Burn

by Keri Arthur

  Kaiden pulled up close to the shelf and then stopped the skid and turned off the engine, though he left the light on. The engine rattled on for several minutes and then cut out with a groan that rather sounded like the last breath of a dying beast. It was an impression deepened by the tendrils of gray smoke drifting upward and the strengthening scent of burning.

  “That doesn’t look or smell too good,” Kaiden said.

  He climbed off the skid, then turned and offered me a hand up—and kept hold as my legs threatened to buckle underneath me. How could being frozen have created such weakness in my limbs? Surely if I’d gone into the coruscation fighting fit—and I had—then that was the way I should have come out? Or did it work along similar lines as those who were bedbound for weeks or months on end, the result of which was severe muscle wastage? I was nowhere near that bad, but it was nevertheless frustrating that I couldn’t do what I used to—especially when it only felt like days ago for me.

  I took a deep breath and concentrated on locking my knees. It was pointless bitching about things I couldn’t immediately change. “How far away is the pass if we have to walk?”

  “Too far. Are you all right?” When I nodded, he released my hand and then motioned toward the boxes and sacks on the nearby shelf. “You want to check those and see what you can find?”

  I nodded and headed toward the rough stone steps. He pried open the skid control section; smoke fled upward, and the thick stench of burning increased.

  “This really isn’t good,” he muttered.

  “Do you actually know anything about engines?” I pulled my stolen Ithican knife free from its sheath, pried open the first box, and discovered an assortment of clothes and jackets. The latter would have been handy during the ice storm, because although they looked like regular woolen jackets on the outside, metallic threads had been woven through the inside lining and would have lessened the force of the daggers.

  “No more than the ordinary layman.”

  “Meaning you can fix the skid or not?” I moved on to the next box and had barely cracked it open when the smell of rot hit. I gagged and slammed the lid back down again. I had no idea if it was meat or something else inside, but it sure as hell wasn’t consumable. Not when it smelled like that.

  “Unless we can find parts, I don’t think so. Two batteries are dead, and two more are smoking.”

  “Batteries aren’t supposed to smoke, are they?”

  “No. And until they cool down, I’m not going near them.” He bounded up the steps and used the barrel of his gun to pry open another box. “Oh, this is handy.”

  He pulled out what looked to be some sort of assault rifle and ran a check on it. “In working condition, too.”

  “I take it there’s ammo inside as well?”

  He nodded. “Several loops, from the look of it.”

  “Handy indeed.” I opened a sack that held more clothes, then moved to a larger stack of boxes. As I moved a smaller box off the top to check it, a gleam of silver caught my eye. I put the box down and walked around. Behind the stack, close to the wall, was what I’d known as a scooter. Unlike the vehicles Arleeon produced, these Gallion-designed ones used a mix of magic and electromagnetic repulsion technology that drew on the earth’s crisscrossing energy lines to move. Those same lines also provided coordinates for the navigation systems. They were fast, fairly silent, and shaped like fat tadpoles that could, at a push, fit two people in them. Zephrine might have had her drakkons, but they weren’t exactly easy to hide, even when flying high. Our ground forces had used scooters like this whenever a quick, undercover scout mission had been necessary. Or even for a daring rescue deep in the heart of Mareritt territory.

  Anxiety stirred, but I pushed it aside. If I’d survived, then surely Sorrel would have. She was stronger, fiercer, and smarter than me.

  “It would seem Túxn is feeling sorry for us tonight, because I just found a replacement vehicle.” I pressed the door release button; once it had risen, I leaned in and hit the starter. The engines spluttered for several seconds, then a soft whine kicked in and the control board lit up. “Though I’d like to know why, if you’ve access to these things, you’re still using the skids.”

  “Because the skids are forgettable. These are not.” Kaiden pressed a cold hand against my spine and leaned into the cabin. “I’d still rather use a skid than this thing, but we have no choice. We need to get to the pass before they send reinforcements, and this is our best bet.”

  “They’re looking for two people on a skid rather than a scooter.”

  “Yes, but scoots are only used within the occupied zone by the Mareritt. It’ll be easy enough for them to check if there’s been an authorization for scoot movement in this area.”

  “So we move at night?”

  “Yes.” He glanced at me. “Do you want to strip out of those wet clothes and tend to your wounds?”

  I nodded. “You’d better do the same. And get some sealer onto that head wound, too.”

  “What? No offer to look after it for me?” He shook his head, his woebegone expression at odds with the amusement lurking in his bright eyes. “Where’s the caring? And after I so generously let you sleep last night.”

  “You’re a big boy,” I said, amused. “I’m sure you’re quite capable of taking such a task in hand.”

  “Only when I absolutely have to.” The amusement grew stronger. “Which isn’t often, let me assure you.”

  I laughed and nudged him out of the way with my shoulder. “I can imagine. In fact, I bet you’ve a whole bevy of beauties waiting for you in Esan who’d be more than happy to take such a task in hand.”

  “Indeed I have.” It was lightly said but held an odd note of seriousness. “But sometimes the bevy isn’t enough.”

  I glanced across at him, and my amusement died. “And sometimes wanting more is dangerous, especially when the road ahead is uncertain and perilous.”

  “Yet there are times when the risk is worth it.”

  I half smiled, though there was more than a little uncertainty in it. “And times when it isn’t. At least not until the end is known.”

  He studied me, his expression shuttered. “I wouldn’t have thought kin to be risk averse.”

  “It depends entirely on what they’re risking.” Which, in my case, was possibly my only remaining relative and the drakkon who was my soul. If they were still in the coruscations, then any delay—however minor—could be fatal. For them, and for the fate of Arleeon itself.

  He continued to study me for several more seconds and then nodded. I wasn’t entirely sure whether it was in agreement or an indication of a challenge accepted.

  And not entirely sure how I felt about either.

  We stripped off in silence, tended to our wounds, and then dressed in the fresh clothes we’d taken from the old farmhouse. After we’d finished checking the rest of the boxes—finding a few more ammunition packages and a couple of handguns, but little else useful—Kaiden edged the scooter from behind the stacks while I walked across to the first box I’d opened and sorted through the jackets until I’d found two of a suitable size.

  Once the scooter was packed, I climbed into the rear and squashed down into the seat. The sloping rear end of the vehicle meant sitting upright wasn’t exactly an option, and the position was likely to get uncomfortable as the night wore on.

  Kaiden climbed into the front, shut the door, and then gently pressed the control stick forward. The soft whine of the engines filled the silence as the vehicle rose several inches off the ground and then slowly scooted forward.

  Our speed didn’t increase once we were out of the cavern. The underbellies of scooters were notoriously fragile, and the rough terrain of the foothills needed to be traversed carefully or we’d incapacitate the vehicle before we’d gotten too far.

  Once we were back out on the main road, Kaiden unleashed the scoot’s speed. The night slipped by quickly and quietly.

  The red and gold flags of dawn were coloring t
he night sky when he finally slowed. I shifted position, wincing as my cramped legs protested, and then leaned forward. There was no obvious sign of the pass, and the landscape around us was a mix of bare, broken tree remnants and rocky red outcrops that rose skyward like stiffened fingers.

  “How far ahead is the pass?”

  “Half a mile, give or take.” He slowed the scoot down some more. “I think it’d be wise to scout the area first and see if they’ve reinforced the gateway or not.”

  I nodded, even though no matter how many guards waited for us—be it two or twenty—taking them out would not only announce our current position but also where we were headed. Which, of course, meant that unless our attack was so fast and so furious that the first checkpoint had no chance to forewarn the others, the other two would be ready and waiting for us. How we were going to get through them I had no idea—and I suspected Kaiden didn’t either. He seemed to be working on the “one thing at a time” principle.

  Kaiden pulled off the main road again and followed a twisty path through the trees. After a few minutes, a cave appeared. He carefully edged inside, parked in the shadows to the left of the entrance, and then killed the engine and opened the door. I followed him out and then stretched my arms over my head in an effort to ease the cramped soreness in my back.

  “It’ll take twenty minutes to get to the lookout.” He handed me a rifle and an ammo loop. “We can decide our next course of action once we see what the situation is.”

  I nodded and slung the loop over my shoulder. “And our packs? Do we leave them here or take them with us?”

  He hesitated. “Leave them for now. We can always come back if necessary. Ready?”

  When I nodded, he turned and led the way out of the cave. The rain was now little more than mist that silvered the nearby leaves and clung lightly to our coats and hair, but the air was cold enough to frost each breath. We made our way along the ridge, following a path that was a mix of stone and earth; the latter clung to my boots, making it feel like there were weights under each.

  As the sunrise kissed the skies with ever-brighter layers of color, Kaiden moved off the path and climbed a steep hill, heading toward a thick slab of stone that jutted sideways into emptiness. As we neared the edge, he dropped onto his stomach and crab-crawled the rest of the way. I did the same and stopped beside him.

  The pass lay below us—a ragged, flat-bottomed V that had been cut into the mountain by both time and the river that ran along its base. Between the two sides of the mountain lay a curved wall that shone like red glass in the growing light of day. At least six guards stood on top of the wall, and four more stood on either side of the central wooden gateway.

  “How in the wind’s name are we going to get through those gates without being seen?”

  “I’m not sure we can.” He scanned the area for a moment, his expression troubled. “There’s usually only a token force of four stationed at each of the checkpoints; if this one has been boosted, the others probably have, too.”

  “Which isn’t really surprising given this pass is the most obvious access point into West Laminium for escapees like us.”

  “Yes, but I didn’t expect them to move so fast. They usually don’t.”

  “I bet they don’t usually get attacked by someone capable of using flame the way I do, either.”

  “That is a certainty.” He pursed his lips, his gaze narrowing. “As I see it, we have two choices—we hit them hard or fast here, or we risk going through the tunnel.”

  “And getting blown to smithereens by another tank. I'd rather fight my way through three damn checkpoints than chance that happening again. Besides, if they’ve already fortified this pass, they’ll surely have done similar to the tunnel.”

  “Undoubtedly.” He paused. “Can you drive a scooter?”

  I glanced at him. “I ride drakkons, remember?”

  “So that would be a no?”

  I grimaced. “I know how in principle, but I’ve only done it a couple of times. I tended to walk around Zephrine rather than use the transports.”

  “Then I’d better do it.”

  “It makes more sense anyway—you can be the distraction while I’ll be the hammer.”

  He nodded. “The path we followed to get up here winds through the forest and then back down to the pass. You should end up a few hundred yards from the wall.”

  A few hundred yards which—from the look of it—was all open space. But even so, I’d be in a far safer position up until that point than Kaiden. There was no cover on the road leading to the gate.

  “If they shoot first and ask questions later, you’re going to be in trouble—the scooter won’t offer any protection.”

  “Except they’re expecting the skid, not a scooter. I’ll be fine until they stop me and ask for identification. Let’s move.” He slithered down the outcrop, then rose and helped me up. “It’ll take you about half an hour to get down near the gates. Wait in the trees until the Mareritt move out to stop me. Once their attention is caught, hit everyone on the wall with fire. I’ll take care of the others.”

  I nodded. “Be careful, Kaiden. We have no idea how many other Mareritt are in there.”

  “I will. Make sure you do, too.”

  I half smiled. “I have no intention of dying until I at least get some answers.”

  “Good.” He half raised a hand, as if to touch my cheek, then checked the movement and stepped back. “Go.”

  I did so. His gaze followed me—a heat that burned into my back and stirred a need that had little chance of release in the near, and perhaps even distant, future.

  By the time I reached the top of the hill, my legs ached, and every breath was a short, sharp rasp. I paused to suck air into my burning lungs and studied the valley below. Three of the four gate guards now stood to the right of the entrance. Given the amount of arm waving and the guttural barks I could hear, they were either having an argument or a very animated discussion. The lone guard stood at ease but even from here looked bored. As did the six men atop the wall. All of which at least played into our favor—for the moment, at least.

  I started down the hill, following the slight path as quickly as I dared. The wind remained icy, but the clouds that had dominated the sky for the better part of the last day and night appeared to be breaking up—which was both good and bad. There was enough ice in my body and mind already; I certainly didn’t need any more in the form of storms. But they had at least provided some cover. Blue skies and sunshine just made it that much easier for the drakkons and their masters to find us.

  My hair and face dripped with sweat by the time I reached the end of the forest. I leaned against a tree to catch my breath and studied the long sweep of emptiness between the wall and me. I’d be visible the minute I stepped out, so I just had to hope Kaiden’s diversionary tactic worked. Otherwise, we were in all sorts of trouble.

  I raised my gaze to the top of the wall. Only three Mareritt were currently visible, which was frustrating. I needed to know where all six were, because I didn’t want to waste energy unnecessarily. We had no idea how many more were inside, but I had a bad feeling my fire strength was going to be put to the test yet again.

  I continued on, following the tree line but keeping out of sight. I eventually spotted one of the missing men—he leaned over the parapet above the gate, obviously listening to the three arguing below—but the other two remained out of sight.

  As the day grew brighter, the guttural growls of the three Mareritt increased. I couldn’t help hoping the escalating argument would end in violence. It'd certainly make things a whole lot easier for us if it did.

  Unfortunately, that wasn’t a piece of luck Túxn appeared willing to grant. One of the arguing Mareritt spun around and stomped through the gate, and the other two resumed watch.

  The drizzle had eased by the time Kaiden appeared. I flexed my fingers in a vague effort to blunt the tension humming through me. One of the guards walked into the middle of the road and raise
d a hand. The other two remained where they were, their pose casual and unconcerned.

  I studied the top of the wall again. Four guards were visible—three on my side and one on the right. I still had no idea where the other two were, but there wasn’t much I could do about it now except hope they revealed themselves sooner rather than later.

  The scooter slowed. Heat burned through my blood, and my fingertips began to glow. While I was probably too far away for the guards on the wall to see the glimmer, I nevertheless clenched them. It was always better to be safe than sorry when it came to the ice scum.

  The scooter came to a halt several yards shy of the guard, forcing him to walk on. As he did, the door began to rise. I reached for the heat burning through my veins and, after a deep breath to fortify nerves still unused to being ground-bound when on the attack, flung it toward those on the wall. The comet-like force of tumbling, fiery energy hit the nearest guard and cindered him in an instant. I flicked the ball sideways, running it along the length of the wall, hitting three more guards before those below even suspected something was wrong.

  I bolted out of the trees and raced across the emptiness, heading for the gate and Kaiden. He leaped out of the scooter and started firing. Two men went down, then three. A fourth came out of the gateway; a barrage of gunfire forced Kaiden to jump behind the scooter. Bullets pinged off its metal shell and tore thick gashes into its sides. I swung my fireball around and down and let it explode at the front of the gate. The guard firing at Kaiden—and anyone else in that immediate area—was ash in an instant.

  Then a klaxon rang out, the strident sound harsh in the silence of the early morning.

  Deep within the pass, a second siren sounded.