The Flames: Book 2 of the Feud Trilogy

by Kyle Prue

  “You don’t have to eat fish our way, Mamba,” Alex said. “You could just heat it up with your hands.”

  “You know I can’t remember how,” Neil said. “I think I can only do it when I’m in trouble or frustrated.”

  “We could give you some crew work,” Serena suggested. “I’m sure that would get your blood pumping.”

  Neil shrugged. Living on this ship it was doubtful he’d ever be under great amounts of stress ever again. The Tridenti were so carefree. They laughed loudly and never showed any signs of being uncomfortable. Maybe having their life force tied to nature kept them happy and in the moment. “Have you tried teleporting?” Alex asked.

  Alex had grilled a few prisoners and revealed the extent of Neil’s powers. The Tridenti weren’t saying it, but clearly they were dying to see more of his abilities. He was dying to see more of theirs as well. Neil shook his head. “I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

  “I have an idea.” Alex stood up and slid his dinner knife off of the table. “How much do you trust me, Mamba?”

  “At the moment?” Neil asked. “Very little.”

  Alex beamed. “Perfect. Stand up.”

  Neil stood up cautiously. “Are you really gonna do this?”

  “Do you know how we teach Tridenti guppies how to swim?”

  “Alex, this is a bad idea.” Serena said. However, she looked calm and amused as Alex took a few steps back.

  “We throw them off our largest boat and into the sea,” Alex said. “They all learn to swim.”

  Neil ran his hand through his hair. “How old are they when you do that?”

  “About six months old.”

  “Just do it,” Neil said. “The anticipation is gonna kill me.”

  Alex threw the knife by the handle directly at Neil’s chest. Neil felt his energy dissipate and reform on the other side of the room. Alex and Serena burst into applause. Neil fell to the ground breathing heavily. The area around his cuff throbbed with pain. “Ladies and gents, Mamba knows how to swim!” Alex cheered.

  Serena pulled him to his feet. “I thought we were going to have to toss you back in the ocean,” she said laughing.

  “We would never do that,” Alex said. “Not when we could accept that reward from the Empire.” He winked at Neil.

  Neil sat back down on the bench. “Do you try to murder all of your guests?” he asked as he took a reluctant bite of fish.

  “Just the ones we like,” Serena said.

  There was a knock at the door and a crewman poked his head inside. “Ocean’s Jaw is visible, Captains,” he said. “Half-hour until docking.”

  “Thank you,” Serena said, dismissing him.

  “You ready to see the largest ocean fortress in the realm?” Alex asked.

  “Depends. Are people gonna throw knives at me?”

  “Only if you’re unfriendly,” Alex replied.

  Neil didn’t remember much, but he was completely certain he’d never seen anything quite like the Ocean’s Jaw. From the deck of the Tridenti ship he could see most of it laid out before him. Its name was clearly derived from the shape of the island it was built on. The shore was in a semi-oval and large stone triangles had been carved out and laid equidistant, probably to look like shark teeth. Built into the sand and sea was a giant mansion that seemed to cover nearly every inch of the land. Outside of the stone teeth were a series of sprawling docks, each with its own ship and crew. The ship settled about a hundred meters from the shore and the crewmen dropped the anchor. “How are we getting in?” Neil asked.

  “You can’t bring anything into the Ocean’s Jaw,” Alex said. “You have to swim.”

  Neil looked to Serena. “Is he being serious?”

  She seemed taken aback by how grave he was.

  “I can’t swim,” Neil said.

  The Tridenti shared a glance. “How do you know?” Alex asked.

  “There are some things I just know,” Neil said. “For instance, I don’t think I’ve ever been swimming.”

  Serena shared a glance with Alex and then approached Neil. “But you can’t be certain…”

  “I can be,” Neil said.

  Serena frowned. “You’ve gotta get to land somehow, Mamba.”

  “Come and see,” Alex said becking Neil closer to the edge of the ship. “It’s not too deep. You could jump in here and upon reaching that point there…”

  He pointed far off, and Neil followed his finger with his eye. The second Neil reached the very edge of the deck he remembered what the Tridenti did to guppies. He tried to spin around, but the two seafaring siblings had him by the arms. Seemingly without any effort they tossed him straight off the edge. As he plummeted a few memories came racing to meet him as quickly as the water. Upon sinking into the sea, he remembered looking up from a cobblestone street as a blonde giant stood in a window with a hammer. Neil paddled without coordination and began to sink. One thing was for certain. He was no Tridenti and he certainly couldn’t swim like one.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  BRIGHTBOW

  LILLY CELERIUS

  The Wolf knew Brightbow well. Within minutes of entering the city the two Celerius were outfitted in brown cloaks and disguises from cheap local clothing shops. The Wolf dragged her through uninhabited alley after alley for what felt like an hour. Lilly wished she could use her Celerius speed to make the journey shorter, but she knew the risk. If the Wolf was right, this village was soon going to turn into a slaughterhouse. He eventually reached a small abandoned-looking restaurant and pointed to the door. “Okay, inside,” he said as he pulled a key from his belt and slipped it into the lock. It clicked open and he ushered her inside. “Welcome to the Feeding Ground,” he murmured.

  “The Feeding Ground?” Lilly asked.

  “They used to have a variety of dogs that lived here. The rule was when you were done eating you could just throw your remaining food on the ground and they would gobble it up. The Feeding Ground. It’s a joke.”

  Lilly wiped some dust off of the bar. “It looks abandoned. Why did it close?”

  “Rat infestation,” the Wolf replied.

  He gently kicked open the door to the kitchen and stomped his feet on the floor. “It’s me. No one needs to hide.”

  Suddenly the floorboards a few feet away from Lilly lifted from below, exposing a secret trap door.

  Two young boys wearing goggles poked their heads up. They looked like frightened church mice. Actually everything about them reminded Lilly of church mice. They had tiny upturned button noses and disproportionately tiny mouths. “Sir?” one of them asked. “What are you doing in Brightbow?”

  “There’s about to be a mess of trouble, boys,” the Wolf said. “I want to know where the rest of the rebel presence is.”

  The two boys looked at each other sheepishly. “Well… we tried to send word to you,” one murmured as if preparing for a scolding. “The rebels in Brightbow left to help in the liberation of Abington. We thought you knew… there’s probably only six or seven men left.”

  Lilly and the Wolf exhaled a sigh of relief. “Boys, that’s the best news I’ve heard in about five years,” the Wolf said. “Carlin is chasing my niece and me and he’s about to turn this city upside down. Any rebels here would have been decapitated.”

  “Carlin’s coming to decapitate us?” the one in back whimpered.

  “Your niece?” the other said flirtatiously as he removed his goggles.

  She stared at him. He pulled himself out of the hole and finished removing his giant goggles. She was able to get a better look at him. He was terribly skinny and covered in dirt or maybe it was black powder. He had a red bandanna tied loosely around his forehead. His most notable feature was his set of big brown eyes. They appeared larger than average and gave him the appearance of a much younger boy. “James Jacobson!” he said proudly, extending his tiny hand overzealously for a handshake.

  She shook it hesitantly. He quickly realized that’d he’d stained her hand with his dirty one
and retracted it embarrassed. His brother climbed out of the hole behind him. They looked identical aside from the fact that James Jacobson’s brother was a few inches shorter. “Jack Jacobson!” he said proudly. But he didn’t extend his hand for a handshake in lieu of his brother’s mistake.

  “Your names are Jack and James Jacobson?” she asked.

  They nodded eagerly and in perfect sync. The Wolf approached them. “Don’t try to tell them apart,” he told Lilly. “We don’t have enough time.” He turned to the young boys who were both still staring at Lilly. “Stop drooling,” the Wolf said. They both turned crimson. “What’s going on down there?”

  “We’re doing things,” James said.

  The Wolf stared, waiting for them to elaborate. They didn’t. “What kind of things?”

  “Gunpowder things,” Jack said.

  “Don’t blow up the restaurant,” the Wolf sighed.

  “It would take care of the rats, sir,” James said.

  “It would also take care of us,” the Wolf quipped. He walked to the other side of the bar.

  “Are you two twins?” Lilly asked.

  They shook their heads in unison. “I’m older by a year,” James said.

  “Stop socializing,” the Wolf said. “Carlin is on his way and we have to stop this city from turning into his plaything.”

  “Well,” James said. “If he’s going to try to use the smokehouse method, what we really have to do is break the military presence as soon as it arrives.”

  “We could use our…” Jack paused. “Gunpowder things to destroy their supply carts and then we could start wounding soldiers.”

  James rubbed his chin. “You know what would really end the occupation quickly?”

  The Wolf’s eyes widened. “If we wound Carlin! That’s brilliant!”

  Lilly’s jaw tightened and she crossed her arms. “If we can get close enough to Carlin, we have to kill him. No other option is a real option.”

  The Wolf raised his hand to stop the inevitable tirade. “I understand, but imagine what happens when Carlin is wounded. There’s a commandment in Altryon’s military that says during expeditions they have to protect their chief above all else and despite all other orders. In this case, that’s Carlin. That’s why we were called away from catching that Venator all those years ago. Our chief, the new emperor, was believed to be in danger. If we wound Carlin badly enough, he won’t be able to order them to continue the occupation. They’re forced to protect him, even if it’s against his will. If he dies, the second-in- command will just take over and continue the smokehouse method.”

  Lilly’s stomach knotted. Carlin was the source of all her pain and all her suffering. He was her nemesis. Letting him live would eat her alive inside. Then again, so would letting innocent people die. “Let’s say I’m willing to consider this,” Lilly said in a razor sharp tone. “How could we possibly get close enough to wound Carlin? Chances are he’ll be waiting for us. And chances are, he’ll be very well protected.”

  The Wolf turned to his tiny compatriots. “Where is Carlin most likely to put down roots?”

  James hopped over the bar in one fluid motion and snatched a map from one of the cabinets. He unrolled it on the bar. “He’s probably going to want to make his message to the city clear the second he arrives. He’s going to want as many people as possible to know what’s happening.”

  “So the town square?” the Wolf asked.

  James nodded. “That’s where it’ll be easiest for him to spread his message.”

  “So he’ll set down his roots nearby?” Jack said to the Wolf.

  The Wolf ran his fingers over some of the buildings on the map. “Although, in Altryon’s military training you’re taught not to set your base camp anywhere that isn’t easily defensible in a civilized area.”

  “Which means?” Lilly asked.

  “He’s going to forcefully occupy a building near the town square. Most likely the strongest fortified one,” the Wolf said.

  “Right here,” James said as he tapped on the map enthusiastically. “The Mayor’s house. It’s made of stone and it’s connected to the town square.”

  “So what?” Lilly mused. “Once he makes his ultimatum, we destroy their supply carts and sneak into the mayor’s house?”

  James sat back against the bar casually and scratched his head. “Sneaking into the mayor’s house might be tough,” he said. “The windows are high up and all the doors are reinforced. Unless you have the climbing skills of an animal or a battering ram, we can’t get the jump on Carlin.”

  “There’s always a way,” the Wolf muttered. He stared at the map. “As far as we know, Carlin isn’t here yet. He think’s he’s making the trap, but in reality, we’ll be the ones setting the trap.”

  “Isn’t that the same strategy the Doctor used on us?” Lilly asked.

  “It worked didn’t it?” the Wolf said without looking up.

  “You have a plan?” Jack asked.

  “I do,” the Wolf said. “Assemble any rebels currently remaining in this city. Tell them to bring any masks and weapons they have to this hideout.” He indicated a place on the map. “It’s closest to the square.”

  “Do you need us to do anything to help you break into the mayor’s house?” James asked.

  “No. We don’t need to break in.”

  The group looked at the Wolf curiously. “Why not?” Lilly asked.

  “Because Carlin is going to invite us in himself.”

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  BRIGHTBOW

  CARLIN FILUS

  Carlin’s boots echoed loudly through the town square as he and a fleet of armed soldiers took up formation in the center. A palpable tension hung in the air as the villagers who remained were clearly trying to decide if it was in their best interest to run. “You’re sure this is it?” Carlin whispered to Virgil.

  Virgil glanced around the square skeptically as if looking for possible threats. Virgil’s head never seemed to be fixed in one place. He was always on the lookout for something. “The soldier said he saw them run from the road and toward this village. Our men are patrolling the surrounding plains, but this would be an ideal hiding place for them. If they’re wandering alone on the plains our horsemen will catch them. And if they’re here…” Virgil trailed off.

  “We’ll hunt them down like the rats they are,” Carlin said as he gave Virgil a nod of assent.

  “We can send small groups of soldiers into the buildings and clear them one by one in a grid format,” Virgil said.

  Carlin shook his head defiantly. “Never use a knife when you can use a broadsword.”

  Carlin pulled his pistol from its holster and fired a shot straight into the bright blue sky. A few villagers screamed and a few others ran, but the shot had the desired effect: all activity came to a screeching halt. Carlin re-holstered his weapon. “Citizens of Brightbow Village!” His voice echoed through the square. “I am Carlin Filus, General of the Imperial Military. It has come to my attention that a few ill-behaved citizens might be harboring fugitives of Altryon’s Empire in this very village. I don’t know how you’re accustomed to doing things in this edge of the empire, but I can assure you, the act of harboring a menace to the public and to your Emperor is a crime punishable by the most painful of deaths.”

  He could see the crowd of villagers shifting with anxiety. “Each of you take a hostage,” he commanded.

  The squadron of twelve soldiers silently drew their swords and charged the crowd of villagers. Before long there were twelve sobbing villagers on their knees with swords at their throats. Carlin snarled, “You have two options, citizens. You can leave Brightbow and trek off into the open plains, or you can remain and help us hunt Lilly Celerius and the Wolf. If you make a sizable contribution to their capture or deaths, then you will be paid with your weight in gold.”

  The crowd was silent as Carlin drew his broadsword and approached a kneeling hostage who sobbed openly. The man looked up to see Carlin coming closer an
d began to crawl away in terror. Carlin brought his sword straight down through the man’s back. The man howled in agony. “I forgot the best bit,” Carlin hissed. “Every two hours we kill a hostage and leave the body in this very square. So go, citizens of Brightbow. Whether you find yourself motivated by gold or heroic tendencies, you’ve got some fugitives to catch. The rest of you will be searched and sent out onto the plains until this business is done.”

  Carlin pulled his blade from the villager’s back and sheathed it. Virgil removed a pistol and fired it into the air. The village erupted into chaos as the masses began to flee for their lives. Carlin assessed his situation. “Virgil, take five soldiers and go building by building. Leave no floorboard unturned. They will be ours.”

  Virgil saluted and signaled for five men to follow. They darted off down an alley and Carlin paced. Seeing the death of his worst enemies was now a game of patience.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  OCEAN’S JAW

  NEIL VAPROS

  Alex and Serena laughed as they pulled Neil ashore. He was grumpy, as they’d probably expected. “You both laugh too much,” Neil said.

  “I swear we didn’t laugh half this much before your arrival,” Alex gasped between outbursts.

  “You bring so much joy to our lives, Mamba,” Serena giggled.

  “That’s just because you like having someone to torture,” Neil said with a huff.

  “Aha!” Alex slapped his forehead to commemorate a fake realization. “I was trying to figure out why having you around was so much fun. That’s definitely it.”

  Neil watched as the rest of the crew swabbed the deck and lowered the masts on the ship. “Aren’t they coming ashore?” Neil asked.

  Serena turned around and then back to Neil. “Who? The crew?”

  Neil nodded. Once again Serena and Alex shared a look. They seemed to have dozens of silent conversations per day. Neil found nothing more frustrating. “The crew can’t come ashore,” Alex said. “There’s an ancient rule about this island. No more than twenty-five people are allowed on it at any given time.”