Fire

by Rosie Scott

  “That depends on if their mission was to kill us or report back,” Nyx mused.

  I was silent. That was all too possible.

  “We need to get out of here as soon as possible. I would not trust even Terran,” she murmured.

  That broke my heart. I didn't want to believe my brother would turn against me. At the same time, I couldn't discount it. I left Sera, while he had always tried to get me to find a place in it. He had always accepted the path in his life he felt he was assigned. Even if Terran still loved me as family, at some point, with Sirius and I having drastically different opinions, he was going to have to choose a side. If I were in his place, I would have chosen the same.

  “I need to talk to Bjorn first,” I finally insisted. “I cannot leave without seeing him. I need to make sure he's all right and has the option to join us.”

  Nyx sighed. “Then I hope he comes tomorrow, because the longer we stay here, the more dangerous it is. Theron and I will need to keep a close eye on anyone coming upstairs in this inn, tonight. The last thing we need is for Cerin to be captured.”

  “Yes, please do that. I would appreciate it.” I couldn't keep the anxiety out of my voice. So much was happening and unraveling in what I thought had been a simple plan.

  “I will talk to Theron,” Nyx promised.

  The night was long, for I could not sleep. Every noise stirred me, and there were a few times throughout the night where I got up to investigate the hallway to ensure Cerin's safety. I did not believe that the gods were almighty, but I found myself wishing I could pray, because sitting around doing nothing did not sit well with me.

  When a knock came at the door the next morning, I was fatigued with a lack of sleep, but I hurried to the door nonetheless, hoping it was Bjorn on the other side. I wanted to leave Sera today, and ideally, I wanted him with me.

  The door opened, and I felt nauseated for the umpteenth time in the two days since I'd been back in Sera. For it was not Bjorn, but an official messenger from the Seran University who awaited me on the other side.

  “Kai Sera,” the young man said, holding up a summons from Sirius's court. “You are hereby notified to come with me for a meeting with your father, Sirius Sera, and his court, effective immediately. He requests you bring Silas Galan and Cerin Heliot. No one else.”

  There was my heart again, forcing my brain out of my head with the pounding of my blood. “Cerin Heliot is not here,” I stated, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “I can bring Silas Galan.”

  The messenger read along the back of the summons he still showed to me. “You are harboring Cerin Heliot and are required to bring him.” The young man's eyes raised to meet mine over the scroll. “It says here that you might try to lie, and that your ties to him are proven.”

  My nostrils flared, and my mind flew through thoughts at a mile per minute. “I was harboring him, yes. He grew suspicious of my intentions here and fled during the night. There is nothing I can do. If Sirius requires his presence, I suggest he send his men east of Sera.”

  The young man looked flustered and confused, reading through the summons again. “Well...I guess just bring Silas Galan and yourself, then. I will request he send his army after Cerin Heliot when we arrive.” He hesitated. “We must leave immediately, Miss Sera. I have armed soldiers waiting outside the inn for us.”

  Thump-thump. Thump-thump. I turned to Nyx, who was watching this all with a look of horror. I could not portray what I wanted to her without the messenger overhearing me. Instead, I stared at her, before flicking my eyes to the left, toward Cerin's room. She made no mention of noticing the move, but I knew she did.

  “He will not hurt me,” I said to her, as I slowly exited the room. “He desires my powers more than my death.”

  Nyx nodded, even as she stood from the bed. I didn't know what she was planning, but I saw the options racing through her black eyes before I could see her no more. Passing Cerin's door without so much a glance, I knocked on Silas's door.

  The Celdic elf's face appeared before mine a moment later. His eyes flicked from me to the messenger.

  “Silas,” I said, my voice low. “We have been summoned.”

  Nineteen

  Walking to the Seran University surrounded by armed guards was humiliating. While not all of the citizens of Sera knew me by my appearance, those who did know spread the message through the crowds that had started to gather on the main road. I heard the whispering murmuring through the people, almost collectively. I was sure there were both true and untrue things being said about me. I wondered if I was liked enough to have sympathizers, and then I realized it didn't really matter. None of these people had any control over the politics in Sera; they barely had control over their own lives under Sirius's rule.

  I had never been so scared to walk through the gigantic two front doors to the university, even back when I'd anticipated past arguments with Sirius. I had told Nyx he would not hurt me, and even though there was a possibility of that, I wasn't even sure it was true. Even if he refused to hurt me, I had multiple people I cared about who did not have the powers he desired.

  Silas and I were led through corridors that were immediately familiar to me, and up twirling staircases that led to Sirius's personal court. While I had been in the room before, I did not know the people who made up the court. I had been kept far from my father's political sphere growing up. Only Terran had been given such access.

  A thick wooden door was opened before us, and the top floor of one of the university's towers presented itself within my vision, holding a variety of people. Some were vaguely familiar, as if I'd seen them before. Some were complete strangers. Even still, there were some whom I loved.

  Terran. Bjorn. My brother avoided my eyes. I knew, then, that he had been the one to lead Sirius's men to me. I had such heartbreak I felt I would fall. I wavered on my feet, and even whimpered his name. I felt one of the soldiers beside me grab my arm to still me.

  And Bjorn. He sat a few seats away from Sirius at the round table. His eyes watched me with nothing but love despite appearing conflicted. The first time I saw him since leaving Sera, it was as a criminal.

  “Where is the necromancer?” Sirius spoke to the soldiers at our sides.

  “There was no one else, sir,” one of them replied. The messenger who had led us here had already left, having apparently forgotten his promise to send Sera's armies after the false lead I had given him. Perhaps the messenger simply feared facing Sirius. I couldn't blame him.

  The man I had always known as my father looked to me. “Where is Cerin Heliot?”

  “Probably halfway to the ocean by now,” I replied, shortly, refusing to look away in intimidation.

  “He fled?” Sirius replied, before looking to Silas.

  “As far as I knew, he was at the inn with us as of this morning,” Silas replied.

  My heart dropped into the bile of my stomach, and I glared over at the elf, but said nothing. Silas refused to look back at me, but I could tell this was hard for him. Regardless, I didn't care. Nothing but hatred swelled in my chest for him then.

  Sirius nodded. “Very well. I should have known I could not rely on Kai to give me the truth.”

  “As I could never rely on you to be honest with me, father.” The last word was a hiss. “You could have admitted it was you who tried to have me killed when I was sixteen, rather than waste your army's time and resources to try to find the one responsible.”

  Bjorn frowned at my accusation, but said nothing. Terran cringed. Surely, he thought I was crazy at this point. But it was Sirius's reply that pointed to the true crazy one within the room.

  “Or I could admit that I have retroactively wished the attempt had succeeded, or that I hadn't spent so much money in the first place on something that gave me no return.” Sirius stared at me, evenly. “You have been nothing but trouble.”

  Terran stared in horror over at our father. “Father, you didn't! She is telling lies!”

  “Sometimes, Ter
ran, you must do what you feel is right for your city. It is a good lesson for you to learn.” Sirius paused, and refocused his attention on me. “I have no intention on speaking with you on matters you are not here for. This is my court, not yours. You will bring me the necromancer, and I will not charge you for harboring him all this time. This is as merciful as I am ever going to get with you.”

  I stared at him, but said nothing. I had no intentions of betraying Cerin and dragging him here to his death. Not after all we'd been through to keep him safe.

  “Kai, do not act as a child. Respond.”

  “I will not bring you Cerin,” I replied, each word sounding stronger than the last. “I didn't think you were so stupid, father. My lack of response served as my answer.”

  “And with your answer, you prove your own stupidity,” Sirius sneered. “If you will not bring me Cerin, I will let you serve his death sentence.”

  “Sir, if I may,” Silas interjected, a desperate tone to his voice.

  “What is it?”

  “Leave Kai be,” the elf pleaded. “I will bring you Cerin myself.”

  “No!” I turned to Silas, grabbing him by the arms, before I was violently pulled back and held still by two soldiers. “You cannot do this,” I pleaded with him, my chest heaving. “You know how much he means to me. He saved my life, Silas! You cannot—”

  “For the love of the gods, shut up,” Sirius huffed. “It is no wonder you will not turn him over. It seems my dear daughter has become a necrophiliac.” It was clearly meant as a joke, and some of the people at the table laughed. Bjorn and Terran both appeared ready to dig their own holes to be buried in.

  “That's not what that means, you ignorant fuck!” I screamed at him, tears of anger at the corners of my eyes. I could not be the reason for Cerin's death. Not after finding him after all this time. Not after he trusted my judgment enough to come here with me. Not after his kindness and his teachings.

  “Silas Galan, you are free to leave,” Sirius said, ignoring my insult. “You may request the help of my guards near the inn. Just let them know you are acting in my command.”

  One of the strangers at the table was in the midst of writing something on a small piece of paper, and handed it to Silas. “Take this, and show it to the guards. This is official parchment.”

  Silas nodded, still avoiding my gaze. “Thank you, sir. I hope to be back with him in the next few hours.”

  I heard Silas leave the room behind me. I was so angry I was shaking in my own boots. The only thing I could hope for was that Nyx and Theron were escorting Cerin to safer ground and would not be there by the time Silas arrived.

  “You have not changed much,” Sirius commented to me, a moment later. “I remember many times when you would have men sent to do the jobs that were meant for you. You should be thankful Silas has the intelligence and the foresight to make up for the things that you lack.”

  “Sirius, your insults are unwarranted,” Bjorn finally spoke, his voice reserved. Somehow, he'd managed to sound calm when confronting his superior.

  “And your comments are unnecessary,” Sirius replied.

  “Terran,” I blurted out, desperate for answers. “Why would you do this to me? Cerin has not harmed you. He saved my life. This is how you repay him? Ratting him out to our tyrant of a father?”

  Terran still stared down at the table, ashamed. “We knew of your relationship with him before your return to Sera, sister. I needn't have said a word.”

  I switched my gaze to Sirius. “You had men follow us?”

  “The people at Thornwell were very talkative once the Twelve began torching their homes,” Sirius replied. The Twelve. No wonder we had never noticed them. They had seen us from the air, on their griffons. “They continued on the way to Whispermere, as we knew that was your destination. They found you just before the Cel Mountains. And lo and behold, dear daughter is consorting with a necromancer who has eluded us for years, and who is responsible for the murder of my men.”

  “It was self defense. If you hadn't have sent them with orders to kill—”

  “He is a necromancer. By simply existing he offends the laws of Chairel.”

  “And he is kind. And a healer. He saved my life and prevented one of my friends from becoming a cripple.”

  “I don't care if he is a god's gift to humanity and throws annual tea parties. He is a necromancer.”

  I thought about arguing that so was I. I decided that offered no benefits to me during this conversation. My anger had slowly turned to defeat.

  “I tire of your despicable words and your uglier face, father. If you are going to put me to death, just do it already.”

  “As much as I would love to, your friend's actions have spared you,” he replied. “You are free to go.”

  His soldiers loosened their grips on my arms, and I turned to the door. Perhaps, if I could hurry, I could catch Silas before he got Cerin arrested.

  “Oh, and Kai?” Sirius. I turned around, facing the man who raised me for what I hoped was the last time. “Do not ever expect to be invited to join my armies or be considered part of Seran royalty, ever again.”

  “I would sooner eat my own vomit than consider you family,” I retorted, before continuing out the door.

  Sera was a blur of colors and people as I ran through the city, my eyes biased for the Celdic elf that was my target. I wanted to kill him for his betrayal, but every second I took to get there was another second of danger. I wasn't sure how I would stop him. Perhaps I could hurry past him and to the inn, where I would help Cerin escape.

  By the time I reached the inn, my heart was shattering my ribs with its incessant pounding, and my inhales drew knives against the flesh of my lungs. I had not seen Silas, so I feared for the worst. At the same time, I hadn't seen Cerin being escorted to the university, either.

  I hurried through confused stares in the inn and to the second floor, where I saw Silas and Theron talking quickly with each other at the end of the hall. I heard rustling, and ignored the elf for the moment to hurry to Cerin's room, busting open the door and catching him in the midst of packing.

  “Cerin, we must leave,” I warned, hurrying to him. Even as I was confused over the current events, and wondered why Silas had no soldiers with him, I also felt relief wash over me to see Cerin okay.

  The necromancer turned, and held his left hand out toward me, his right at his scythe. His silver eyes were distrusting. “Do not come closer.”

  I stilled, halfway through his room. “I am not here to hurt you, Cerin, but to escape with you.”

  Cerin shook his head, quickly, manically. “Do not pretend that is why you are here.” When I didn't move, he went back to packing, frantically stuffing his things in his knapsacks without any organization.

  I thought of Silas out in the hall. “What did he tell you?”

  “Do not act dumb, Kai.” He did not stop to look at me, even as he shoved his feet into his boots. “You are a talented actress, after all this time of encouraging me to trust you, but I am seeing through your ways now. I should have never trusted you, and I regret ever coming back to this fucking city.”

  “What are you talking about?” I breathed, exasperated. “We need to leave Sera now, Cerin, and together. Going alone is suicide. They will recognize you at the gate.” I hesitated, waiting for him to reply. When he didn't, I said, “Silas is going to lead my father's men to you. He—”

  “Well, that's funny, because he said the same of you.” Cerin glanced up between grabbing his things off the floor. “You are finally admitting to some truth. Leave me be, Kai. Either way, I am dead if I stay here. I am better off alone.”

  I stared at Cerin, my eyes trembling in their sockets, the anger having come back to me. I was losing everything. I had already been on a quest that had been nothing but a disappointment, and had caused me to lose a friend I'd had for years. Now, I was losing what little I'd gained, and then some. Terran, Bjorn, Cerin. All of them would be gone from my life.

>   “I plead you to reconsider, Cerin,” I begged, my voice thick with emotion. “I have never lied to you. I thought we had grown close. I have come to care for you immensely.” As it was said, I choked up. Embarrassed, I sniffed away the sobs that wanted to come.

  “I also thought we had become close, Kai,” Cerin replied, his glare much softer now that I had devolved into tears. “If anything, I do not blame you for sacrificing me to save yourself. I blame my own weakness that I have when it comes to you.” He hesitated, before pulling his eyes away from mine for the last time. “That is why I must go. I cannot trust you, nor can I trust myself when I am around you.”

  The room was nearly empty, now. Cerin was nearly gone. Again. Maybe forever, this time. I was so torn with emotion and heartbreak and anger from so many different things, and Cerin wasn't listening to me. I did the only thing I knew to do; I went to the next target on my list.

  “Silas!” I was yelling it as I exited Cerin's room, my eyes finding the elf still in the middle of a conversation with Theron. They had quieted, and probably for good reason. They had most likely overheard my banter with Cerin.

  My former lover looked up at me, and he prepared to defend himself, even as I shoved him into the corner of the end of the hallway.

  “Tell him!” I screamed, directly in his face. He grimaced, holding his head back from mine. “Tell him the truth!” Silas stared back at me, silently, not allowing my anger to get to him. I heard Cerin exit his room, and start hurrying down the hall. I wasn't sure where Nyx was, and Theron had his hands on my shoulders, preparing to pull me off of the elf, though he was allowing me more leeway than he probably should have. Perhaps he knew of Silas's betrayal.

  I jerked my head around, watching as Cerin hurried down the inn steps and out of sight. My heart ached as he left, and even more as I heard the inn door downstairs open and squeak to a close. I turned back to Silas, and despite my anger, burst into tears.