Wicked Flames (Solsti Prophecy)

by Sharon Kay

  The laughing guests passed inspection and moved through the gate, with the thief right behind them. She paused for a moment to appreciate the glowing spectacle before her.

  Constructed of gray stone, the three-story home was bathed in the light of torches and colored fire bulbs. Torth’s Northern mountains loomed beyond, a wall of darkness at the back of the fortress. Guests walked briskly along the lighted path to the massive wooden front door, which a waiting butler flung open.

  Guards everywhere equaled brawn. Guests everywhere equaled chaos. Sebastian chilling outside with explosion spells? Perfect setup. The thief smiled as she darted across the threshold before the door slammed shut. She may not be clearly visible at the moment, but she was very much corporeal, and the door was as thick as her thighs.

  She made a beeline for a dark hallway. Finding it empty, she released the shadows surrounding her. Walking around as a murky shape at a crowded party would be too conspicuous, and she needed to get into every room, looking like a regular guest.

  She ran her fingers through her short blond hair and smoothed them down her clingy black gown. The slinky dress would allow her to fit right in with the snooty crowd, but the high slit on the side meant she could run if she needed to.

  They were all here to ogle Mulvari’s stuff. Art, weapons, jewelry. Much of it locked in bespelled cases. Most of it acquired illegally, but no authority could seem to gain any traction on Mulvari.

  The thief exited the hallway and walked into the marble-floored foyer, smiling at a waiter who offered her a drink from a tray of bubbling glasses. She shook her head demurely and stepped around him, her black heels clicking on the hard floor. The four-inch platform sandals gave her a rare boost—she was all of five feet four inches tall tonight.

  Gods, she loved dressing up. She never got the chance. She had a stash of beautiful stolen clothes and nowhere to wear them. That didn’t happen often when you moved constantly and worked to never draw attention to yourself. Modest didn’t begin to describe the way she and Sebastian lived.

  She walked down a hall lined with framed paintings and metal sculptures, and found a room full of weaponry. Spears, swords, shields, and arrows hung on the walls. She gave a passing appreciative glance as she exited. Some of them would be handy in her line of work. But that’s not what she was here for.

  A loud burst of laughter echoed from a room full of stone carvings, and there she spotted the host. Tall, handsome, confident, and an idiot. Mulvari stood before a handful of guests, telling them how he acquired the pieces in the room. All lies, she guessed. He had others do his dirty work.

  He looked up and his gaze settled on her. Piercing, like he was trying to place her.

  She smiled, but didn’t linger. He wouldn’t recognize her, but then again he wouldn’t recognize half the guests here. No reason to push her luck.

  She walked to the next room and her breath caught. Here. Case after case of glittering jewels. The room’s lighting was dim, and strategically placed fire bulbs brought out the beauty blazing in each precious bauble. The thief didn’t have anything like this.

  One case caught her eye, drawing her like a magnet. Inside lay a pair of chandelier earrings, gold strands covered in tiny emeralds and diamonds. They looked heavenly. A girl could wear those and a garbage bag, and still be the belle of the ball.

  Guests flitted around her and she moved on when two females came close. They chatted as they gazed at the priceless treasures in front of them, their conversation having nothing to do with Mulvari’s display. One word snagged the thief’s ear.

  “Solsti?” one female said. “How much have you had to drink? They’re a myth.”

  “They were. Now they’re back,” her friend responded in a conspiratorial voice. “But, get this. One is missing. Rumor is there are only three.”

  Her friend laughed out loud and took her drink away. “You’re nuts. Isn’t this your fertile time? Maybe you have sex on the brain.” She shook her head, dark bobbed hair swinging. “How can they have only three? The whole point of the legend is that they each control an element. And there’s more than three elements.”

  The blonde shrugged. “That’s what I’ve heard around town. And my mate heard it too.”

  Her friend pinned her with a look. “Sex. You and him. You’re not thinking up here.” She giggled and tapped her head.

  The thief stood silently at the next display. The Solsti exist? Those two have to be drunk. She blinked, clearing her head. This room held her goal. She glanced around at the other guests, her focus landing on a massive figure in the corner.

  She inhaled, catching the scent of Lash demon. Had to be a Watcher. What was he doing here? Probably trying to pin something on Mulvari. Certainly not part of his security detail. The Watchers patrolled the realms, claiming to maintain the balance of power.

  Whatever. She stayed out of their way, and this Watchman better stay out of hers. The Watchers didn’t usually get involved with petty crimes. Especially if the “victim” was a thief himself.

  He stood in profile to her, arms crossed over his chest, looking at the door. Long black hair cascaded down to the center of his back. Like all Watchers, he was tall and built like a mountain. Foreboding. A wall of muscle.

  His glowering gaze swung toward her. She couldn’t discern the color of his eyes, but she felt them pierce her as surely as an arrow. A shiver ran through her and she stared back, unable to look away. Play it cool, girl.

  Managing to drop her eyelids, she moved down the row of lit cases before she dared to peek at him again. Relieved, she saw that he was back to staring at the entrance. She released a tiny inward sigh. No way in hell did she want those eyes on her.

  She looked down and her breath caught once more. Her objective sat in all its dazzling glory, right in front of her. The transportation amulet gleamed with a burnished glow. Not as brightly as its neighbors, but all the more special because of what it could do.

  Creatures traveled between realms all the time using amulets. But the majority of them were one-time uses. An Elder could open a portal. Or a porter, those rare creatures who transported people with the power of their minds.

  But without access to those, you were stuck wherever you were. Unless you managed to gain one of these equally rare amulets. This would allow her and Sebastian to go anywhere, anytime. No matter how hot their situation got, they could disappear in a heartbeat.

  The thief gazed down, her admiration extending to the security spells surrounding the amulet. The subtle tang of blood tickled her nose, indicating the highest level of magic protection. Detectable only because she knew what to watch for, a faint hum reached her ears. It emanated from invisible ropes of magic that wrapped around the case. She’d need blood to break them. And then a blade to cut the glass.

  Excitement hummed in her veins, but she tamped down the familiar rush. She’d been stealing for half her life. She was a professional. With preternatural calm, she texted Sebastian on her gem phone. Time to get this party started.

  CHAPTER 12

  THE CLASH OF CYMBALS AND the bright sparks of fireworks signaled the opening act. Gin gasped as one acrobat after another dropped onto the stage from some point unseen, springing into a whirl of color. Rainbow beams spotlighted the performers, moving to a fast samba as they bounded through giant silver hoops.

  She turned to Mathias. “They’re really good!”

  “Just wait. They get even better.” He winked and reached for her hand.

  His warm hand completely enfolded hers, sending heat up her arm and into her chest. She smiled and looked back to the stage, riveted. The actors added different items to their routines, interchanging plates and stacks of glassware held up on batons. Pyramids of people balancing champagne flutes stacked three tiers high. Through all the tricks, the performers never stopped moving.

  She was barely aware of time passing, but she was constantly aware of the man beside her. Mathias rubbed his thumb back and forth along her palm, creating a delicious, ti
ngling torture that drove her crazy. It made her want to collapse into a boneless heap, and climb on top of him at the same time. She shifted and recrossed her legs.

  Mathias pulled free of her hand and draped his arm around her shoulders. Was I that obvious? She nestled against his side, wanting to purr in satisfaction, and leaned her head on his shoulder. The subtle scent of his cologne curled around her, and she dropped her hand to his leg, ready to be mesmerized by him. Never mind the stage, which was whirling with colors and lights.

  Only when he shifted beside her did she peek at his watch and see ninety minutes had passed. The stage went dark.

  “Is this intermission?” she asked.

  “No. It’s almost over. They’re setting up for the finale.”

  “Oh. I can’t imagine what they’ll do.” She tilted her head to meet his gaze. “This show is amazing.”

  His eyes twinkled and he tightened his hold. “Glad you like it.”

  The music changed to a slower rumba, and a single spotlight illuminated a woman twirling on a thick rope suspended from a metal frame. Two other ropes hung on either side of her, all with loops placed at various intervals. She climbed up and shimmied down, always changing her hold. Sometimes she dangled from one ankle, swinging in wide, graceful arcs.

  Two more performers backflipped out to join her, taking to the empty ropes. They swung and swayed, winding satin ribbons around themselves and the ropes.

  “It’s so beautiful. It’s like a ballet in the air,” Gin whispered. “How do they not get tangled up?”

  “It’s called aerial adagio. This group does it a little differently than most others.”

  “How do you mean?”

  He leaned in close and murmured, “If I tell you, then I’d have to kiss you.”

  Her eyes went wide, riveted to his full lower lip. She opened her mouth to speak, but a new group of performers took to the stage in front of the adagio girls, drawing her attention. They began a complex series of baton twirls and tosses, first among themselves, then alternating with the girls on the ropes.

  Gin had always thought of herself as coordinated and in shape. She taught dance, for heaven’s sake! But these women displayed a whole new level of physical strength and stamina. Batons flew back and forth from the floor actors to the adagio girls, never once clattering to the stage. Everyone whirled in bright circles. Constant motion, in time to the music.

  Then the baton twirlers all caught their batons. In unison, they lowered them to the floor in an exaggerated slow movement, then raised them with a flourish. Gin gasped, her hand tightening on Mathias’s leg.

  No! Horrified shock raced through her veins.

  The batons were on fire.

  “It’s okay, it’s part of the show.” Mathias pulled her closer.

  She couldn’t speak, only squeeze his thigh and watch. She couldn’t tell him the reason for her breathlessness.

  Oh God. When was the last time she’d been around an open flame? Ridiculous anger and panic chased around in her mind. She would never have come if she’d known this was part of the show. Why hadn’t Mathias told her? Because no one else freaks out about fire, you idiot. She drew a deep breath and tried to picture anything else. Icebergs usually calmed her down. Think North Pole, think blizzard…

  But the dancing flames pushed into her psyche. They swirled and dipped, each tendril of flame like a crooked finger commanding her attention. Every ball of fire moved with fluid allure. The flames beckoned to her, insistent and so beautiful. The fire seemed to want to show her its grace. She blinked but remained still, unable to look away.

  Her panic subsided, pushed away by a wave of something magnetic and new. The twirlers tossed their batons high above the stage. Wisps of flames danced and bobbed, weaving around the tips of the batons as they dropped back to waiting hands. Up again, dancing, whirling, twirling in wild arcs that seemed to come alive. The fire licked up and out farther from the baton edges each time they were tossed.

  Gin tilted her head and gazed into the flames, spellbound. Why had she shied away from this? The fire was showing her what it could do…No! That doesn’t make any sense! A thread of rational thought wove through her mind, only to be singed away.

  Each floor performer now flung a baton high in the air to the adagio girls. The routine of tossing back and forth between the groups repeated, this time complemented by fire. Ribbons of flame spun out and back in with each toss, pulsing to the music. How is that possible? A lightness infused her, making her feel like she was in two places at once—her seat next to Mathias, and on the stage among the flames.

  The adagio girls tossed the batons to each other. Gin didn’t know if it was her imagination or the lighting, but the fire seemed to grow bigger with each toss. Mesmerized by the airborne fire, she realized it was definitely brighter than it had been a minute ago.

  One toss, one catch. Another toss—

  One girl missed her baton. It fell, bouncing and sliding against the lower end of her rope.

  Fire flared along the rope. Free. Wild. Inviting.

  Gin sat frozen. The rope swayed in wild circles from the girl near the top, scrambling to climb higher. Flames swung out in lazy loops around the rope, then drew back in and licked upward.

  Screams erupted from the audience. Too high up to drop, the girl reached the metal supporting structure and clambered on top.

  The fire raced up the rope, flickering with purpose.

  No! The noise and sudden chaos of people rushing to the aisles startled Gin from her reverie.

  “No!” she screamed, bolting to her feet. Her voice was hardly audible over the din of the crowd, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t talking to them. This had to stop. “No!”

  At once, the fire went out. On every baton. On every rope.

  Sprinklers came on over the stage. Performers scrambled to help the adagio girls get down. The house lights brightened above them.

  Gin’s fists clenched at her sides. Her whole body shook.

  Mathias’s strong arm wrapped around her waist. “Are you okay?”

  She looked up into concerned hazel eyes, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “No. I have to get out of here.”

  “You got it.” He tucked her close to his side and maneuvered them through the sea of faces. People darted around, cellphones out, while security personnel directed everyone toward the nearest exits.

  Their seats were near the front, so Mathias guided her toward the exit at the side of the stage. Stage hands dressed in black darted among the wet equipment. Someone had sprayed a fire extinguisher, and globs of white foam dotted the stage. As they passed, a tingle of dread slithered up her spine. She couldn’t look at the workers. This is my fault.

  What the hell had happened?

  “Almost there.” Mathias’s voice anchored her as surely as his body did.

  She leaned into him, grateful for his presence and strength but unsure of what to say. I’ll just pretend I was really scared. That’s it. No way could she tell him the truth. That a girl had nearly been injured because she had gotten lulled by fire? No way. Not only would he not believe her, he would think she was crazy for even suggesting such a thing. Freak, freak, freak! Panic bubbled up, along with the questions that kept her up at night.

  Why had this curse come to her? Why fire? Her sisters absorbed their abilities into their lives seamlessly. It all made no sense.

  They reached the door and Mathias shoved it wide, revealing an alley. Bursting into the chilly night, she took a deep breath, then another. She nestled deeper against him.

  “Shit, our coats are still in the coat check. You want me to go back?” He pulled her into an embrace, wrapping both arms around her.

  “No. I don’t want to go back in there. And,” she looked up into his eyes, “I don’t want to be alone.”

  “Hey.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m not going anywhere. Let’s go to my car. We’ll crank the heat up for you. I can come back for the coats tomorrow.”

  She
nodded and they made their way along the alley to the street. Their shoes crunched on the salty pavement. Emergency vehicles pulled up to the front entrance of the building, their lights throwing bursts of red and blue against the glass walls.

  “I’m hoping that’s only a precaution.” Mathias inclined his head at the ambulances.

  “Me too.” Her voice was tiny, seeming to dissolve like puffs of breath in the cold air. Please let everyone be okay.

  A minute later they were in the parking garage, nearing Mathias’s SUV which was already running thanks to the remote start on the key fob. He helped her into the passenger side, then climbed into the driver’s side and turned on her seat heater.

  With shaking hands she rubbed her bare arms but remained frozen. The heat from the vent and from under her bottom had no effect. Her muscles clenched and her teeth chattered. Mathias reached for her awkwardly over the center console, but there was too much space between them. He frowned.

  “Let’s get in the back,” he said.

  “Wh-what?”

  “I’m not being forward.” With his finger he drew an X over his heart. “Honest. You need to get warm fast. It’s twenty degrees outside and your date made you walk around with no coat. You need body heat.”

  “Y-you didn’t make me, but okay.” Anything to stop her body’s shuddering.

  They both jumped out, slammed their doors shut, and got into the bench-style back seat. She slid across and scooted into his waiting arms. Her shoulders trembled as she pressed her face against his soft shirt, trying to absorb his warmth.

  “I d-don’t know why I can’t stop sh-shaking,” she muttered.

  “It’s okay. You had a scare and then walked outside into the freezing cold.”

  She glanced up, grateful for his strong arms around her, and nodded. “That was s-scary.” Easy words to say, but he could never know that it frightened her on more than one level. She buried her face in his chest, trying to block out the fiery images.

  “That was some crazy shit.” He rubbed his hands up and down her back. “I’m still trying to figure out what happened in there.”