The Fire Prophecy

by Megan Linski

  Imogen’s brothers burst into a fit of laughter. I couldn’t contain my own giggles. There was just too much cuteness in one room to handle all at once.

  Gracie tore her eyes off our Familiars and turned her attention back to Imogen and me. “So, what are you girls up to?”

  Imogen’s eyes darted toward me but quickly returned to her mother. “Um… we’re working on something for Dragonology. We need to use the library.”

  Gracie’s brows drew together. “You’ve already spent so much time in there the last few days. Your teachers are pushing you too hard. When I attended Orenda, we didn’t have homework. And don’t even get me started on the Elemental Cup. It’s ludicrous how times have changed. Your father and I both—”

  “Mom,” Imogen cut her off. “Can we not do this again?”

  Gracie looked at me, then back to Imogen. “You’re right. Now’s not the time. I’m sorry. You two go have fun. Can I bring you anything?”

  “No, but thanks, Mom,” Imogen answered before gesturing for me to follow her down the hall.

  Sassy and Esis scurried behind us. We passed by two bedrooms and a bathroom before reaching the door at the end.

  Imogen paused with her hand on the doorknob. “You like books, right?”

  “Of course.” I bounced on my toes, eager to see her family’s library.

  Imogen smiled. “Then you’re going to love this.”

  The door swung open, and my jaw promptly dropped to the floor. When she hinted at a library in her home, I pictured a few shelves of books and a couch or something. This was much, much more than that.

  The room was twice the size of the living room, with a vaulted ceiling and tall bookcases that covered every inch of the walls on my left and my right. There was even a short wooden ladder leaning against one of the bookcases so that you could reach the top shelf. The wall opposite the door was made entirely of glass and overlooked the beautiful green forest. Beneath the window, a plush couch stretched from wall to wall, providing the perfect reading nook. It was long enough that Imogen and I could easily stretch out on either side at the same time. A round table with two chairs sat in the middle of the room with several thick books stacked atop it. The same natural wood tones that covered the rest of the house were present in the library as well.

  “Holy crap,” I whispered breathlessly as I stepped into the room, taking it all in. “Your family really loves books.”

  Imogen just shrugged, as if it was normal for families to have their own home libraries. She pulled out a chair at the table and flipped open the book at the top of the stack. “Yeah, I guess you could call us bookworms. Most people just call us crazy.”

  “What?” I squeaked, sliding into the chair across from her. “Why would they say that?”

  The truth was, I kind of understood. Imogen and her mom were a little… out there.

  Esis hopped past me and jumped onto the couch. He fluffed one of the throw pillows before curling up on top of it. Sassy lay beside him. It was one of the first times I’d ever seen her sit still.

  An unamused expression crossed Imogen’s face. “Have you met my family? Anyway, no big deal. We might seem a little crazy, but being crazy has its perks.”

  “Like?” I prodded.

  “Like the fact that our family is the only one brave enough to speak the truth.”

  I leaned my elbows on the table, intrigued. “The truth about what?”

  “I don’t know. Just things that no one else believes in. It’s funny that we live with creatures of legend— unicorns and dragons and things like that— but none of the Hawkei actually believe in things they can’t see with their own eyes. We have our own myths, you know. Gallyswanks, womgrombits, lillybats, you name it. They were all real once, yet most of the Hawkei refuse to believe it.”

  “Why wouldn’t they believe it?” I asked.

  Imogen shrugged. “After the war that killed the Anichi, certain species started dying off. I guess none of the Houses want to admit they were responsible for the mass extinction.”

  “How can you be sure these creatures existed?”

  Imogen sat up straighter and pushed her open book toward me. “My ancestors made sure we wouldn’t forget. Kimoko Kahnee was one of my great-great-great-grandfathers. Or something like that. Anyway, a lot of greats. In our native language, his name loosely translates to brother of the beloved animals. And he lived up to that name. He was very close with the magical creatures that roamed our valley. He recorded everything he saw. He discovered several new species, actually.”

  “That must be really cool,” I said. “To be related to him, I mean.”

  “It is,” Imogen agreed. “But he wasn’t very well-known. My family has been pushing for years to get his journal published, but the Elders claim they can’t authenticate it and don’t want to be putting misinformation out to the masses.”

  My lips turned down. “That’s unfair.”

  Imogen rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it. Anyway, the good news for you is that Kimoko wrote about the kurbles in his journal.”

  “Kurbles?” I asked with raised eyebrows.

  “Yeah, that’s what Esis is,” Imogen said, in a dead serious tone.

  I couldn’t help it when I burst out laughing. “You’re kidding.”

  “No.” Imogen didn’t even twitch.

  “I’m sorry. I just don’t think it fits Esis. It just sounds so…”

  So what? Cute and cuddly? I glanced to Esis. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell slowly. My heart filled with all kinds of positive vibes.

  I turned back to Imogen. “Who am I kidding? Kurble totally fits him.”

  “Agreed. Anyway, I totally forgot I’d ever read about kurbles, until I saw Esis heal. There aren’t many creatures who can do that, so when I saw it, I instantly knew I had to check out Kimoko’s journal for confirmation. And it’s right here.” Imogen turned the book toward me and pointed to the left-hand page. “See? Kurbles.”

  The entry was entirely handwritten. At the top of the page was a surprisingly good sketch of a kurble, though it had black spots like a cow, unlike Esis’ flawless white fur. Below the sketch was a list of words in a language I didn’t recognize. Underneath that was the English translation in a different handwriting.

  Size: Up to six pounds

  Temperament: Good-natured and playful, but protective and territorial. Fights when threatened.

  Abilities: Healing

  Notes: Eats a high-calorie diet, buries feces, and cleans self. Enjoys climbing and collecting shiny objects.

  “That’s it?” I asked in disbelief. There was nothing here I didn’t already know, except the part about kurbles fighting. Though now the horns on Esis’ head made sense. Somehow, I couldn’t imagine Esis fighting anyone or anything.

  “Unfortunately, yes, that’s it,” Imogen replied. “What else do you want to know?”

  I turned the page, as if expecting more information on the next page, but it just led to another entry on something called wilmoths. “I don’t know… maybe what he eats.”

  “He eats hamburgers,” Imogen said simply. “Obviously.”

  I couldn’t tell if she was being serious or trying to make me laugh. “Yeah, but they can’t be healthy for him.”

  “Look at him.” Imogen gestured to Esis on the pillow. “He’s fine.”

  I chewed my lower lip while I watched Esis. His ear twitched while he slept. “Yeah, I suppose. I just… I wish I knew more about him.”

  Imogen sighed. “Maybe it’s a good thing no one does, you know?”

  “Yeah,” I agreed after a brief silence. “No one else does know, do they? I mean, what about your parents or other relatives?” Worry filled my chest as I considered the possibility. What if someone recognized him for what he was? They could take him for his powers.

  Imogen shook her head. “I don’t think so. I searched through all of our books that might mention kurbles, and this was the only one it was in. I read these books cover-to-cove
r hundreds of times as a kid, and I barely remembered kurbles existed. I don’t think anyone else knows. And I didn’t tell my parents the truth of what I was researching, either.”

  Relief washed over me. “Good. So we can keep this between us, then?”

  “Of course,” Imogen agreed. “I wouldn’t want anyone knowing if Sassy had unique magical powers like this, either. Your secret’s safe with me, Sophia.”

  My shoulders completely relaxed. “Thank you, Imogen. You’re a really great friend.”

  We spent the rest of the morning combing through the books in Imogen’s family library. We didn’t expect to find more on kurbles, but I couldn’t let go of the hope that we would. I wanted to know all I could about them. What if Esis was allergic to something? How would I medicate him if he got sick? What if he had weird anatomy, like four stomachs or two hearts? How long did kurbles survive? And how old was Esis, anyway?

  All of these questions assaulted me, but by mid-afternoon, I didn’t have an answer to any of them. Esis had woken up and lay curled in my lap on the sofa while Sassy batted at him from the floor. Piles of books sat beside me on the adjacent cushion.

  I rubbed behind his ears. “I’m sorry I couldn’t learn more about you, buddy.”

  Esis snuggled into my belly, as if letting me know it wasn’t my fault and that he forgave me.

  “We should probably call it a day,” Imogen suggested. “We need to get Daisy and Jack back to the stables, anyway.”

  Imogen had ducked out of the library earlier to give them a snack and water, but they needed a more substantial meal.

  “Okay,” I agreed. “You ready, Esis?”

  He jumped out of my lap, trilling. Sassy chased after him toward the door.

  “Whoa, girl,” Imogen said with a laugh, following behind them. “Not so fast.”

  We made it down from the treehouse the same way we came and started the long journey back to the school.

  “Hey!” Cade called cheerfully when we returned to the stables. He wore a clean blue shirt, so I figured he hadn’t been in the stables all day. The way he looked at Imogen— and how she responded with flushed cheeks— I guessed that he came back just for the chance to see her again. “I was starting to think you got lost.”

  “Nah,” Imogen said, patting her unicorn’s back. “Jack would never lead me astray.”

  “Of course not,” Cade said. He stepped up to Daisy and handed her a carrot, which she promptly gobbled out of his hand. “What are you girls up to tonight?”

  “Oh, uh…” Imogen looked to me, as if begging me to say something. I’d never seen her look so flustered.

  “Imogen’s free,” I blurted. “But I’m busy. She could use some company at dinner.”

  Imogen’s eyes went wide, as if she didn’t think I was doing her a favor. She’d thank me later. “Sophia, weren’t you just saying—?”

  “That I was going to grab takeout and meet up with Liam?” I cut in. “Yep.”

  What the heck, stupid mouth? Why was meeting up with Liam the first excuse I came up with?

  “Ah, well, if you have plans, I’ll let you get to them,” Cade said while helping me down from Daisy’s back.

  Imogen just blinked at me, completely shocked. “I— I guess I’ll help Cade with the unicorns and then… then we’ll get dinner together?” She said it like a question, like she couldn’t believe this was actually happening.

  “It’s a date,” Cade said before turning a light shade of pink himself. “Well, not a date, but…”

  “Oh, no,” Imogen agreed immediately. “Not a date.”

  Imogen hopped down from Jack with ease and readjusted Sassy in her bag before leading Jack into his stall.

  “Have fun on your not-a-date,” I whispered to Imogen under my breath before raising my voice and waving to both of them. Esis waved from my shoulder. “See you later!”

  Imogen shot me a huge, excited grin that Cade couldn’t see. I turned away with a sense of victory filling me. I had successfully managed to get my best friend to go out with her very-obvious crush. Pride followed me all the way back to the castle and down the deserted hallway on my way to the cafeteria… until I heard the sound of my name.

  I ducked behind the sprite statue next to Madame Doya’s classroom when I realized the voices I’d heard were hers and Haley’s. What the hell were those bitches saying about me?

  “Yeah, I know,” Haley said in a bored tone. “I’ve been following her, but honestly, the girl is a total bore. She’s either sitting in her dorm or hanging out with her weird Nivita friend.”

  “She’s started asking questions,” Doya said, with almost no emotion. “It won’t be long before she finds it. And when she does—"

  “I know,” Haley cut in. “I’ll be right there to report back to you. Honestly, I don’t know why you worry. Sophia’s probably going to die in the the tournament anyway, especially with that useless fur ball of hers. I saw their first training session, and it was… laughable at best.”

  Anger pulsed through my veins. What the hell did Haley know? I urged to singe the sleek black hair off her head just to teach her some manners.

  “Yes,” Madame Doya responded coolly. “I’m well aware, but as I recall, your first session didn’t go well either, did it, Haley?”

  Oh, burn.

  Haley went dead silent.

  “That’s it for now,” Doya said. “I’ll see you tomorrow after class for training. Let your team know.”

  “But we’ve already used up our allotted training sessions.” Haley sounded confused.

  “And?” I pictured Doya raising an eyebrow. “Who’s counting? You let me worry about the rules. You just worry about your training, and keeping an eye on Sophia. Understand?”

  My breath froze in my chest. I should’ve known Doya would cheat! But sending someone after me, to spy on me? That was crossing a line. Esis nearly jumped off my shoulder— to give Doya a piece of his mind, I presumed— but I held him back.

  Haley’s voice fell. “I understand.”

  The sound of footsteps met my ears, sending a wave of panic through me. I pressed myself to the wall, diving behind the statue so I wouldn’t be seen.

  Haley breezed out of the room and headed in the opposite direction of where I stood. Anwara flew behind her. My entire body remained tense until she was out of sight, and for at least another minute afterward.

  When I was satisfied that Doya wasn’t going to exit her room and that Haley was long gone, I stepped out of my hiding spot and bolted.

  I raced toward the castle’s main entrance, knowing there would be enough people there or in the courtyard that I could duck into the safety of the crowd. I didn’t feel safe going back to my dorm, not when I knew there was a target on my back. In the deserted hallway, nerves rushed up and down my arms, making my whole body shake. It felt as if someone was watching me, even though I knew Haley and Doya hadn’t known I was there. Still, I glanced behind myself just to make sure I wasn’t being followed.

  Just as I turned my eyes forward to round the corner, I smacked into something hard. I stumbled backward and caught Esis before he could tumble off my shoulder.

  Whomever I’d run into cursed under their breath. When I gazed up, I saw the most beautiful pair of dark eyes staring back at me.

  “Liam,” I breathed. “Thank the ancestors!”

  “What’s wrong, Sophia?” he asked, immediate concern laced in his tone. He held onto both my arms. His eyes darted between mine as if searching for an answer in them.

  “I— I heard Doya and Haley…” I swallowed deeply, still trying to catch my breath. “Liam, I need help.”

  Liam sighed and ran a hand over his face. He took a deep breath to collect himself. “What are you talking about, Sophia?”

  “I overheard Madame Doya and Haley talking about me,” I tried again, this time in a calmer tone. “Apparently, Haley’s been following me. Liam, I’m literally being stalked.”

  Liam just stood there with worry in his e
xpression, but he didn’t say anything.

  “Liam?” I prodded.

  “I don’t know what to say, Sophia,” he replied. “You just told me you didn’t want me to protect you. Now you’re asking me to? You come to me all the time asking for help, then you push me away. Make up your mind.”

  “I—” I stared up at him, completely speechless. I mean, I couldn’t say he was wrong.

  Tears welled in my eyes. I tried to blink them away, but it only made them rise higher until the floodgates opened and a tear ran down my cheek.

  “Shit,” Liam muttered. “Please don’t cry, Sophia.”

  “It’s just— I’m just—” A bawling mess.

  Slowly, Liam reached out and ran his thumb over my cheek, wiping away the tears. I sniffled and looked up at him. The most intense look of care filled his eyes. Without thinking, I threw myself forward into his arms. My hands flew around his neck, and my head rested just beneath his shoulder. Tears soaked into his t-shirt.

  He tensed momentarily before relaxing and pulling his arms around me, squeezing me tight. Warmth tingled across my torso where he touched me. He smelled like a warm jacket and the rain-kissed needles of an ancient pine forest. I’d never felt as safe and protected as I did in Liam’s arms. That only made me want to cry more, as if it was an invitation to let my emotions flow.

  “It’s okay, Sophia,” he whispered, rubbing my back. “Haley’s not worth it. Forget about her.”

  “How can I forget about her when she’s stalking me?” I asked, burying my face deeper into his shoulder.

  Liam sighed, like he didn’t know what to say. He probably hated me right now. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who could handle crying girls. But I also couldn’t bring myself to pull away. He was like a protective blanket hiding me from the monsters that lurked in the corners of the castle.

  “How can I help, Sophia?” he asked softly.

  I drew away from him and wiped my tears. “I don’t know. I just… I guess I just needed to tell someone.”

  Liam nodded like he understood, then reached out and grabbed my hand. My breath caught, and my stomach did this whole flip-in-my-abdomen thing.