Ember

by Tess Williams

  I was glad when it seemed Ikovos would take the attention.

  “Well,” he said, “it looks like you've been busy while we were gone.”

  And there it goes back on me again.

  I smiled, blushing profusely now, then looked down at my food.

  “Hey,” started Trevor after barely a moment, “I just realized this is the first time we've eaten lunch with you, you usually eat alone with Holdan.”

  Oh my God. I wanted to drop my head in my hands at this point, but resisted the urge. Somehow I found comfort in Ikovos’s wide, wide grin across the table, he was obviously reading my thoughts again. What didn't give me pleasure was Jaden's set in scowl.

  I would have let the subject die, but from the look on Trevor's face his words weren't as much of a statement as a question.

  “Yes,” I admitted, “but he had to go see one of the Masters today.”

  “Oh. . . .” said Trevor.

  There were a few seconds of silence following this where I had the chance to notice that Jaden and Ikovos were already finished with their food. In an out of character move I jumped up from my seat.

  “Well, I'm all done. I think I'll head back to my room now.”

  Ikovos got up immediately. “Great, we'll go with you,” he said, apparently speaking for the other boy as well.

  “Actually, Ikovos,” said Jaden, “we have to go see Master Thoran.”

  Ikovos looked like he might argue, but Jaden shook his head, eyeing the other boys, and probably me, quickly.

  Ikovos sighed wearily. “Alright, but—”

  More eyeing from Jaden, who had somehow managed to stand up without my notice. Then, without a goodbye, without a word, he just turned around and started walking towards the kitchen.

  I didn't linger long, turning back to Ikovos. With more nonchalance than I’d expected he walked past me, tapping me on the shoulder. “We'll be back soon.”

  I don't know if he looked at me as he said it. I didn't have time to check, just like Jaden he was gone before I could say a thing.

  This time my eyes did linger as Ikovos walked over to the other boy. They talked for a moment. I couldn't tell if anyone was upset, but their faces were serious. Eventually they both started walking again.

  I was still staring a while after they had disappeared through the doorway. Two tugging hands finally brought me out of my stupor. It was Nathan, I think, though the strength he used to pull me back into my seat seemed too great for someone that young.

  “Whoa,” I mumbled, falling. Before I could ask what was up Trevor leaned across the table wide-eyed.

  “How did you get a seat with them?” he asked, stressing the last word.

  I fumbled. “Ah . . . I don't know. The same way you did I suppose.”

  He shook his head. “No way. Jaden normally kicks us out if we try to sit there.”

  I laughed instantly at the sudden crystal-clear image of him doing just that . . . it wasn't at all hard to imagine, but, concerned for the boys' feelings, I reigned in, worry replacing. “You guys live together. Aren't you around them all the time?”

  “Yes,” admitted Trevor. “I guess that's true.”

  “Especially Ikovos,” added Nathan, “he's always showing us cool tricks.”

  I smiled, grateful that I was no longer the topic, and subsequently intrigued by the new one.

  “Like what?” I asked, leaning forward to rest my chin on my hands.

  “Well, sometimes he lets us see magic,” started Trevor. Nathan's head bobbed vehemently. It was still going as Trevor continued. “But the best is when he shoots his bow.”

  “Is he good?” I questioned.

  Trevor shook his head exaggeratedly. “You have no idea.”

  After that the boys launched into various stories of Ikovos’s many abilities. I listened intently to all of it until they all declared they had to go train. Nathan begged me repeatedly to come spar with him, but I told him I wasn't feeling well enough. Still, after they had left, I realized I didn't have much else to do.

  Back home after spending hours like this with people I would be dying for some alone time to myself. But I didn't want to do that at all. I wanted to go outside, despite the sun, and watch Nathan spar . . . which is exactly what I did. And, though he was a little disappointed that I refused to duel, Nathan seemed exceedingly happy to have me cheering him on.

  After quite a while my eyes began to wander to the grounds around me. The training area was very busy at this time, between lunch and dinner I guess. Mayhem in a way, but a calm mayhem. Though I did notice that the archery area was empty.

  I glanced back to Nathan. He was waiting in turn, talking to a red-haired boy. Everyone else seemed fairly engrossed in their training as well. I decided to go check out the archery area. All the talk about Ikovos being the best had me acutely interested in the sport.

  Once I was over the ledge that hid the shooting range, I let out a breath. Maybe the people thing was starting to wear on me after all. I pushed the thought and looked around. There was a small fence in front of me that I assumed marked the spot to shoot from. Leaning here and there against it were dozens of bows, and arrows also littered the ground.

  I scoffed amusedly. Sometimes with the cleanliness of the lodge it was hard to believe that only boys lived here . . . then there were times like this when it was oh-so evident. No doubt due to the fact that Sophie probably didn't get out here much.

  I sighed again and leaned against the fence, looking out at the ridiculously far targets. Most were barely visible through the trees. I couldn't describe then, or believe myself, how calm I felt. How happy. . . . So happy that even the sun seemed fitting. I was finally starting to feel some stability to this becoming my new home.

  Home.

  The word, and the way I used it, surprised me. It shouldn't have, that is what I begged for, what I wanted . . . I guess I just never thought about the permanence of it.

  An uncontainable smile crossed my face. I was very glad then, that the place was empty, but I could still here a barrage of voices behind me so I tried to distract myself from the stupid grin.

  There was a bow resting on the fence beside me. I picked it up surprised immediately by its size, it was easily over half my height. In Tiver archery was more a less a rumor from the other towns. Besides the odd traveling merchant, I'd rarely seen a bow at all, so I didn't really have any conception of its proper length.

  I tugged cluelessly at the string. This seems as fine a size as any . . . though I can't picture myself shooting it. This got a laugh out of me, but after a careful glance around I decided to go for it, flipping the bow upright in my hands. I gave it a couple mock tugs then glanced around for an arrow, picked one up, and held it against the string.

  Biting my lower lip in determined preparation, I aimed for one of the targets and pulled back. . . .

  The effort was pitiful. The arrow went maybe ten feet. I narrowed my eyes, unsatisfied, and picked up another to try again. I was pulling back when I heard a voice.

  “You're not gonna get it to go very far like that.” It was Ikovos’s voice, and despite my embarrassment I couldn't help but smile.

  When I looked over he was leaning against the fence on his elbow, head cocked sideways towards me.

  “That was quick,” I said, a witty response once again eluding me.

  He held his position, head in hand. “Just formalities.”

  I smiled, then winced slightly. “No trouble then.”

  “Nothing we haven't taken before . . . ,” he glanced towards the trees, “a lot of times before.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “All that girl socializing in town?”

  Then his blue eyes were on me again with a crooked grin. “You're never gonna let go of that, are you?”

  A blush and a glance down marked the end of my teasing. Trying to spare what poise I had left, I cleared my throat and looked back up. “So, I heard you are quite the archer.”

  He looked pleased, but shrugged it
off warmly. “I'm alright.”

  “Can I see?” I asked eagerly.

  He leaned up smiling. “Only if you promise to let me show you how to do it properly afterwards.”

  I grimaced instantly, sparing a glance at the bow in my hands. The deal might have sounded appealing to any other person, but I hated being taught things I couldn't do well, too many opportunities for embarrassment. Of course, I did accept it willingly with magic. . . .

  Ikovos interrupted my thoughts. “Okay, we'll make it harder. Only if I can hit the target.”

  I eyed him now. “Right, you can probably hit it easy.”

  He considered this. “I'll let you pick which one.”

  “Alright, deal,” I said, knowing full well that I would have would have given in to his suggestion with or without the bonus offer.

  He reached for a bow as I looked out ahead. They were all so far away. When I glanced back at him he was waiting for me . . . closer now, bow in hand. I looked out once again. I didn't want to make it too hard so I decided on one about one-hundred yards away.

  “That one,” I said, pointing to it.

  He nodded to me . . . slowly, picked up the arrow . . . slowly, then, so quick I couldn't even see it, the arrow was out. It whipped through the air and hit the target dead on in almost a split second.

  My mouth dropped, then I looked at him. After a moment he gave me a more devilish grin than I'd gotten from him yet. It made me lean back a little.

  “I knew you would be able to hit it easy. . . .”

  He dropped his bow and started walking towards me. “Pick a harder one next time.”

  I scrunched my nose as he stopped behind me. There won't be a next time if this is what I have to do afterwards.

  With the same wicked grin he looked out ahead. I grudgingly did the same.

  “Wanna try for the one I just did?”

  I laughed sarcastically. “How about that one.” I nodded to the closest, it was still at least twenty yards away.

  He passed me an arrow. “Not very confident are you?”

  I smirked without looking at him. “You just noticed this?”

  He chuckled. He always found my attempts at satire amusing.

  “Okay,” he said, “first rest the shaft against the middle of the string above the handle, then put the nock of the arrow between your index and middle finger.”

  Nock . . . right. I did what I assumed he meant. What else can you do with an arrow?

  I tried to keep my hands steady, but Ikovos’s close proximity had my coordination more than a little askew and the arrow was shaking visibly. He didn't seem to notice though, or at least he didn't mention it, I wasn't brave enough to check his face.

  It didn't help any of this when he wrapped his hand around mine. “Like this,” he told me, rearranging the arrow between my pointer and middle finger.

  I cleared my throat. “Alright.”

  He released my fingers, but his voice got closer, right in my ear. “Now the important part—” I felt the breath of his smile “—the part you were doing wrong before, you need to pull the string back further, all the way really.”

  I nodded. “Okay.”

  Then I heard . . . or rather felt, him move back. Apparently his way of telling me to go.

  I did, pulling back as hard as I could on the string. There was a point where, once I had passed it, it was much easier stretch. It felt right, and when I couldn’t get it any tauter I released.

  The arrow went farther this time . . . much farther . . . too far. The aim was way off, but the small shaft had sped so fast and high through the trees that is was soon out of sight.

  I was about to question Ikovos about this, when I felt a burning on my wrist. I looked down at it and saw a red mark. The skin was scraped off slightly, but I think I'd burned it more than anything.

  Ikovos must have followed my gaze because he quickly reached for my bow, dropped it, and grabbed my left arm. “Shoot. Sorry, Evelyn. I should've gotten you a guard.”

  I smiled. “No, it's nothing. I can barely feel it.”

  He seemed to ignore my words, concern still covering his face as he examined it.

  After quite a while like this I sighed. “Ikovos, it's fi—”

  I was stopped when he placed a hand over the burn. It was cool at first, then light . . . like a breeze. That’s when the glow first appeared, somehow both familiar and foreign.

  I'd seen Ikovos use magic before, but it was much stranger this time. I don't think that before I’d been completely convinced that the whole thing wasn't a dream. Besides that, at this point I felt like I'd known Ikovos forever . . . and seeing the blue smoke drifting off his hand now, onto me no less, was an incomparably . . . odd experience.

  When he released the mark was gone, and apart from a cool tingling my arm felt completely normal. I touched the spot myself then looked up to see Ikovos smiling.

  “Feel better?” he asked. Something on my face must have troubled him because his features turned back to concern. “What?”

  I realized then that I was sort of not doing the breathing thing. I took in some air. “Sorry,” I shook my head clear, “I just wasn't expecting the . . . I mean I've seen magic before, but . . .”

  His grin resurfaced. “It wasn't the first time.”

  I knew immediately what he meant, what I meant. He hadn't just used magic, he'd used it on me. Then the second part sunk in and my face perplexed.

  He tossed his head towards the trees. “You don't think you could have shot that far without some help. . . .”

  I looked back out. “Oh. . . .” Then I looked at myself like I was some sort of unknown entity. Then I just looked back to him, shaking my head. “You need to warn me about these things, Ikovos.”

  It came out less critical than I would have liked and he mocked a serious face. “Yes, ma’am.”

  I just rolled my eyes and was about to ask him what type of spell could make an arrow shoot further when his gaze flitted past me.

  My body rushed, sunk, and stiffened at the prospect of Jaden. When I turned around I saw it was all for not, I loved Cornelius, but he didn't quite have the same affect on my heart-rate.

  “Hi, Master,” said Ikovos.

  Cornelius smiled, but the usual warmness was absent. “Hello, you two. Up to some archery?”

  We both nodded.

  He chuckled. “You know, I wasn't half bad in my day.”

  Ikovos shook his head and gave me a face. “He's not half bad now.”

  I giggled, imagining the robed man with a bow.

  Cornelius joined me. “Yes, well . . . Ikovos has long since surpassed me.”

  I looked to Ikovos and he faked a proud grin, then I turned back to Cornelius. “Between, magic, fighting, and archery I'm beginning to think he's good at everything.”

  Cornelius smiled, but when his eyes turned to Ikovos, all humor vanished. “Not everything.”

  Ikovos frowned and I backed up a bit, sensing the sudden turn in conversation. “Such as?”

  Cornelius’s brow narrowed fully now. “Listening to orders for one.”

  Ikovos looked like he might rebuttal, but Cornelius raised a hand. “Spare your brilliant excuses, I‘m not the one responsible for your punishment . . . but I do feel I’ve earned the right to your obedience on these matters.” I swallowed at the severity of his tone. “Whether you are in agreeance with the treaty or not, you owe it to Thoran, and to all the Masters, to respect our decision and follow in line with it.”

  The boy sighed solemnly, lifting a hand to scratch the back of his head.

  “You and Jaden need to realize that the other boys look up to you, especially the younger ones. Do you want them believing that it is alright to take off without notice as you did?”

  Ikovos’s expression was firmer now, resolved. “No. You’re right.” He met his eyes. “I’m sorry, Master.”

  Cornelius nodded once, grimly, then lightened almost immediately. “Well, despite the trouble you ran into it turn
ed out alright.”

  Trouble. Even now that I knew the two boys were safe, the word made my stomach turn. I had to ignore it as Cornelius continued.

  “The new information about the . . . that you discovered was, important to say the least.”

  I could tell Ikovos was proud under his reserved exterior.

  Suddenly Cornelius threw a finger out. “But make no mistake, if you two are caught going out of the borders again, no amount of information will save you.”

  It sounded like a death threat. Ikovos gulped, once again very serious. “Yes, Master Cornelius.”

  I gulped too. I hadn't seen Cornelius act so strict before, I wondered if I would eventually be held to such harsh reprimand.

  All fear disintegrated when Cornelius smiled to me again. “Well, I must be off my dear, much to be done. I hope things are going well for you here.”

  It wasn't a question, but an overwhelming urge to affirm burst out of me. “Oh yes, it's everything . . . everything I thought it would be.”

  There was a brief pause, then he nodded his recognition warmly before looking over to Ikovos, stern face resurfacing. “If I’m not mistaken you have somewhere to be . . .”

  “On it,” the boy acknowledged easily.

  Cornelius eyed him, then me, lifted his brows up, and sighed. All before heading back over the hill.

  I narrowed for a moment in confusion, then turned back to Ikovos. He was looking down as if in thought.

  There were a good many things, from the most recent conversation alone, that I wanted to ask him . . . but I was stopped by the picturesque expression. Jaw locked tight, eyes deep and focused. My head cocked in curiosity that he should be having it now.

  He must have noticed the movement, because he quickly brought his gaze up to me.

  I smiled hesitantly. “Where do you have to be?”

  He tilted his head not understanding for a moment, then threw a hand out. “Oh.” Big smile. “Dish duty.”

  I winced.

  “One of the many joys of disobeying the Masters,” he sighed.

  I nodded. “I’ll try to remember that.”

  He joined me. “Yeah, otherwise you might get in trouble for all of your horrifically unruly behavior.”