by Kory Shen
We worked out a system where I indicated tree targets with a weak lightning bolt, and Kuri burned them down. Kuri was able to destroy individual trees much faster than I could with her superior control, but her expression grew strained after a few minutes of sustained effort. Sweat dripped from her arms.
"Kuri, are you okay?" I asked. "Take a break if you need to."
Kuri shook her head weakly. "No, this is my fault. Like before…"
"Kuri." I stopped marking her trees with lightning bolts. "Take a breather."
"No!" Kuri shouted. "I'm going to finish this."
"It's not like before. Trust me. Trust Mira. We're here to help this time. It'll be okay."
Kuri faltered even though she was standing still, taking a quick step to balance herself. I placed an armored hand on her shoulder to steady her, but she hissed at me.
"Don't touch me…"
I caught Kuri as she collapsed from exhaustion.
"Shit. Mira, can you tell if she's okay?" I glanced up at the roaring fire. My work there wasn't over yet, either, but I had an unconscious elf in my arms.
"I'm afraid Kuri's physiology is beyond my understanding." Mira said. "However, she is still breathing and appears to possess a pulse."
Kuri's ample chest rose and fell gently as I watched. Mira made a noise, drawing my attention away from the alluring motion of Kuri's breathing.
"How much longer to control the fire, if Kuri can't help?" I asked.
"Approximately ten more minutes at your past rate of work should suffice," Mira said.
I looked again at the unconscious elf. Ten minutes to control the fire. At least another fifteen minutes to return to the city and find a healer. I knew ten minutes could be a matter of life or death for a crucial wound, but Kuri didn't seem injured, just exhausted. But I had no idea how elf bodies differed from humans, or how the strain of magic affected the body.
"Mira, we need to finish up more quickly. Can we do that?" I asked.
"I can calculate an alternative course of action," Mira said. "The fire's range will be larger, but we will still prevent it from running free."
"Do it." I hoisted Kuri over my right shoulder, wrapping my arm around her thin waist. She was surprisingly light and easy to move, although I couldn't tell if that was because of her natural weight or my armor's heightened strength.
The green and blue lines in my vision vanished. A new series of blue lines appeared in their place.
"Calculations are complete," Mira said.
I spent the next five minutes burning down more trees while holding onto Kuri. Mira indicated when we were done, assuring me that the fire was now under control. I felt uneasy leaving the fiery blaze, but I wanted to get Kuri to a healer.
I cast one more glance at the raging inferno before running away with Kuri over my shoulder.
It was only then that the full impact of what we had done hit me.
We had started a fire on the king's land. Someone was going to be mad.
CHAPTER 13
I was halfway back to the city proper when something thunked against my back. It took me a second to realize that Kuri was awake. She was trying to speak, but too weakly for me to understand her.
"Jakson!" Mira shouted in my helmet. "I'm detecting a spike in armor surface temperatures."
Damn it. I shifted the fire mage off my shoulder and set her feet on the ground.
"…how dare you carry me…" Kuri's words jumbled together. Flames on her fingertips sputtered out.
"The hell, Kuri," I said. "I'm taking you to a healer."
"I don't need a healer."
She took a step forward, then tripped. I caught her before she hit the ground.
"Kuri…"
"I'm fine!" Kuri's fingers started smoldering again.
"Kuri, cut it out, or I'll whack you unconscious. I'm taking you to a healer."
Her voice slurred. "You can't…they can't find out…"
Find out what? Oh. I glanced at the headband covering her ears. She must have put it on again before joining me and Goran.
Kuri's eyes glazed over. "The forest…" she murmured.
I picked Kuri up, this time cradling her in my arms like a child. "Kuri, we have to get you to a healer. I know you don't want people to figure out your secret, but…"
Where else could I go? The old mage? Grandpa? Would he know how to help an elven fire mage?
I looked down at the golden-haired elf sprawled in my arms, her face flushed, mouth partly open. Her eyes flicked up to me, and I blinked, even though I still had my helmet on.
She was beautiful, secret pointy ears and all.
I couldn't leave her with Grandpa and let him have his way with her.
Vimm? He distrusted mages, and I doubted he knew much about elves, either.
The Temple? The Temple knew how to keep secrets, and Genna would be there.
"Kuri, what about the Temple?"
She was unconscious again, her head lolling backward. I shifted her head so that it was more upright.
The Temple it was.
* * *
The plump old priestess in a green Temple dress pointed her thick finger at me. I had made my way to the Temple, a tall building with spires of its own. A small castle, really, but with more decorative architecture. I had banged on the closed main entrance, but someone had opened a small door on the side instead.
"The answer's no, Sentinel," the priestess said. "You'll have to find somewhere else for your little tryst." She clucked in disapproval at Kuri's unconscious form in my arms.
I stared at the woman. "What?"
She shooed me away. "Just because we agreed to pay your protection fee doesn't mean you can bully us around. Go! We're not some lover's inn."
I frowned as the woman's full meaning became clear.
"I think you have the wrong idea," I said. I nodded at Kuri with my armored helmet. "She's sick. She needs help."
"Find a healer," the woman said. She shut the door, but I stuck my foot in the ornate doorway. The door smacked into my armored boot. She narrowed her eyes.
"I can't go to a healer. She has a special condition. A secret condition."
"Yes, I've heard the same sob story. You'll have to find a discreet healer to take care of the consequences of your sin. The Temple is a respectable organization."
"No, that's not—"
The woman's finger bounced off my chest plate. "Do you think you're the first pampered noble boy with lady problems? If you two had simply kept your breeches on—"
"Look, can I talk to someone else?" I said. "Is Genna here? I'm her friend."
The woman slammed the door shut on my foot again.
"Genna!" I yelled into the corridor beyond the woman. She changed positions, trying to block the doorway with her considerable girth.
"Genna!" Even if yelling her name was a long shot, I hoped someone more reasonable would come along to check on the fuss. That gave me an idea.
"Mira, can you help me yell in a louder voice?" I asked.
"I can increase your broadcasting volume," Mira replied.
"Do it."
I waited for a second, then yelled again. "Genna!" This time, my voice thundered past the doorway, echoing loudly through the corridors beyond. "Genna!" I repeated.
The woman covered her ears with her hands. "Quiet down! You'll disturb the afternoon prayer!"
I kept up my antics for another minute before someone arrived. "What's that?" another woman's voice asked, one that I recognized. I glimpsed a flash of red hair.
The older woman beat my helmet with thick fists as I poked my head past her, but I hardly noticed.
"Genna," I cried.
Genna was wearing a green temple dress, similar to the woman at the door, but slightly more elaborate. She covered her ears at my greeting.
"Don't yell so loudly!" she shouted back.
"Sorry," my amplified voice boomed. I whispered as softly as I could. "Mira, put my voice back to normal."
"Done," M
ira replied.
"Who are you?" Genna asked. "And why are you shouting my name?"
The other woman sighed in exasperation and moved out of the doorway. Genna spotted Kuri. "What's wrong with her? Do you need help?"
I smiled. Genna always had a kind heart for those in need.
I tapped the side of my helmet, and it flowered open.
"Jaks?" Genna gasped. "What?" She looked at my armor, then at Kuri again.
"She needs a healer," I said, "but she has a secret…I couldn't go to anyone else."
"Bring her inside. I'll take care of it," Genna answered.
The other woman started to protest, but Genna hushed her. "I'm sure the High Priestess would approve of helping a woman in need," Genna said.
"I'm sure she would," I agreed loudly, giving the other woman a disapproving look. I clucked my tongue at her.
"But, but…" The other woman kept quiet.
"Follow me," Genna said, already walking deeper into the corridor. I quickly followed, still holding Kuri in my arms.
"What happened to her?" Genna asked.
"I'm not sure. Maybe just exhausted. She's a mage. She was using too much magic and fainted."
Genna raised an eyebrow. "A mage? Is that her secret?"
"Yeah, a fire mage, but that's not her secret." I leaned closer to Genna to whisper in her ear, but I couldn't get too close with my armor.
"Oh, I see," Genna said, looking at Kuri again. She caressed the headband over Kuri's ears. "A foreigner. With special ears."
I looked at Genna in surprise. "How did you know? At least so quickly?"
Genna gave me a smile, the kind that held its own secrets. "It's a woman thing," she said.
"Oh, come on, Genna."
Genna's smile disappeared. "I can't talk about some things."
"Not even to me? Your good old Jaks?"
Genna didn't respond.
"Like why a brand new acolyte can boss around older priestesses?" I asked. I hadn't missed the implications of that interaction.
Genna frowned. "You're too clever for your own good."
"Right back at you," I said.
Genna shook her head. "Not now. We need to take care of Kuri." She glanced back at me, then at Kuri. "You find her quite attractive, don't you? Even with her secret?"
Genna's remark caught me by surprise. My helmet's front was still open, so I didn't have its safety to hide my confusion. For once, I didn't have a reply.
Genna giggled as she led me further into the Temple. "You're so cute when you're embarrassed," she said.
"I'm not embarrassed," I said, frowning.
Genna smirked as she slowed down to walk side by side with me. She leaned against my shoulder, her face close to Kuri's and mine.
"She does have a striking figure. And lovely eyes." Genna moved away, back to a few steps in front of me.
What was going on with Genna? I had been telling the truth. I wasn't embarrassed about bringing an attractive woman to Genna.
What bothered me was that Genna had known Kuri's name before I had ever mentioned it.
* * *
Genna brought Kuri to a healer's ward, where they had shooed me away. Everyone I had seen at the Temple was a woman, and some of them gave me dirty looks as if I was fouling up the place just by existing.
I waited outside the healer's ward for half an hour or so before Genna came out. My stomach grumbled with the lunch I had missed.
"How is she?" I asked.
"She should be fine," Genna said. "The healer has experience with magical fatigue. Kuri should recover with a good night's rest."
"The Temple deals with magical cases?" That was news to me, although not surprising. The Temple had a reputation for dabbling in the mystical arts, among other things. It was why I had brought Kuri here.
Genna pursed her lips. "I shouldn't say more."
"And her secret?" I asked.
"It won't leave the Temple. On the other hand, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"No time for me now that you're a Temple priestess?"
"It's not that…"
"But you are a priestess? I thought you were a beginner acolyte. I thought it took years to complete the training."
Genna looked at her feet. "It does. I'm…a special case."
"Genna. We never kept secrets from each other." Well, I didn't tell her everything about Vimm's business, but that was for her own good. She'd end up trying her hand at a con job if she thought it was interesting.
"Do you really want to know?" Her green eyes peered into my face, a mixture of worry and excitement lingering in them.
So she wanted to tell me, but it would be a bad idea. I sighed.
"You tell me when you're ready," I said. There was no need to get Genna into trouble for my curiosity's sake. "Just keep an eye on Kuri."
Genna nodded. "We'll want to watch her overnight to make sure she recovers properly." Mischief crept into her sparkling eyes. "And I want to have a chat with your new flame."
"She's a friend and colleague," I protested. "Nothing of the sort."
"You don't have to lie. I won't be jealous."
I could have let Genna's teasing slide, but her strange behavior made me want to prod further.
"It's true. The things I want to do with both of you. At the same time." I winked.
Genna gasped. "Jaks!"
I closed my eyes. "Oh my. I can see it now. Mmm." I imagined Genna riding a cow like a horse, with Kuri on a large pig next to her.
Genna stared at me, then tried to keep herself from laughing. "Oh, Jaks." She was never good at hiding her emotions.
But I had a suspicion of what was happening to Genna.
I snapped the helmet shut. "I'm ready to go now. Lead away, priestess."
CHAPTER 14
It was halfway through the afternoon by the time I reached the barracks again. I had debated whether to head straight to the kitchen in my armor but decided against it. I was on my way to our shared little room when a scrawny boy approached.
The thin youth had a lazy look about him, not like my group back with Vimm. "You Jakson?" he mumbled.
"Yeah, that's me," I said.
"The king wants to see you," the boy drawled, as if that was the most common request in the world.
He turned and walked away.
"Wait, about what? Where do I meet him?"
The boy shrugged and sauntered away without replying.
I dumped my armor in my room, then ran towards the castle. I assumed that the king would be in the throne room. But what was this about?
I groaned as I considered the possibilities.
The shit house. Probably not.
The forest fire. A good chance of that.
Kuri. Maybe.
My armor. Another likely reason.
I prayed to Yora that it wasn't about the forest fire.
After several minutes of navigating the castle and being interrogated by castle guards, I was eventually allowed to enter the throne room.
"Sir Jakson, your Majesty," the doorman announced as I stepped inside for the second time in two days.
Sir Jakson. I liked the sound of that.
My father sat on his throne, his face giving no indication of his thoughts. Guards lined the throne room as usual. Lexley stood to the side of the throne, smiling.
Not good.
I approached cautiously, stopping ten paces from the throne. I waited for my father to speak first.
"Jakson," my father said. "I heard that you've been burning my kingdom."
Damn Yora. It was about the forest fire. There was no point in denying it. Not with a mile of smoking forest as evidence.
"I was attacked," I said. "I merely defended myself."
"By burning down my forest?" My father pounded his fist on the armrest of his throne. The loud thump echoed throughout the throne room. "Do you have any idea how valuable the forest is? The lumber, the game."
"I…" I hadn't thought about that. "I focused on defen
ding myself, your Majesty. Sir Goran the Rock Knight attacked me without provocation. He seemed intent on using deadly force. I had no choice but to respond in kind."
My father looked to Lexley. "Sir Goran is in your division, is he not? Bring him here."
Lexley shrugged. "Sir Goran is away on a scouting mission to the west. He left this morning. I'm afraid he won't be back for a few weeks."
"How convenient," I muttered. Long enough for his burns to heal.
"Speak up, boy," my father said.
"He's lying," I said. "Sir Goran attacked me this morning. Another Sentinel can support my testimony."
"Who?" Lexley asked. "That mage whore of yours? We know that she's in your pocket. Or rather you're inside her pocket." The guards snickered.
"Where is the mage?" my father asked. "I'd like to question her as well."
"She's…sick," I said.
"How convenient." Lexley mirrored my earlier statement. "Go fetch her. Where is she?"
"I can't. She's with the Temple," I replied. "You know how strict they can be."
My father's eyes narrowed. "The Temple? I see. So both Sir Goran and the mage are absent. What was her name? Kuri?"
I looked at my father. Was he playing a game? I was suddenly unsure about the purpose of the meeting. Was it to punish me? But Lexley had said he wanted me to quit on my own. No, something else was going on.
"Tell me," Lexley said. "Did you start the fire on your own, or did this mage have any part in it?" Lexley casually examined his fingernails as he spoke. Too casually.
The danger wasn't to me. It was to Kuri. Lexley wouldn't give a damn about getting rid of her.
"She didn't have anything to do with it. She was bathing when that knight of yours attacked."
"Bathing?" Lexley laughed. "And what were you doing? Bathing with her? See, I knew she was a whore."
I clenched my jaw, breathing deeply through my nostrils. "I was standing guard to protect her honor. As a knight should. As the First Champion, I'm sure you're well versed in the concept of honor, aren't you?"
Lexley's face darkened. "Watch your tongue, bastard."
My father waved his hand. "Quiet, Lexley." He addressed me again. "You started the forest fire on your own?"
