Fire Mage (Firecaller Series Book 1)

by Trudi Jaye

  “Is it far from here? Are you up to traveling?” Jena was playing the healer in Bree’s absence.

  “I’ll be fine. It won’t take more than a couple days.” Eldrin grinned with his easy charm, but Nate saw the determined chin clench down. Eldrin was just as good at hiding his pain as Argus.

  “We’re traveling a different route from here. The water demon is taking us on the underground river.” Nate hesitated. “We can’t take our horses.”

  Eldrin nodded. “And you’d like me to take them?”

  “Yes. Otherwise, we’d have to set them free, which wouldn’t be ideal. But if you’re going to be riding anyway, you could perhaps take them with you?”

  Eldrin looked over to where the horses grazed. “They shouldn’t be too much trouble.” He grinned. “I suppose you’ll want them back.”

  “Yes, we want them back,” said Nate dryly, unable to completely resist the charm of the Utugani prince. “Perhaps we can meet you at your winter hearth?”

  Eldrin nodded. “The least I can do for my brother. And for the people who saved my life.” He tried again to lever himself to a sitting position and failed.

  Jena went over to him, picking up a blanket on the way, and draped it over his legs. “You’re not going anywhere until morning. Bree will do some more healing work with you, but you have to give yourself a chance to get over being used by the demon. You’re just like Argus.”

  “Don’t confuse me with him. I’m the easy-going brother.”

  Jena smiled. “I doubt that very much.”

  Eldrin grinned back at Jena, and Nate frowned. They were getting friendly very fast. He narrowed his eyes, watching Eldrin’s face closely.

  “Now what can you tell me about your sister?” said Eldrin to Jena, a twinkle in his eye. He winked at her.

  Jena glanced over at Nate. “Bree is sweet and kind and strong,” she said.

  “She’s a healer and will go to great lengths to heal those in her care,” added Nate. “She’s a good person, worthy of Argus.”

  Eldrin grinned back, and nodded. “Ach, the Utugani are a casual lot. As long as she has a ready smile and can cook a meal, they don’t care about the rest.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  When Argus and Bree eventually came back to the campsite, Argus looked like a weight had fallen from his shoulders. Bree’s face glowed. They came up the path holding hands and at first avoided the gaze of the three they’d left in the campsite. Jena watched them closely, not sure what to make of this latest development.

  Argus let go of Bree’s hand and went straight to his brother. He crouched down beside Eldrin and put a hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling, Eldrin?”

  “Not as good as you are, Argus.” Eldrin grinned as Argus’s ears went red.

  Bree was by the fire, adding a few of the logs they had gathered earlier to build it up. Jena moved over to crouch next to her and put one hand on her arm. Bree looked back at her, her eyes shining in the firelight. She put one hand over Jena’s. “I’m fine, Jena. Truly I am,” she whispered.

  Jena nodded, relieved that her sister was back with the group again.

  “It’s late, we all need to get some rest before traveling again,” said Nate, his eyes on Argus.

  Argus turned. “We don’t have the same rush as we had before, Nate,” he said.

  Nate frowned. “Why not?”

  “Things have... changed. I don’t have to go back as urgently to my master.”

  Bree shifted uneasily where she was crouched by the fire. Jena thought she understood why. They’d been a team now for a while. It was strange to hear Argus talking about breaking them up so easily.

  Nate’s face fell. “But have they changed for me?” he said. “The coronation date is getting closer and Lothar still needs to sit on the Flame Throne to take full control. I’m still in the way of that.”

  “I don’t know if Remus was telling the truth. He’s unscrupulous and selfish. He’ll not stop until he gets what he wants.” Argus seemed to take great pleasure in his words, relishing every syllable. Jena narrowed her eyes at him. Something was different about Argus, and she wasn’t sure what it was. He seemed lighter, freer somehow.

  “And he wants me?” said Nate, his face showing some of his anger.

  “He wants what he thinks you can do for him.”

  “What if you’re wrong? What if Remus isn’t lying?” said Nate. “What if he can help me against Lothar?”

  Argus hesitated, watching Nate with a cautious expression. “You’re right. I don’t know if he was lying. You might still need to go to him.”

  It was the most that Jena had ever heard Argus speak in one conversation. His words seemed to have loosened. She stared at him some more. Was it simply because he’d proclaimed himself to Bree? That they’d found they cared for each other? Or was it something more? She remembered the seething mist that had been inside his body when they’d done the Seeking. She focused her magic and searched for any traces of a mage spell on Argus now. She wasn’t sure, but she thought it was gone. Something to do with Bree had broken the spell that was tying Argus to Remus.

  “Eldrin has agreed to look after the horses,” said Nate. “He’ll take them to the Utugani Winter Hearth. We can meet him there once we’ve met with Remus.”

  Argus hesitated, and glanced at Bree. “I would prefer to take Bree straight to the Winter Hearth and meet you there. You don’t need me to visit Remus with you.”

  Jena felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. Was he trying to split her up from Bree? And what about helping Nate?

  On the other side, Eldrin let out a yell of excitement. “You’re serious? It will be a momentous occasion, my brother. I will have finally managed to achieve what our father has been asking me to do for almost seven years.” He clapped his brother on the arm.

  “I don’t know the way to Remus’s house,” said Nate softly. “I need your help.”

  Argus shook his head. “I can give you a map. Tell you the way to go. It will be fine.”

  Bree stood up, shaking her head. “No. We all go to Remus. We’re not going to break up out group just yet,” she said, looking sternly at Argus.

  “But—” Argus tried to interrupt, but Bree put one hand on his arm.

  “We promised Miara that we would find Nate and take him to your master. We must finish what we started.”

  Argus turned to her fully. “I don’t know what Remus has planned.” He put both hands on her shoulders. “I don’t want you to be in any danger from him.”

  Jena held her breath. She could appreciate his argument. She would prefer that Bree stayed safe as well.

  “I’m not a child to be protected. We’ve survived this far by working together, protecting each other. This is important enough that we should all be part of it.”

  There was a moment of silence, as everyone absorbed Bree’s words.

  “I can manage the horses by myself,” said Eldrin, his expression somber. “I’m sure our father can wait a little longer to get you home. The whole Utugani clan can.”

  Argus narrowed his eyes at his brother and his lips tightened into a thin line. “I don’t need you messing in my business, Eldrin.”

  “Bree will only find out from elsewhere if you don’t tell her. I’ll tell her if need be.”

  “No need to worry, Eldrin. Your brother told me who he is, and who your family is,” Bree spoke up from her position next to the fire, a concerned look on her face. “No need to get angry with each other. You’ve only just found each other again.”

  “Angry? I’m not angry. I’m the easy-going brother.” Eldrin grinned at Argus and reached out to slap him on the arm.

  Argus snorted, shaking his head. “Easily influenced maybe. Easily led into trouble. Not easygoing.”

  “So we’re all agreed?” Bree interrupted. “Eldrin takes the horses, and we travel tomorrow morning on the underground river.”

  Everyone nodded. But not everyone looked happy.

&nbs
p; CHAPTER FIFTY

  Inside the cave it was shadowed, the blue glow from the water demon lighting only the facing section of the rocks, creating strange dark shadows over the rest. Nate could feel the water demon through a link to his fiery center.

  The water demon seemed less threatening now as it curled around the gap in the rocks where the stream entered the cave, bubbles running through its transparent body. Jena and Nate had both been in and out of the cave earlier in the morning, talking with the demon to find out what they needed for the journey.

  Currently, Nate was behind Jena, having had to almost drag Argus back into the cave and the water demon. Bree was last, standing quietly at the back.

  Eldrin had left at first light after Bree had placed a healing hand on him. He was as strong as they could make him for his journey. The farewell was emotional, the brothers clasping each other in a bear hug that seemed to last forever.

  “Demon, we’re ready,” said Nate, moving to the front of the cave. He hoped this was the right decision.

  The demon uncurled from its position, rising up to flow in a complex yet beautiful pattern of rushing water. “Yes, Fire Mage. Follow me.” The creature disappeared down the narrow tunnel where the stream flowed out of the cave.

  Nate led the way, stepping through into the small tunnel, with a single glance back at the cave where they’d met the demon only the day before. Beside him, the small stream surged over loose rocks and stones before gurgling away into the murky darkness ahead. He had to bend down to avoid bumping his head on the low ceiling of the tunnel, and walked stooped over along the track.

  Argus was following just behind him, a dark expression on his face. Bree had run up and grabbed one of Argus’s large hands in her own small one, keeping close beside him. Jena followed at the back.

  The glow from the water demon was the only light, but it spread out its muted blue glow in the stream flowing beside them so they could all see. Nate had to stop himself several times from gazing into the blue for too long. The warmth and comfort of being enclosed in the demon’s watery arms seemed tantalizingly close. He shook his head and snapped out of it. “Leave me alone,” he whispered to the water demon. “You will lose.”

  It shimmered in the air ahead of him. He sent a burst of heat along his connection to it, and the demon whimpered, its color dying off.

  “We have to step into the water up here,” Nate said gruffly. He’d walked the trail with the demon earlier. “I’ve told the demon it must leave you all alone.” His voice echoed down the chamber, a warning to the demon to obey him.

  Nate watched as the others stepped into the water beside him, one by one, at the point where the narrow trail started to disappear into the rocky walls. There was no sound other than the splashing of their feet in the stream. Argus and Bree moved ahead along the stream.

  He saw Jena hesitate over the water, but she tightened her lips and stepped toward the stream. It moved up to meet her, the blue light of the demon glowing on her leg. The water wrapped itself around her foot, and tugged gently, pulling the leg down into the water.

  Nate frowned, sending another warning along his connection to the demon. It moved reluctantly away from her, splashing gently at the edges of the stream.

  Nate stepped fully into the stream, and the cold struck his leg, shocking him into moving quickly along the waterway. Ahead, Bree slipped on a rock; Argus steadied her, and they continued.

  Nate looked down at the uneven surface, making sure he stepped carefully; he didn’t trust the demon to look after him.

  The trail wound downward, taking them into the depths of the rock one slow step at a time. They didn’t always have to walk in the water, but often enough to make it a shock whenever they put their boots back into the freezing stream. The demon lit their way, its blue glow becoming a beacon in the dark tunnel.

  They seemed to have been walking for hours when the demon told them to halt. By the time Nate arrived, the others were all looking through a hole in the rocky wall down to the view below.

  Nate leaned over Jena’s shoulder. Far below them, a river pounded through the rocks, white foam dancing on the current as it sped past. Slick wet rocks hugged each side of the river, while long pointed rocks dripped down from the roof of the cave.

  “This is it, master.” The water demon was swirling around in the stream, its blue light pulsing in time with the rolling currents.

  “How do we get down there?” Nate looked from the water demon to the river visible in the cave far below. There didn’t seem to be any way down, and there was no boat waiting calmly on the side of the river.

  “Where’s the boat?” he added.

  “The boat is in the next cave,” replied the demon. “We must hurry. Rain on the other side of the mountains is causing the river to rise.”

  The demon led them to a narrow tunnel, almost entirely taken up by the downward flow of the stream. They would have to go fully into the water to get down the tunnel. Watching its blue light flickering in the darkness, Nate started to doubt his ability to control such a wild creature.

  “Down here, master. We are almost there.” Blue flickered in the dark space.

  “We have to swim down the tunnel?” said Nate.

  “It is the only way,” said the demon. “I will help.”

  Nate hesitated, shifting his bag on his shoulder. “What do we do with our travel bags?”

  “I will take them down for you.”

  Nate nodded, motioning to everyone that they should take their gear off their backs. Jena shrugged out of her bag, piling it next to Bree’s.

  Once the bags were sitting next to the stream, the creature pulled them all into the water, one after the other like a wagon train. It looped its body around them so they were protected from the water.

  “I will travel the tunnel one more time, to ensure it is clear. Then I will come back and take you one by one,” said the demon.

  Nate watched it leave, wondering if the creature really was doing all this to his command. It wouldn’t be out of character for a demon to lure people deeper into a cave system. He tugged on his connection to the water demon; the water parted and its gleaming body rose up out of the water like an inverted waterfall. He let out the breath he’d been holding.

  Nate stepped forward. He walked into the river and was about to dive in when Bree interrupted him.

  “No! Wait. I can’t do it. We have to go back.” Bree was tugging on Argus’s arm. Her eyes were wide and her face pale as she stared at the small gap where the demon had just returned.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Jena was about to reach out and comfort Bree, when Argus put an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “It’s okay,” he said, brushing a soothing hand up and down her arm. “You can do this.”

  Bree buried her head in his shoulder, and they all heard the muffled, “I can’t.”

  “You have to, there’s no other way,” Argus replied firmly. “You’re stronger than this, Bree. We’ll all be here to help you, including the demon.” He glared over her head at Nate. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Argus squeezed Bree’s hand, and moved toward the tunnel, dragging her behind him. “I’ll go first, and I’ll be waiting for you to come through right behind me.” He glanced back at Jena. “And Jena will be here with you on this side. You can go down next, once I’ve made sure it’s safe.”

  Bree nodded brokenly, her breath coming in short little gasps.

  “You will be fine. You can do this, my love.” He kissed her on the lips, right in front of them all.

  Jena looked away. It was the first time she had heard Argus proclaim his love for Bree. The words sounded rusty on his lips, but it was obvious he was sincere.

  Jena moved forward and took her sister’s hand. Bree clung to Jena as Argus stepped forward.

  He lowered himself onto on his hands and knees, crawling along the stream, the blue light of the demon surrounding him. He took a deep breath and then entered the low, narrow gap the
stream gushed down. In a moment, he was gone, along with the demon. The cave around them darkened abruptly. Jena held up her other hand and the white flame appeared in her palm.

  “How long do we wait?” Bree’s voice shook slightly.

  “The demon will tell us.” Nate smiled reassuringly at Bree, and Jena squeezed her sister’s hand.

  Blue light reemerged from the narrow entrance. “Fire Mage, bring the next traveler forward.” The water demon’s voice sounded like a river bubbling over rocks, sparkling and eager.

  Bree’s eyes widened. “I don’t know if I can do this. What if I need to swim?”

  Jena extinguished her flame and then grasped Bree’s arms. She held her sister firmly in front of her. “You don’t have to swim. Just keep going and hold your breath the whole time. Argus will be waiting for you at the other end.”

  “I will help you, friend of the Fire Mage,” said the demon, waiting patiently in the water.

  Bree’s eyes stayed wide, but she nodded.

  Jena pulled her sister into a tight hug. “You’ll be fine. Argus will be waiting.”

  Bree stepped up to the gap. She took a deep breath then went down on her hands and knees. Cautiously she moved forward, keeping her head above the water until the very last moment.

  “Remember to keep your head as high as you can. And don’t breathe in once you get past the rocks,” said Nate.

  Bree dove into the gap, her hair flying out behind her as the water claimed her body. She disappeared from view almost immediately. The blue light again disappeared and they were left in semi-darkness.

  Jena lifted a small white flame into the darkness, her heart beating a fast tattoo in her chest. She concentrated on the gap where her sister had just disappeared. “How cold do you think it will be?” Now that it was her turn, Jena was having second thoughts.

  Nate grinned at her. “I’m glad you waited until after she’d gone to ask that.”

  “I can’t believe you don’t know!” Jena gestured to where her sister had just disappeared.