Fan the Flame

by September Thomas

  Finn hopped off the vanity when Ryder went quiet. “Djinn are cursed creatures. They’re bound to answer wishes for their masters. Three wishes per master. But after that third wish… they can rip your soul right from your body. Each soul they collect adds to their base power.”

  Finn bit his lips. “If he’s the last one left, his power would be unparalleled. In some ways, it’s pretty incredible that he didn’t kill you back there.”

  I folded the knife up and stuck it in my pocket. “How do we combat that?”

  Finn’s emerald eyes flickered. “With cleverness and a lot of luck.”

  “Finn.” Ryder dropped the kelpie’s name like an anvil. He’d calmed considerably, though his stare was an accusation. “You’re a bigger asset than you’re giving yourself credit for.”

  “You’re one to talk,” the kelpie fired off, before he, too, started pacing. Watching the two of them weave around the room was making me dizzy. “Zara, there’s something else I haven’t told you.”

  My gut curdled and I tucked my legs beneath me, my small smile fading with his seriousness. I wasn’t sure how many more of his secrets I was prepared to handle, especially if this one was anywhere near as bad as…

  “I was an officer in the Water Temple’s navy.” Finn swallowed, his jaw flexing as his eyes went cloudy with memories. “I was third in command of the temple’s defenses, that’s why it mattered so much when the Order attacked. People who counted on me were waiting for me to give a command. I never gave it. I lost everything that day. Everything.”

  It surprised me, the emotion that filled my veins. Anger hit first, but it paled in comparison to the pity and sorrow that rose with it. As upset as I’d been with Finn these past few weeks, I hadn’t considered the turmoil he was going through.

  Ryder knelt beside me. “In case you aren’t picking up on what he’s actually saying.” His golden gaze searched my face until I finally made eye contact. “Finn is trained in military tactics. And he was a brilliant strategist when he let himself loose. He made a mistake. A lot of people made mistakes that day. But he’s an invaluable asset to our team. Let’s say that between his brains and my connections, if war is what you’re after, you’ll have it.”

  Ryder’s absolute faith in me, his devotion to our mission, made my heart swell.

  Someone knocked on the door and we looked at it in unison. I nudged Ryder back with my toe and slid off the comforter when Finn rose to answer it. Pitching my voice low, I said to Ryder, “One more question for you.”

  He quirked a grin. “And that would be?”

  “How did you know?” I held up the silver Zippo. “How did you know I was using my fire magic?”

  “I didn’t.” He curled his fingers around mine. “But I wanted you to be prepared whenever you were ready.”

  Chapter 13

  Turned out, it was a nero at the door.

  He introduced himself as Tau and had been sent to escort me to dinner. Finn and Ryder attempted to follow, but Tau was firm when he said it was only the Gods who would be dining with Phenex tonight. I put my foot down, though, when he tried to keep Briar from joining me. The nero blinked his almond-shaped eyes and, with veiled disdain, instructed us to follow.

  In retaliation, I was positive he took us the longest route through the maze of the palace, moving so quickly we hardly had time to admire the delicate furnishings and paintings. Not once did we see other nero moving about.

  I was so struck by our surroundings that I nearly ran into Tau when he stopped suddenly. While I was still reeling, he gestured at Joseph and Rose who lingered beneath a golden archway, bowed, then vanished behind one of the many silken tapestries hanging from the walls. I blinked after him as Briar wandered over to Rose.

  “About time you showed up, yeah?” Rose bumped knuckles with her.

  Rather than join them, I lifted the tapestry and felt the smooth wall of stone behind it. No edges of a door, no cleverly concealed latch, nothing.

  “Something’s not right about them,” Joseph mused. “They’re too subservient. I researched them back at the cabin and found out they’re about as warmongering as the pixies. For them to be this docile… it’s strange.”

  “Stereotypical much?” I deadpanned, though I agreed with his assessment. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but between their quiet demeanors and lowered gazes, the fey felt off. “Maybe these nero are comfortable here. Maybe there’s a whole band of them roaming the deserts, burning villages to the ground, and shooting strangers to make up for it.”

  I glanced to my left and found myself alone. I sighed. “Would you quit doing that?”

  Joseph grinned from the archway. He’d thought he was so clever when he’d figured out he could use his magic to carry his voice wherever he wanted it to go, like some strange version of tin-can telephone. The God of Air could even hear conversations from the other side of the room, though I’d threatened to remove a delicate bit of his anatomy if I ever caught him spying on me.

  A golden door engraved with sigils and patterns of the sun groaned, silencing the banter of the pixies. The double doors swung wide beneath the archway, revealing a room more than triple the size of my bedroom. A nero with a round face and long hair bound back with a strip of yellow leather appeared at the entrance. She flicked a hand at the table laden with food. “Please take a seat, Gods of Air, Water. Mr. Allard will be but a moment longer.”

  Her flinty gaze flicked over the lot of us, her frown deepening when she settled on me. I grinned. Finally, someone who did more than smile and nod.

  Rose captured my arm, her extra-digited fingers gripping hard. She’d shifted back into her emerald skin and swirling tribal tattoos at some point, and her braids had swooped forward, obscuring one inky eye. She’d twisted her whip in a loop that hooked around her shoulders and draped down her back in a ribbon of thorns. Like Briar, she’d strapped a sword to her hips with a braided black belt.

  “Promedis ad,” she hissed with force, reiterating the warning with a jab of her finger. “I don’t trust any of them, especially after that display in the courtyard.” She shook her head. “I understand why we’re here, and I understand that he’s in charge of the people who are our best shot of you figuring out what you need to do, but don’t let him get to you. He’s a valrax if I’ve ever seen one.”

  She looked so serious, so intensely focused, that my own resolve turned to steely focus. I was incredibly lucky to have people like Rose at my side, people as loyal as they were kind. I gripped her forearm in answer, squeezing hard in silent thanks. My other hand twisted a sign that, in my best interpretation, meant close companion—a term of deep respect and comraderie among friends.

  “Don’t ever change,” I said as she gaped. “Besides, if a slimy, gray worm tried to steal me away in the dead of night, I’d rip its beating heart right out of its body, like you showed me.”

  I ducked into the room with a chuckle. The door closed at my back.

  “If your intention was to give her a heart attack, congratulations on a job well done. She’s going to talk about nothing else for the next few days, and you know it,” Joseph said drolly, examining the spread on the table. It smelled decadent, a wonderful blend of meats and spices that I didn’t recognize, but despite my improved mood, my gut still churned. “Though I’d watch for Briar the next time you see her, she’s got a mean left hook.”

  “I’m no threat to her,” I murmured, circling the room.

  Like seemingly everything else in Phenex’s palace, this room, too, was lavish with riches: walls of black-veined green stone, hand-crafted trim pressed with gold-flakes, sparkling windows framed with white drapes of Egyptian cotton. Fey with blue skin and glossy wings peeked out from satiny clouds painted on the ceiling, flirting with us above the table large enough to seat twenty people.

  Tonight it was set for three.

  “I wish she’d make her move, already.” I tipped a chair back on two legs. “As smart as Rose is, she doesn’t pick up on nuance very wel
l.”

  “Patience, grasshopper.” Joseph tossed an apple back and forth. “Besides, you’re one to talk.”

  Before I could snap back, a door cleverly concealed within a painting opened across the room. Through it walked the djinn. Given everything else I’d observed, I’d expected more fanfare, but Phenex came alone, his magical signature carefully tucked away. He’d changed from his slate suit into a black one that set off the silver jewelry shimmering in his ears and on his fingers.

  “I apologize for my tardiness,” he said, sounding thoroughly unapologetic. “An unexpected matter arose that required my immediate attention.” Joseph and I exchanged a look. Two guesses who was the cause of that problem.

  “Is everything alright?” Joseph asked.

  “Nothing too troublesome.” Phenex boldly met my eyes as if daring me to unleash the creature that so intrigued him. I quirked a brow. Good luck with that. “Zara, you appear to have recovered, I’m glad to see. Shock can do strange things to people, yet again you’ve surprised me with your resilience.”

  My mouth moved before I could check myself. “Before you go thinking you’re something special, you should know I’ve had some practice with the whole nearly dying thing. It was bound to happen again at some point or another.”

  He tweaked his cuff links. “Yes, I’d heard an inkling of something along those lines. I’d be delighted to hear those stories sometime. I do love stories.” Phenex gestured at the table. “Please, sit. How rude of me, as my honored guests, to keep you standing like this.”

  Obligingly, Joseph and I took seats opposite one another. Only once we settled in did the djinn take his seat at the head of the table, his movements graceful and calculated. He reached for a plate of flat-bread and said, “We’ll be serving ourselves tonight, I hope that’s alright.”

  “Somehow we’ll manage,” Joseph said with a straight face as he piled food on his plate. “We appreciate you agreeing to meet with us.”

  “You’re most welcome.” Phenex frowned. “I could hardly turn down an invitation by the Gods, could I?”

  I spooned small piles of everything on my plate, though I had no intention of eating any of it. When my fellow God raised his fork, I kicked him under the table and shook my head. The djinn smirked when Joseph froze.

  “It would do me little good to poison you.” He took a hearty bite of steamed chicken drenched in a sauce of red and yellow spices. “Though the idea is intriguing.” He patted his lips with a cloth napkin. “Do you think so little of me?”

  “You attacked me out front of your home with no provocation.” I took a sip of water. At least my magic could tell me that was clean and clear. “I wouldn’t put much past you.”

  “That little test?” The djinn chewed some bread dipped in herbed oils. Despite his assurances, Joseph took care to only eat what Phenex had sampled first. “Hardly any cause for true concern. I wanted to see what you were made of. Ask anyone and you’ll quickly discover I’ve exercised similar engagements in the boardroom.”

  “What line of work are you in?” Joseph asked, lowering his fork.

  “A little of this, a little of that,” Phenex said. “Like your friend Ryder, I prefer to dabble.” His eyes glittered. “Have either of you heard of Senet?”

  It took true effort to keep my shock from my face. In terms of name recognition, it was one of the largest, most diversified companies in the world.

  “That’s yours?” Joseph asked, nodding to himself. “I suppose, given time, I would have put those pieces together. If I recall correctly, you’ve never been seen in public?”

  “Not if I can help it.” Phenex popped a last bite of chicken between his lips. “I prefer to maintain my privacy. Speaking of privacy.” He glanced my way. “Were you not instructed on where to find the bandages?”

  I was enjoying this, I realized, the sharp give and take reminding me of the banter among my teammates before swim meets.

  “I wear my badges with honor.” I lifted the short, lacy sleeve of my shirt. I’d refused to wear the silky dress the nero had brought to my room, insisting that dressing up would give Phenex too much power. But I had changed into my one nice shirt and opted to leave my jacket behind. “I’m not one to back away from a challenge—no matter who issues it.”

  The djinn eyed my matching fire and water brands with slow deliberation. A coldness settled over his features and he drank deeply from a crystal goblet containing a thick, red liquid.

  “It’s interesting that you should bring up challenges,” he said as the silence between us stretched a hair too far. “Because a very interesting one was issued yesterday.”

  Joseph set his fork beside his empty plate and folded his fingers together. “Well, don’t leave us in suspense here.”

  Phenex traced his lower lip. The room trembled as he deliberately peeled away a corner of the restraints binding his magic. “Unlimited wealth and unparalleled status to whoever turns you over to the Order… alive or dead.”

  My head roared as Joseph roped his magic tightly around him. I recognized the buzz of it as he raised a barrier of hardened air between us and the immediate threat in the room. However, I hovered, suspended in a strange state, staring at my glass with lethal calm. Despite hearing it from Geoffrey himself, despite having warned my friends, part of me still hadn’t come to grips with it actually being real. My Hand was back and he wanted me dead.

  I also had a funny feeling Phenex missed very little as he watched us with relish, his chin propped on the backs of his bridged fingers. I steeled myself against that expression, the one where the cat ate both the cream and the canary, and motioned at Joseph using the pixie sign to stand down. He glared at me as if I’d lost my damn mind, but retracted his shield.

  “Not worried about me, Water God?” Phenex asked. “Despite what you witnessed earlier, you think you can take me?”

  “I don’t think you’ve faced a real challenge in a very long time.” I leaned forward, seeing my glowing aquamarine eyes reflected in his. “And I think you underestimate how powerful we are. Even djinn are secondary to the Gods, no matter how much power and authority you’ve stolen.”

  If Phenex were a snake, his tail would be rattling.

  “Besides, you told us yourself that not only do you manage one of the largest and most entrepreneurial powerful organizations in the world, but you’ve also maintained absolute privacy.” I dragged my fingers across the table, scorch marks trailing across the wood. “At the end of the day, an offer of wealth and power wouldn’t mean much to you, so I have to imagine that you would have only been willing to kill us or turn us over for your own reasons. Since, to my understanding, you’ve attempted neither with any true intent, there must be something else you want from us. So tell me, Phenex, what exactly is going on here?”

  I curled my fist in my lap, waiting.

  “You’re correct,” Phenex said, leaning back in his chair. “I am disinclined to kill you at the moment.” His words hung there, their implication unspoken.

  The buzzing in my head returned and with it, the slow uncurling of another presence. About time. I wondered what specifically about this conversation appealed to Kaleal. Phenex frowned, I’d taken too long to respond, but Joseph jumped in.

  “If you’re not willing to help the Order, are you saying you’re willing to help us?”

  “And by help ‘us’ you mean…”

  “Find the God of Earth. You and the nero are the only creatures left who know where the Lost Temple is,” Joseph said.

  Phenex waved him off. “There are others who know where the Earth Temple lies, though it would take you considerable time and resources to uncover them.” He ran his thumb over his well-manicured nails. “Regardless, no. I haven’t reached a conclusion about assisting you on your quest yet.”

  I took a sip of water. “Is there anything you’d like to know that may help?”

  “Not in particular,” Phenex drawled. “There’s an edge of danger to this all that the world has been lack
ing for the past several centuries that I find appealing, but this is a decision I must make of my own accord.” He started to rise. “I’ll need some time to think it over. Now if you’d please—”

  Joseph’s eyes widened, his spine straightening. It was an expression I’d seen before, one that signaled some stroke of random brilliance that had crossed his mind. “Before you dismiss us, I have one more point I’d like to make.”

  Phenex lowered himself back down. I got the impression he hadn’t wanted to leave in the first place. For all his bluster, he, too, seemed to enjoy our banter.

  “Go ahead.”

  “You said you like stories, right?”

  The djinn’s eyes narrowed. “A great deal.”

  “Then allow me this liberty.” Joseph pushed his plate back and rolled his shoulders. I spun a funnel in my glass, trying not to smile. Joseph was one of the most well-read people I’d ever met. He was also an incredible story-teller, and I’d told him as much after a week of listening to him relay stories to his younger cousins before bed.

  I wondered where he was going with this one.

  He began:

  “In this tale, we focus on one of the ancient Gods, the Originals, the first to feel the clutch of Earth within his fingers. You see, this God was a clever sort. Davarius was curious about the world and how it worked. He loved experimenting.

  “But after many decades of this, he grew bored. He’d toyed with all the metals and minerals the world had to offer, he embraced the aid of water and fire. He had used all manner of material to assemble and destroy. But he’d never used his own blood.”

  Phenex’s coy smile slipped.

  “Davarius wondered about life, he wondered how it came to be, and he wondered if it could be created beyond the Earth’s natural means. As a God, surely he could have a say. It only made sense.”

  Joseph drained his glass. “He tried infusing his blood into metal and leaves and wood. He drew blood from his arms and legs and feet. Yet nothing happened, until one day, out of sheer frustration, he drove a needle directly into his heart. The act weakened him, and he dropped it. The vial shattered, his blood spattering everywhere. It quickly soaked into the sand.