Order of the Fire Box Set

by P. E. Padilla

  Kate blinked away emotion and focused on the present. Koren was staring at her. Why?

  “Did you not hear me the first two times?” he asked.

  “What?” she said. “Oh, sorry. I was…elsewhere.”

  The sympathy in the grizzled veteran’s eyes threatened to make her tear up. She closed her eyes for a three count and took a breath. When she opened them again, he had averted his gaze to Peiros, who was waking.

  Koren turned back to her. “I said, we’ll need to heal up a bit, but once we have, I think our first task should be to find out what happened to our brothers. I don’t like things I can’t explain on top of not knowing how Thozrixith had information about the Order he shouldn’t have known, first of which is that we were in Hell to begin with.”

  Before Kate had a chance to respond, the door to the room opened and a familiar figure shuffled in.

  “Aha,” Alam Nere, the wizened chirurgeon, said, “I see that you are awake.” He scanned the room, his eyes catching everything in an instant, or so it seemed. When they landed on Kate, a frown blossomed on the man’s face. Kate’s legs were still hanging over the edge of the bed. The old man raised his eyebrows at her.

  She swung her legs back onto the bed and covered them with a blanket.

  “I’d not try to stand on that ankle if I were you,” the healer said. “I have set and accelerated the healing on the bones that were broken, but if you go putting your whole weight on them, you will undo much of what I have done to fix you up. You wouldn’t like it if I had to talk to your captain about undoing my good work, would you?”

  “No, sir,” Kate said. “Thank you for fixing me up. Again.”

  The frown flew off his face as if it hadn’t ever been there, and his eyes twinkled as a small smile replaced it.

  “It is my job and my pleasure to help out where I can. I especially like patching up heroes of the Black; it is most often challenging. But not enough to want to do it again. Would it be too much to ask if I implored you not to allow your flesh to be torn and cut so? You’re such a lovely young woman. Try to keep yourself in one piece?”

  Kate smiled back at the old man. “I will endeavor to do my best.”

  “I suppose that is all I can ask.” He turned to face each of his patients as he continued. “Now, most of your injuries are not serious, especially considering what you went through. I have given you each herbs that will help you to resist any infections you may have picked up in Hell, and others that will help you heal faster. Most of you can leave at any time, once you are rested.

  “As for you, Kate Courtenay, I will give you a stout staff you can put your weight on so that you do not injure your ankle further. I administered herbs fortified with magic to help your bones heal much more quickly than they should be able to, but you must take care not to damage them further. You will stay off your foot for three days, and then you may put your weight lightly on that leg. In seven days, you should be healed enough to walk normally. In ten days, you may use your leg as the pain allows. Come to me immediately if something seems amiss.

  “That is all I have to say to you right now. I thank you for your service and your bravery, all of you. From all accounts, I believe the battle would have been much worse without your help.”

  He turned and shuffled out the door, closing it behind him.

  “You don’t know the half of it,” Koren said as he got up from his bed to get his clothes.

  3

  By the end of the day, Kate and all of her team were out of the recovery room and into their own rooms in the Black barracks section of the city. Kate cursed at having to move around with the staff the chirurgeon had given her, but at least she could move. The magically infused herbs had all but healed the torn and burned skin on her left arm, but occasionally a jolt of phantom pain assaulted her, as if her red-hot shield was still melted to her skin.

  After resting from the trip to her room, she soon became bored. Taking her staff in hand again, she hobbled to the library and found herself in the hall of the restricted section. Looking around to make sure no one else saw her, she activated the secret door to the hidden area of the Purple Command. It was time to sit down with Molara Grey and go through some things.

  Kate squeezed herself and her walking staff through the half-open secret door and closed it behind her. The hallway and small room that served as an entryway were empty.

  The thunk-thunk-thunk of the hardwood staff on the stone floor echoed much too loudly. Kate hoped it didn’t disturb her friend. If Molara was busy with something, Kate would take the opportunity to rest and read one of the many reference tomes she had been trying to get to.

  She went through the library reading room and on into Molara’s domain. Kate thought of stopping, not bothering the Purple, and allowing her to come to Kate if she wanted. But she missed the woman, had seen her only briefly the day before, and thought the risk of interrupting her was worth seeing if she could catch up.

  Kate saw her friend standing at a bench, working on something. In the mirror in front of her, Kate caught the flash of Molara’s blue eyes as she glanced in the glass to see Kate.

  A huge smile broke out on Molara’s beautiful face, and she put down what she had been working with. She skipped over to her friend and went to crush her in a hug.

  She pulled up short, her smile turning to a frown.

  “Can I hug you?” she asked sourly, as if someone had forbidden her to do something she wanted to do. “I mean, will I hurt you?”

  Kate laughed and steadied herself, then put her arms out to the sides, her left still holding the staff.

  Molara carefully put her arms around Kate and sighed as she embraced her, rubbing her back lightly so as not to cause her friend pain.

  “By the Creator, I missed you.” Molara pulled her head back just enough to look Kate in the eyes and then kiss her on the cheek before tucking her face back into Kate’s shoulder.

  Kate brushed her hand over Molara’s black hair with her empty hand. “I missed you, too. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you again.”

  The Purple was silent for a moment, holding her friend and breathing softly. The scent of herbs Molara mixed into her bath wafted up from the woman’s hair. It calmed Kate, made her feel like she was finally home.

  “Oh,” Molara finally said. “I’m so sorry, Kate. Here you are, injured and needing a stick to walk, and I’m keeping you on your feet. Come, sit. I’ll make us some tea.”

  Kate laughed again as she did as she was asked. “How I missed you, Molara Grey.”

  Molara flashed a gorgeous smile at her, her pale complexion and dark hair lighting up the room. She was wearing the small gemstone she typically wore, mounted on a delicate chain and hanging in the middle of her forehead. Her long black hair was back behind her shoulders and her blue eyes twinkled.

  “I like your earrings,” Kate said, noticing the pearls dangling from her friend’s ears.

  “Thank you. I made them myself. They have…alternate uses besides being pretty. I’ll tell you all about it later. I can make you some if you like.”

  The Purple hustled around the small kitchen and put water over the fire, brought out a tin of the mint tea Kate loved so much, and put the honey jar on the tray with the cups.

  Once the water had boiled, Molara brought the kettle to the table and poured into Kate’s cup and her own.

  “There,” the Purple said. “Now, why don’t you tell me more about how Koren Merklen recharged the invisibility stones with Benedict’s firestone.”

  “Right to the point, huh?” Kate asked, taking a sip of her too-hot tea. She closed her eyes and let the scent of the mint swirl around her.

  “I’m sorry, but I invented those stones, and my method of charging looks positively primitive compared to what he did. I think I know the basis of it, but it’s something I’d like to know more about. It may help to confirm some things I’ve been suspecting for a long time.”

  “Really?” Kate asked, sitting up straighter. �
�What kinds of things?”

  “You first. I’ll tell you all about it after I get my questions answered.”

  “Oh, fine. You know you should really be asking Koren, though. I’m not exactly clear on what he did and why it worked.”

  Molara held her teacup to her face and smiled without showing any teeth. “I plan on it. But you’re here now, and he’s not. So spill it.”

  Kate took a sip of her tea and started.

  “I don’t understand a lot of it. Koren said that as he was being tortured, especially when his firestone was in the same room, he developed a kind of rapport with it. He could sense it, almost like he could reach out and grab it. Koren could point toward wherever Arkith—that’s the demon mage who was working on the anti-firestones—took the firestone.

  “He said that he had figured out that the firestones, made with our own blood and tuned to us each individually, actually used our own energy to power it. Is that true?”

  “Yes,” Molara said, and she would be one to know. She was one of only five who had the magic and the knowledge to create the stones. Most of them were made by Molara herself, though a fair amount were made by a Purple brother who was stationed permanently at Faerdham Fortress. “It’s a kind of life magic, based on our human life and will. The firestones magnify our essence and take a small part of our energy to do their job of allowing us to harm the demons. We’re still not exactly sure how it works.”

  “So,” Kate said, “when the original soldiers who became the Order first fought the demons, the humans couldn’t harm them at all? What they told us at Faerdham is true, that without the stones, the demons are invincible to us?”

  “Yes and no. It is true that none of our human weapons or strength can harm the demons, but magic can. Remember that there was more magic back when the gate was first found. Magical weapons, charms, and spellcasters allowed those men to inflict damage. They learned quickly that they needed to do something to ensure more people could kill the enemy.

  “But you’re changing the subject. Tell me more about Koren and what he did.”

  “Fine, fine.” Kate took another sip of the tea. “Mmmm. This tea is fantastic.” Noting Molara’s frown, she went on. “So, when we were trying to figure out how to slip past the demon army to the gate, I said that according to what you had told me about how they glowed, the energy left in the invisibility stones was only enough for maybe one or two of us to avoid detection.

  “He asked why we didn’t just charge them back up. I told him what you said, that it would take months to do so and that only you could do it. He proposed another way.

  “He said that he could help to channel the flow of energy from one of us into the stones, recharging them. Because he had such an intimate knowledge of how the firestones worked, he told me he should be able to do it. And he did. It nearly killed Benedict, draining the energy from him, but it worked and the stones were recharged, though one only partially. If Visimar hadn’t stopped it, both stones would have been fully charged and Benedict would have died.”

  Molara sat there with a pensive expression for a moment, looking off toward the wall and absently sipping her tea. She started muttering about energy and the stones and where she was wrong earlier. It went on for several minutes.

  Kate enjoyed her own tea and watched her friend as the Purple worked her way through whatever thought process consumed her.

  Finally, Molara jerked her head and her eyes grew focused once again.

  “Okay, I’m back,” Molara said. “I think I need to talk to Koren. If he has learned what I think he might have discovered, it could prove some things I have always believed about the firestones and magic. It could help us in our fight. It might help end the fight.”

  Kate smiled and nodded her head. That was the kind of thing she liked to hear.

  After chatting with Molara for a while longer, Kate left the library and headed to Wilfred’s barracks. The sergeant of Envoy Squad, Gallin Shuriss, greeted her warmly, telling her he had heard about her recent accomplishments and how it seemed she was even more a hero than before. She thanked him and asked how the squad was doing. She had been in Envoy, after all, though not for long.

  Rather than walking into the men’s barracks, Kate knocked on the door. She figured she’d take her chances at who might answer. She got along well with almost all the members of the squad, so she wasn’t concerned about someone she didn’t know—or like—answering, making her feel awkward.

  As it was, she didn’t need to worry. Wilfred answered the door, looking distracted by something in the room. He had his head mostly turned backward, apparently listening to someone speaking to him. Then he caught sight of her.

  “Kate!” he said, taking a little hop in his excitement. “Come in, sit down.”

  “Uh, I was wondering if you’d eaten. If you’d like to go to the mess with me. I’m a bit hungry.”

  “Yes,” he said. “Yes, of course. I haven’t eaten. Yes. That would be nice.”

  Laughter erupted from behind him in the barrack. It sounded like two or three people were in there. She poked her head in, past Wilfred, and saw Karles Mercia, Erart Canmore, and Rowan Saxe relaxing on their bunks. She waved at them, and they all smiled and waved back.

  The Blue were always kinder to her than any other group she had been with. Or at least this squad was. If it weren’t for not being able to use her sword and shield, she thought she could have been happy serving in the Order with them.

  But, then again, she was exactly where she wanted to be now. She was in the Black, the elite corps of the Order, the special forces. There she was happiest, most comfortable, and fit the best. She was born to be Black.

  Wilfred said his goodbyes to his squadmates and walked with Kate to the mess hall. He kept raising his hand and moving his mouth as if he was going to speak, but stopped before ever forming sounds. All the while, he eyed Kate’s walking stick.

  “No, I don’t need help,” she said. “It’s fine. It’s annoying, but it’s something I have to put up with until my ankle is healed. The herb dressings and whatever healing magic they’ve been using is really working. I can probably get rid of this thing in a few days. I’m slow, but I’m fine. Thank you for your unvoiced concern.”

  She smiled as she said it and even chuckled a little at the end. He relaxed as if she had let him off the hook.

  They settled in at a table in the corner of the mess hall. Kate asked Wilfred what he had been up to during the time when she was in Hell, and he asked her questions about her adventures. Within minutes, it seemed like she had never left.

  “I still can’t believe Captain Achard let me stay to hear that conversation,” he said. “I don’t have clearance for that kind of information.”

  “It’s within his authority to do so, though it is abnormal. The captain has a good sense about people, however. Maybe he figured with how strange things are right now, it wasn’t a big risk. I know you’ll never tell anyone what you heard; he may know it, too.”

  “I think he does,” Wilfred said, “but he didn’t leave it to chance. He had me report to his office, and Molara made me take an oath with that stick she has. I can’t tell anyone else now. Oh, and while she had me there, she gave me access to that secret room in the library. A secret room!”

  “That’s wonderful. It’s almost like you’re an honorary Black. I don’t like it that you’re involved, though.”

  His hand stopped in midair, the fork almost to his mouth. “Why not?”

  Her gaze settled on him. “These are dangerous things we’re talking about. You could be hurt or killed for knowing about them, even more so if someone thinks you’re actually involved.”

  “Oh.” He put the fork on his tray and looked down toward the ground.

  “No,” Kate said. “Don’t take it like that. I just worry that you’ll get hurt. We both know you aren’t good with a blade or shield. Until we know what we’re dealing with, it’s better to be as careful as possible. And when we find out what we�
�re dealing with, to be twice as careful.”

  He looked back at her sheepishly. “I know. It’s just, well, I don’t like to be a liability. I want to help, but everyone always thinks that since I don’t fight, I’m a coward or can’t be useful in other ways.”

  “Oh, Wilfred, it’s not that at all. You’re my friend and I worry about you. I worry about Molara, too, but she already holds so many secrets that this is not a strange situation for her. It doesn’t reflect on you at all, just on my concern for my friend.”

  “Really?”

  “Absolutely.”

  A slow smile made its way onto Wilfred’s face. “I guess that’s okay then. I worry about you too, you know. Sure, you can kill demons without even thinking about it, but there are a lot of them, and some are huge or can use magic. Every time you go out and fight, I wonder if it’ll be the last time I see you.”

  “Then you understand my point. I worry for you and you worry for me. Let’s both try to stay safe, and everything will be fine.”

  “Agreed,” he said.

  Kate began to grow weary. She hadn’t realized before how taxing it was to move around carefully using the stick for support. Her body must have been using her energy for healing. She remembered Dante saying something like that to her once.

  She wondered how her old trainer was doing. She should write to him—and to her family—to tell them how she had made it to the Black. Dante Bellweather would be so proud. He was the reason she was here at all, both in the Order and part of the Black Command. Yes, she would write to him.

  “I should probably head back to my bunk,” Kate said when the conversation wound down. “I’m getting tired and could probably use some rest.”

  “Of course,” Wilfred said. “Can I walk with you? I’m not due to be on shift again for another day. I have lots of time on my hands.”

  “That sounds great,” Kate said. “Let’s go.”

  They left the mess hall and made their way toward the Black section of the fortress. They passed a group of Reds in the hall. Four of them were standing around and idly chatting. As Kate and Wilfred passed, one of them noticed and elbowed his companion, who was animatedly telling a story to the others.