expecting to find Runa nearby. She’s safe, Lyric reminded herself. She’s with Eleden. She’s following us to the Sireni fleet.

  It was odd, not having Runa close. Their separation was the longest and farthest they’d ever been apart. What if they couldn’t find each other again? What if the dragons prevented Runa from coming east, or if they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the wyverns.

  What was Azora anyway? Lyric knew with certainty that she was connected to the wyvern. Azora was part of her magic somehow. They protected her, acting as a shield against attack, or attacking if they thought Lyric was in danger. When she’d first started sparring with Sashala, she’d had to stop the wyvern from interfering.

  Azora hadn’t attacked anyone since Runa, though they watched everything intensely. The wyvern seemed intelligent and capable of free thought, but they also followed Lyric’s wishes the majority of the time, like they were more an extension of her arm than a companion. Still, they had a sense of self that a beast didn’t possess.

  Lyric wished she could ask Gandara what she knew about the guardian, but Azora had severed the connection, and Lyric didn’t know how to contact her ancestor herself. She couldn’t exactly go to the Veil again.

  She’d asked Hali if she knew what Azora was, but the older woman didn’t know. “It’s part of you,” she’d said, studying the wyvern. “It feels like your magic, your summoning. Though it feels more conscious than an actual shield or sword, maybe it’s a tool to give you space and time to cast spells.”

  I am … sorry, about your sister, Azora said. A feeling of regret trickled through their bond.

  “You’re sorry?” Lyric asked, looking at the wyvern with surprise.

  I feel your sadness, Azora said.

  “Can you feel sad?”

  The wyvern blinked, sheer lids sliding down over their striking gold eyes. I feel your emotions.

  “But not your own?”

  I don’t understand.

  Lyric sighed and looked back at the water. The day was gray, and the wind cold, which felt fitting considering her mood. “Never mind,” she said. “I just want to understand what happened.” Had Laenadara intended to separate Lyric from her sister? Or did something go wrong with the ritual? Perha
ps the High Priestess hadn’t understood the true meaning of the Velanian words she’d spoken.

  “What do we do now?” Lyric said aloud.

  What do you wish to do? Azora asked.

  Lyric dug her fingers into the railing. “Fix this,” she said. “Fix everything. The Old Ones said they could help; they could cleanse the Taint. Now, it seems, we have to help them first.”

  Azora landed on the railing beside her hand and watched as a silver fish jumped out of the water and splashed back beneath the dark waves.

  “But how do we do that?” Lyric asked.

  I don’t know, Azora said.

  Lyric rubbed her eyes, feeling another helpless sigh hiss from her lungs. Maybe her mother would know what to do, or maybe there was something in one of her grandfather’s books in Rathgar’s Hold. Now that Elaina was there, perhaps she could help.

  Lyric frowned. Had her mother ever searched Rakarn’s library for information about the Taint? Surely she would have. Was that why she was so certain he’d been involved? Or had she ignored it like the Sireni, even though Eleden was convinced it was spreading?

  It doesn’t matter now, Lyric thought. We know how to heal it.

  Once the Talan was underway, sailing east back to the Sea of Screams, Lyric had asked Sashala to send a gull to Hurlen in Rathgar’s Hold. She’d warned him about the dragons and asked him to respond with information about her mother. She’d also asked if he could get a message to Elaina and a reply in return.

  “She has to be alive,” Lyric said. “She has to.”

  Your sister? Azora asked.

  “No, my mother.”

  She is unwell?

  “Yes.”

  I am sorry.

  Lyric smiled, tears filling her eyes. She blinked them away and reached out to Azora, running her fingers down the wyvern’s silky scales. The wyvern arched into her hand like a cat and made a strange, rumbling purr.

  “Let’s find Kell,” Lyric said. She turned away from the railing and walked across the deck to the Captain’s cabin, opening the door.

  Azora glided after her, slipping ahead as Lyric stepped inside.