Fire Study - Study 03 s-4

by Мария Снайдер

  “What about the Sandseeds? They left their clan unprotected in the plains. They might need help, and we should tell them about Moon Man and Tauno.”

  “Tell them what? That we lost them? I’d rather tell them Tauno is afraid of heights and Moon Man is claustrophobic.”

  And I would rather have them with us. Delaying the decision, I said, “Our direction of travel is the same for either the Citadel or the plains. Tomorrow we’ll go north.”

  Leif agreed. He spread his bedroll by the fire and lay down. Using Kiki’s saddle as a pillow, I put my cloak on and tried to get comfortable on the cold ground next to Leif.

  “You should move closer to the fire. You’ll freeze,” Leif said.

  “I’m fine.”

  He was quiet for a while. “Perhaps Moon Man and the others are lost.”

  “Doubtful. If they were lost in the jungle, I would have found them.”

  “Marrok’s afraid of getting lost,” Leif said in a soft voice. “And you’re afraid of—”

  “Leif, go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.” I rolled over, turning my back to him. I didn’t want him to put a name to my fear. Naming it made it true.

  Cold and uncomfortable, I tossed and turned, trying to sleep. Disturbing dreams of fire and death invaded my mind. Flames would spark in a benevolent dream, here and there until they multiplied and consumed the picturesque scene, burning the images into a storm of black ash. I woke coughing on imaginary smoke, my body coated with sweat.

  To avoid the nightmares, I watched the moon rise above the forest’s trees. When Ferde had been on his soul-stealing rampage, the Master Magicians and I theorized the timing of his ritual murders were linked to the phases of the moon. We were wrong. He just needed enough time to torture his victims into submitting their wills to him so he could steal their souls when they died. The old Efe symbols and ritual he used to collect their souls would have made him the most powerful magician in Sitia if he been able to gather all twelve of them.

  Valek and I had stopped him from absorbing Gelsi’s soul and completing the ritual, but now he was free to try again. And Cahil helped him. How could he? I couldn’t really believe Cahil would get involved after witnessing what Ferde did to those girls. But he had assisted with Ferde’s escape from the Keep’s protective cells, and now traveled with him. Was he that greedy for power? He could no longer claim the Ixian throne. Did he want to rule Sitia instead?

  I studied the moon. Waxing toward full, the bright disk lit the landscape. I wondered about the moon’s power and why certain things like the Kirakawa ritual needed the moon’s presence to work. I could feel the invisible layer of power blanketing the sky, but I felt nothing from the moon.

  In a subtle flicker of the light, Moon Man coalesced out of a blue shaft of moonlight as if he had been summoned by my thoughts. He stood next to our fire without clothes or his weapon.

  Are you a dream? I asked him.

  Deep lines of exhaustion etched his face, but he managed a weary smile and said, Perhaps I have always been a dream. What do you think?

  I think I’m too tired to discuss Story Weaver philosophy with you right now. And if you’re not real, then, at least, make yourself useful and tell me where you really are!

  I am here. Moon Man slumped to his knees.

  CHAPTER 12

  I JUMPED TO MY FEET and ran to Moon Man’s prone form by the campfire. Wrapping my cloak around Moon Man’s muscular shoulders, I shared energy with him.

  “Are you all right? What happened? Where are the others?” I asked.

  “Everyone is fine. I will explain later.” He pulled the edge of my cloak closer to his face.

  “Will you? Or will you just spout some vague details in typical Story Weaver style?”

  He answered with a soft snore.

  I suppressed the desire to share more power with him and wake him. Sleep was the best way for Moon Man to recover his strength after using magic. Unfortunately, I couldn’t sleep. I grabbed an extra blanket from Leif’s saddlebags and spread it over Moon Man. My cloak didn’t seem adequate protection for him against the chilly night air. Despite my reluctance, I added some logs and coaxed the fire into a warm blaze.

  As I stared at the dancing flames, I wondered what other surprises waited for me. The answers would be revealed in time, but my ability to deal with them remained uncertain.

  Even with the loud calls of shoppers and stand owners from the bustling market, Moon Man didn’t wake until the sun reached its apex. By the time the Story Weaver finished eating the meal Leif had thoughtfully prepared for him, my impatience had built up enough energy that I could probably scale a smooth tree without the aid of a rope.

  “Tell us everything,” I demanded before he could swallow his final bite.

  He smiled at my agitation. Weariness still pulled at his features, but his eyes sparked with an amused glint.

  “And don’t try any of that cryptic Story Weaver mumbo jumbo or I’ll…”

  “What?” Moon Man asked.

  “I’ll hurt you. Bad. So talk.”

  Moon Man glanced at Leif.

  My brother shrugged. “I’ve seen her swinging that stick around. Now, if you had your scimitar…”

  “Too risky,” Moon Man said. He saw the rising fury in my eyes and wisely began telling us what had happened.

  “After you and Leif distracted the Fire Warper, we chased the Vermin through the jungle. And would have caught them if you had not needed my help.” Moon Man aimed a pointed stare at me. “How is the scout?”

  “Alive and well,” I said.

  “Back to his old self?”

  I hesitated, but I wouldn’t let Moon Man change the subject. “He’s fine. Continue your story.”

  “Helping you drained all my energy and I needed to rest for a while,” Moon Man said. “Marrok tracked the Vermin to the Illiais Market and then north to the city of Booruby. It is a thriving place and we lost the Vermin’s trail. Too many people.”

  He shuddered. The motion reminded me of Leif’s claim that Moon Man was claustrophobic. The city was the complete opposite of the wide open space of his home in the Avibian Plains. Located at the northern tip of the Cowan Clan’s lands, Booruby’s eastern side bordered the plains, and was too far for my magic to reach.

  “Where are the others?” Leif asked.

  “We rented a room at one of the inns. I left Tauno and Marrok there to hunt down any information about the Daviians while I rejoined you.”

  Leif looked around the campsite. “How, exactly, did you get here?”

  Moon Man grinned. “A secret Story Weaver power.”

  “You used the moonlight,” I said.

  He beamed his approval. “I came through the shadow world. Moonlight reveals the world of shadows, allowing access.”

  “Is that where you showed me the story of my life?” I asked, remembering the dark plain that had transformed into visions of my childhood.

  “Yes. It is a place where I unravel story threads to help others learn from their past as they weave their future.”

  “Is it a physical place?” I had been there twice. The second time Moon Man had brought Leif and me to untangle our knots of hostility and anger toward each other. Each time, though, I had felt intangible, as if my body had turned into smoke.

  “It exists in the shadows of our world.”

  “Can anyone with magical powers get into the shadow world?”

  “So far, only Story Weavers have the ability. But I am waiting to see if there is another who is brave enough to claim that gift.” His eyes met mine, and I caught a glimpse of shadows. I looked away.

  Breaking the silence, Leif said, “However you arrived, you still need to work on your transportation skills. Maybe next time you can bring some clothes along with you.”

  Leif and I bought Moon Man a tan-colored tunic and pants, and we purchased supplies for the trip. Packing the saddlebags, I readied the horses. Moon Man would ride Garnet until we reached Booruby.

&n
bsp; We went north, taking a well-used path through the forest. I scanned our surroundings with my magic, but thought the odds of being ambushed remained low because of all the other caravans and travelers crowding the trail. Leif also used his magic to smell the intentions of the Vermin, but he couldn’t discern anything.

  Once we reached Booruby, we would find the others and decide our next move. I brooded over the fact we had lost the Vermin and worried about which direction Cahil and Ferde had gone. Back to the plains or plateau? Or engaging in another scheme to gain power?

  Ferde had kidnapped Tula from her home in Booruby. His only victim found alive, Tula had been sent to the Magician’s Keep. I healed her body and found her soul only to lose both to Ferde. Guilt welled in my throat. His freedom ate at my heart.

  I tightened my grip on the reins, causing Kiki to snort in agitation.

  Sorry. I relaxed. I was thinking about Ferde and Cahil.

  Peppermint Man like apple, Kiki said, referring to Cahil.

  Why do you say that? I knew Kiki loved apples.

  He black apple. No one wants.

  I saw an image of rotting apples on the ground.

  Bad. But good come.

  Kiki showed how the seeds inside grew roots and became a tree after the apple decayed. Are you saying a good thing might come from Peppermint Man? Or if he dies, it would be beneficial?

  Yes.

  Cryptic horse advice? Well now I could die happy—I’d heard it all.

  Two days later, we reached Booruby. Clusters of wooden and stone houses marked the outskirts of the city. The forest thinned. And the clear air fogged to a haze of smoke, coal dust and sawdust that hovered over the main street’s buildings. The thick air assaulted us with the smells of garbage mixed with human waste. People bustled along the walkways and wagons full of goods choked the roads. Stores and stands had been wedged between factories and business offices.

  Moon Man’s alarmed face showed his discomfort as we maneuvered our horses through the crowded streets. He led us to the Three Ghosts Inn. The stone-faced building leaned its narrow four-story height against its neighbor. Through a tight alley, we led the horses to an empty stable just big enough to hold six horses.

  The stalls were clean and had fresh straw and water. A stable boy soon joined us as we took off the horses’ saddles. The quiet boy helped us groom and feed them. He shot me a shy smile when I tipped him.

  We had passed a number of inns on our way into the city. “Why this inn?” I asked Moon Man as we carried our bags through the alley.

  “I liked the name. Although…” He paused as if deep in thought.

  “Although?” I prompted.

  “I have not encountered the three ghosts. Perhaps you will have better luck.”

  I laughed. “You don’t really believe in ghosts?”

  Moon Man stopped and I bumped into him. He turned around, revealing his shocked expression. “How can you not? They are lost souls. You can help them find their way. Like you did for Reyad.”

  I put a hand out to steady myself. “Reyad was…” The man I had killed in Ixia. The reason I had been awaiting execution before Valek offered me the food taster’s job. “How did you—”

  “Story Weaver, remember? I know all the threads that are woven into your life.”

  “But I thought his ghost had been my imagination. A manifestation of my fears. Why haven’t I seen any others? If I can help them, why aren’t they all around me?”

  “Perhaps they are and you do not wish to see them.”

  “This is weird,” Leif said.

  I agreed with him. My skin crawled with goose bumps, imagining being surrounded by invisible ghosts.

  “I could teach—”

  “Let’s get inside.” I cut off Moon Man’s offer. Of all the things I wished he would teach me, seeing ghosts wasn’t high on my list.

  “Yes, let’s. I’m hungry.” Leif patted his stomach.

  We entered into a common area. Wooden tables and long benches scarred with hard use lined the slender room. A fire crackled in the stone hearth, but the area was empty.

  “Dinner’s a few hours off,” a woman said. She leaned from a doorway near the back wall. Spotting Moon Man, she smiled and walked toward us. “Mr. Moon! I’m so glad you’re back. Your friends left this morning, but I suspect they’ll be coming back for dinner. Mr. Tauno loves my vegetable stew.”

  The woman’s steel-gray hair was pulled back into a bun. Small wisps of hair framed her oval face. Her fair skin caused me to wonder if she was a refugee from Ixia. When the Commander had launched his campaign to take over Ixia, many Ixians fled to Sitia before the Commander closed the border.

  The innkeeper scanned Leif and me with bright intelligence in her sky-blue eyes. Her gaze lingered on my hands before returning to Moon Man.

  “Will you be needing another room?” she asked.

  “Yes. Mrs. Floranne, this is Yelena and Leif.”

  She wiped her hands on her apron before shaking our hands. “I’ll be showing you to your rooms, then.”

  We followed her up the stairs. Stopping on the third floor, she led us down the slim hallway. She opened the second door on the left.

  “This’ll be Miss Yelena’s room. Will Mr. Leif be staying with you, Mr. Moon, or do you need another room?”

  Sweat beaded Moon Man’s face and he glanced around the tight hallway as if seeking a way out.

  “Leif can stay with me,” I said, spotting two beds inside the tiny room.

  Disapproval radiated from Mrs. Floranne’s stiff demeanor, but before she could comment I added, “He’s my brother.”

  Her face softened and she relaxed. “I’ll be ringing the bell when dinner’s ready. Don’t be late.” She left us alone.

  Leif stifled a giggle. “Interesting place you found here, Mr. Moon.”

  “If Leif had been my lover instead of my brother, would she have let us stay together?”

  “I do not know,” Moon Man said.

  “Perhaps the ghosts dislike improper behavior,” Leif said, laughing.

  Moon Man went to his room down the hall to check if Tauno or Marrok had left us a message. I mulled over Leif’s comment as we put our few belongings on the beds.

  “Is it considered improper if Valek and I…? You know.”

  “Yelena,” Leif said with mock indignation. “Don’t tell me you and Valek—”

  “Just answer the question.”

  “Some clans like the Bloodgood Clan are very strict and require a couple to be married before living together. Others, like the Zaltanas, prefer a couple to marry, but don’t get upset if they’re not. Then there are the Sandseeds who don’t even believe in marriage. They just do what they want.” He spread his arms wide. “With their aversion to wearing clothes, I don’t understand why the Sandseed Clan isn’t overrun with children.”

  “We are careful with our seeds of life,” Moon Man said from the doorway. “I did not find a note. Do you want to take a walk through the city? I need…” His gaze traveled around the room. “It is better for me outside.”

  Leif licked his lips. “I don’t know. I don’t want to miss dinner. That vegetable stew’ll be smelling good.”

  “Do not worry. We will hear the bell. The entire city knows when the Three Ghosts Inn is having dinner.”

  We left the inn and wandered through the streets. I used my magic at different locations to find a sign of the Vermin, but there were just too many people around. Their thoughts and emotions crashed against me, and I blocked them out to avoid being overwhelmed. Leif, too, was inundated with smells. We searched the city and listened for any snippets of information.

  A sparkle drew my gaze. Rows and rows of glass animals were displayed inside a store window. The beautiful jewel colors of the statues radiated as if a fire had been captured within their cores. They reminded me of Tula. She had sculpted animals with glass from her family’s factory. Had she created these animals? Was this her family’s store?

  I peered through
the window but couldn’t see past the display. Should I go in and ask? Perhaps her family wouldn’t want to see me again. Considering what had happened to Tula and her sister, Opal, I wouldn’t blame them for hating me. After all, the only reason Opal had been kidnapped after Tula had died had been to exchange her life for mine. At the time, I had thought Ferde held Opal, but it had been Alea Daviian, seeking revenge for the death of her brother, Mogkan. Another man whose death I had been part of.

  In Ixia, Mogkan had been power-hungry. He had taken control of not only Commander Ambrose’s mind, but the minds of thirty innocent people. He deserved to die, but Alea had failed to see it my way, and now she was also dead. I sighed. I should stay far away from Opal and her family.

  Death followed me. And perhaps ghosts as well? Was Alea or Mogkan’s ghost haunting me? I held my hands out and turned in a circle, spinning my arms. Nothing.

  Leif and Moon Man were engaged in a debate half a block away. I stepped toward them.

  “Yelena!” a voice called from behind.

  A woman carrying a small crate hustled along the sidewalk. A white kerchief covered her hair, and, even though soot smudged her face and hands, I recognized Opal’s bright smile and I couldn’t resist giving her a quick hug.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I have some business.” Before she could ask what kind, I hurried on. “Is this your family’s store?” I pointed to the glass shop.

  “Oh no. Our factory is on the east side of town, practically in the plains. We sell our glassware through a bunch of stores in Booruby. You have to come visit us!” She twisted her hands together. “That is, if you want to.” She averted her face. “I mean after what I did…”

  Opal yanked her focus from the ground and met mine with a sudden intensity.

  The shy, uncertain girl who had come to the Keep transformed in front of my eyes. “Let me make it up to you. You will come visit.”

  “You did nothing wrong,” I said with conviction. “You have nothing to make up for.”

  “But I pricked you with Curare!”

  “Alea forced you. And I must admit, that was a pretty good trick.” I had thought once Opal was freed, the danger was gone. A near fatal mistake.