by Marc Johnson
She darted through the forest, dark hair flying, chased by three men. She was wearing some kind of fancy gown, and its full skirt kept catching on snags and underbrush, slowing her down. One of the men was gaining on her. I had to help her. If I could get her away from the nearest one, we could lose the others in the forest.
I used my speed and knowledge of the terrain, staying out of sight of the girl’s pursuers as much as I could. I also prayed that their attention would stay on the girl, and they wouldn’t notice me.
I hid behind a large oak tree and picked up a fallen branch. Cradling the rough wood in my hand and trying to ignore the pounding of my heart, I waited until the girl ran past. A second later I swung the branch as hard as I could, releasing all the pent-up emotions I’d felt earlier when I couldn't do anything against Nathan. Just as I’d hoped, my weapon smacked into the pursuer’s face. The half-rotted branch shattered and splintered, and he fell to the ground. He didn't move again.
The girl stopped and stared at me. Her eyes were purple—a shade I’d never seen before. They seemed to see right down into my soul.
“Run!” I yelled.
The girl broke her gaze and ran. I went after her, confident we could lose the other two and go for help. This was my forest, and I knew every inch. Just as I caught up to her, she leaped a log and went down, giving a muffled cry.
She had tripped and fallen into a shallow ditch. I hopped the log and slid down next to her.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
She grimaced while I helped her up. “It's my ankle. Just a sprain, but it’s going to keep me from running.”
I looked over my shoulder, but I couldn’t see the men from where we were. I was thinking furiously.
“I don’t suppose you can use a sword?” I asked, half-joking. By the looks of her clothes, she’d never done anything more taxing than embroidery. I couldn’t use one either, but if I went back and took the unconscious man’s weapon, we might have a chance.
The corner of her mouth curled. “Yes.”
I stared at her. She looked serious. “Good. As soon as we get to the top, I'll get you that man's sword. If you can take one man, I'll look for another branch and try to hold off the other one as best as I can. We'll have to fight our way out.”
I boosted her up and climbed out after her. “That's not a bad plan,” one of the men said, stepping out of the brush. “Shame you won't get the chance.”
They converged on us, pinning us between them and the log. One was small and wily-looking, and the other was huge with angry eyes. They both had swords, and looked like they knew how to use them. We were in big trouble. Without weapons, we couldn't fight, and with the girl's ankle, we couldn't run.
Sweat trickled down my forehead. I wiped it aside and said, “Leave her alone.”
The smaller, wily one said, “Relax. We're not going to hurt her. She's far too valuable. If we wanted her dead, we would have already killed her.”
I glanced at their shortswords. He was right. One quick thrust and we would both be dead.
He pointed a long and dirty finger at me. “You, on the other hand, are a far different story. While I thank you for giving us this breather, my partner is going to be very upset when he wakes up. The mark on his face and the sting of it…well, let's just say I wouldn't want to be you.” He gave me an oily smile.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“The girl. What else? Does it look like me or my partner enjoy running through some forest in the middle of nowhere?”
“What about money?” I asked, trying to buy some time and think of a way out of this.
“Negotiation? I do so love negotiations!” He clapped his hand against his thigh with glee.
The big one with the angry eyes never stopped staring at me and the girl. “We don't have time for this, Rowe.”
“Quiet, Bruno. There's always time for a little negotiation. As my father once taught me, 'Everything has its price.'”
I cleared my throat, trying to regain Rowe's attention. He must be the brains while Bruno was the hired muscle. I was going to have to outsmart him. “I could pay you. More than what you're getting now.”
Rowe's blue eyes scanned me. They went over my face, my hair, even my fingernails. His eyes didn't miss the mud on my clothes or the holes and tears in them.
“I wish I could believe you,” Rowe said and sighed. “It would be so much simpler. But judging from the way you look, I doubt you have enough money to buy me a good meal. And I don't eat as much as Bruno.”
The girl moved away from me and closer to Rowe. She shifted into a fighting stance. I didn't know how well she could fight, and her ankle was going to hinder her.
Rowe's face became serious, and his relaxed air vanished. “Not this again. Enough talking.” He sheathed his sword. “Bruno, watch the boy while I take care of her.”
Even with the bad ankle, the girl fought Rowe. Her attacks were quick and precise, and though she couldn’t get the upper hand, Rowe could only fight her to a standstill without hurting her. I was in awe, watching her. If her ankle wasn’t injured, she might have taken Rowe. Several times she almost had his sword out of the scabbard, but each time he kept it out of her grasp.
Rowe finally got hold of her, but she kept squirming like a fish out of water.
“Bruno!” Rowe said. “I need help here. Take care of the whelp and let’s go.”
Anger coursed through my body, replacing my fear. If the girl wasn’t going to give up, neither was I. I needed something to even the fight. There were no more hefty branches nearby, but there was a rock the size of a child's head about a step away. If I could just get to it.
I lunged for the rock, but Bruno was there just as I reached it. Despite his monstrous size, he was fast. Before I could grab the rock or put up my meager defenses, Bruno swung. His fist smashed my right cheek. I toppled, spun, and fell to my knees. My cheek throbbed as if it were on fire. Bruno hovered over me, smiling. I went for the rock again, but was met by Bruno's blade just inches from my face.
The cold steel was ready to open the gateway and send me into death's embrace.
“No!” The girl struggled against Rowe, trying to break his grasp. “Leave him alone! You’ve already got me.”
“Silly girl!” Rowe kicked her, and she fell to the ground. He stepped on her bad ankle and she screamed out loud. “I hate to damage the merchandise, but you leave me no choice.” He struck her. Blood trickled down the side of her mouth. “Finish the boy, Bruno, and let's be on our way. This is getting tiresome.”
My eyes met the girl's. I didn't see any fear, just concern for me. Deep in those shimmering wells, I found the strength I needed. My safety didn't matter. This was for her. It would always be like that.
I growled. “Leave! Her! Alone!”
Everything around me slowed down. Their laughter died; the girl’s face froze; a dandelion puff hovered in the air; a fly’s wings stopped; the wind ceased. My eyes bore into Bruno. My heart pumped and heaved my chest, trying to leap out. The pain in my cheek faded. My eyes were on fire.
I buried my face into my hands, trying to stop the pain.
“What in the Underworld?” Bruno’s eyes grew wide. He started to back away.
The pain left me in gouts of fire, spewing from my eyes to engulf Bruno. The flames crawled over his body, searing every inch of him. He screamed like a hawk, trying to put out the fire with his hands as he ran to the pond. He didn’t make it. His hair incinerated, and his skin peeled off. The charred corpse collapsed on the ground, steps away from the cool water. The fire died out.
I turned my gaze on Rowe. He stood for a moment, unsure of what to do. He stared from me to his former partner’s blackened body. Then he sprinted away as fast as his legs could carry him. He stumbled and tripped in his panic, but kept going, never looking back.
The girl rose and came over to me. “Thank you.”
“I’m…I’m…” I couldn't get the words out. My legs gave out, and I colla
psed on the ground. Before I blacked out, I used the rest of my strength to smile at her.
CHAPTER 2
I’m trapped in the heart of the flame, white-hot and eternal. There’s no escape, nowhere to run, no place to go where it isn’t there before me. When I step, it’s there. When I sway or turn, it’s there. When I move my hand, it’s there. It pulsates with each breath I take. I hold my breath. The flames move with a life of their own, twining around me. They bend inward, as if to whisper a secret. I strain to hear, but the roaring fills my ears and I can’t understand.
The flame dances, pulling me into its rhythm. We move together, closer, closer. I am not afraid.
Without warning, it leaps at me.
The fire fills my mouth and pours into my soul, filling my essence with its own. I fall to the floor, feeling my body burning to ash, consumed. And yet I’m still whole, stronger than before. The flame is in me. It is both power and comfort. It speaks, and now I understand.
I am no longer alone.
I opened my eyes to the night sky. There was a small fire burning nearby; its warmth reminded me of my dream. The pain in my head and my belly reminded me of the fight in the forest. And what I had done.
The girl placed more branches on the fire. Her once fine clothing hung awkwardly on her, exposing the curves of her body. She was beautiful, even with her tattered clothes and the streaks of dirt on her face. The soft glow of the fire accentuated her high cheekbones, and she seemed to shine faintly in the moonlight. She was like no girl I had ever seen. I forced myself to remember to breathe again. I had no idea what to say to her. I shook my head and struggled to sit upright.
She turned when she heard me move. “You're awake,” she said. “Are you all right?”
“I am now.” I couldn’t draw my gaze away from her.
“Why do you continue to stare at me?” Her voice and face hardened.
I turned my head away. “I'm sorry.”
There was a brief silence. “It's quite all right. Just don't let it happen again.”
Who was this girl? She had to be of high rank if I wasn’t even allowed to look at her. I bowed my head. “I won't.”
She crouched down by the fire and warmed her hands.
I remembered the man I had knocked out with the branch. I nearly jumped up then fell back and grunted from the pain. “The third man! He's still out there. He might—”
“I took care of it.”
“What do you mean?” Just then I saw Bruno's sword lying next to her. I strained to see if there was blood on it, but couldn't make it out. “Oh.”
I tried not to gaze at her, but it was hard. I wanted to know more about her. She looked angry as she stared into the fire, and the anger grew as the silence stretched out. She was one of those rare women who grew more beautiful the angrier she became.
“How's your ankle?” I asked, trying to break the silence.
“Fine.”
I had no idea how to treat this stranger. There were so many questions I wanted to ask. I was more nervous now than I had been when facing those men. I moved closer to her and squatted in front of the fire. She didn't look at me, seemingly lost in her angry thoughts. I blew on my hands before holding them out to the flames.
I tried to get lost in the fire like she seemed to be, but I couldn't do it. While her mind appeared focused, mine was confused and jumbled. I wanted to know how I did what I did, but I also wanted to know more about her.
The oppressive silence overwhelmed me and my curiosity won out. “So…what are you doing out here and why were those men chasing you?”
She said nothing, continuing to gaze into the fire. I thought she hadn't heard me, and then she turned her head so fast her sun-streaked brown hair whipped her face. Her fierce eyes settled on me. “Do you always ask so many questions?”
My body stiffened. I wasn't going to back down from this stranger. She should be grateful that I risked my life for hers. “Are you always being chased by men who mean you harm?”
“What I do is none of your concern.”
“It is when it almost gets me killed!” I tried to jump up but stopped when the pain in my side stabbed me once more. “Unbelievable! Ungrateful,” I muttered under my breath.
Forget her. As much as I wanted to know about this mysterious girl who wore fine clothing and could make a fire, fight, wield a sword, and had no problem killing people, I wasn't going to beg her to talk to me.
I turned away from her, grabbing a twig. I poked at the dirt with it, trying hard not to think about her or feel her presence near me.
She held her breath for several long seconds before letting out a sigh of surrender. Then she placed her hand on mine, stopping my dirt drawings and taking my breath. I felt my cheeks grow hot.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “You're right. I shouldn't have been so rude to you. You did save my life. Forgive me?”
I glanced at her hand before looking at her. I was unsure if I could trust what she said. I relaxed when I saw the sincere expression on her face. I nodded. “There's nothing to forgive.”
She removed her hand and smiled. “I’m glad.” I couldn’t help but smile back.
Her violet eyes settled on me, and, for the first time since I woke up, she looked at me. I mean, really looked at me. As before, when our eyes had met in the forest, the intensity of her gaze made me feel as if she saw straight into my soul, assessing my worth. A power that might have come from the gods themselves.
“Tell me, hero,” she said, “do you always go out of your way to save strangers?”
“No,” I said in a quiet voice.
“You didn't have a weapon, and yet you went up against armed men for me. Did you know what you were getting into? Did you think before you acted?”
I shook my head, feeling smaller.
Her purple eyes narrowed. “Then why did you do it?”
I answered without hesitation. “It was the right thing to do. You needed my help.”
She nodded. “You're either very brave or very foolish.” She thought for a moment while deciding which. “Brave.”
“Thank you, but I was going to go with foolish.”
She laughed, but shook her head. “Never doubt yourself, hero. You're brave.”
I turned my head away, hoping she wouldn’t see how red my face was.
“I'm sorry,” she said. “I’ve forgotten my manners. I’m Krystal Cambridge of Alexandria.”
Alexandria. I knew of the Guardian City far to the north, but I had never met anyone who had been there. All I knew was that it bordered the Wastelands and protected all of Northern Shala from the creatures that dwelt there. I couldn’t imagine what she could possibly be doing out here.
“Thank you for saving me,” Krystal said. “I’m in your debt.” She waited.
“Are you going to tell me your name, hero, or do I have to guess?” Her tone was serious, but she smiled to show she was only teasing.
“Oh, sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “My name is Hellsfire.”
“Hellsfire? What kind of name is that?”
I winced. She probably didn't mean to mock me or make fun of me. But she sounded like all the people in my village.
She must have read the hurt on my face. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. Where are you from, Hero Hellsfire?”
Hero. I couldn't help but smile. “Just Hellsfire. I live not far from here, in Sedah. It's a small village. I’d take you back to my mother’s house, but I still feel a bit woozy.”
I rubbed my throbbing forehead before glancing at the shadowed sky. I knew I had slept for hours, but I could barely keep my eyes open.
The darkness surrounded us. It was as if we were the only light in the entire world. “Sorry, I don’t have a cloak or blanket for you, Krystal. It looks like you could use one.”
She tugged at her torn clothing, trying vainly to piece it together where a huge rent exposed her bare shoulder. “I know,” she said. “May I ask you something?”
I nodde
d, knowing what the question would be.
Krystal leaned in close until I felt her breath. Her eyes were filled with fascination. “How were you able to do that? How were you able to shoot fire with your eyes?”
I turned my gaze away, blinking as I remembered the intense heat that had come from my eyes. They still felt itchy and sore. I poked the fire with my stick. I didn't want to talk about it, but I had to. She had already seen me do it.
“I wish I knew. I just…felt it inside of me. Before I knew what happened, the fire came bursting out. I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life.” I looked back at her, reminded of the teasing I always got about my name. My eyes stung, but not from the after effects of the fire.
“The fire just—came out?” she whispered, putting a hand to her mouth. “Before today, I didn't think such a thing was possible.”
“It seems that it is.”
“Do you think you can control it?”
That thought had never occurred to me. I tore my gaze away from her, fearful of what I might do. I closed my eyes. “You’re not scared of me, are you?” I asked, deathly afraid of the answer. Why should her opinion mean so much to me? I barely knew her.
“Hellsfire.”
“Yes?”
“Look at me.”
“I don't think that's such a good idea. What if you're right and I can't control it? What if I roast you like that man?” The heat in my eyes began to build. I wasn't sure if it was the fire or my emotions.
“Hellsfire,” she said in a far more commanding voice than I thought possible for someone so young. “Look. At. Me.” I had no choice but to do as she said.
“What?” My voice was a croak.
“I'm not afraid of you. I never will be.”
I released the breath I didn't know I held. Thank the gods.
“Why would I be? You risked your life to save mine, knowing nothing about me, hero.” Her stern expression disappeared and was replaced by a beautiful smile.
I smiled back. Since I was being so honest, I thought she might possibly open up herself. I risked the chance of facing her wrath.
