The Third Sun (Daughter of the Phoenix Book One)

by Victoria J. Price

  Yahto pressed Alexander with more questions about the Aurelli when Fia could answer no more. Instead, she listened intently. If she was to be of use, she needed to hear everything that was said, and would not leave the discussion, even though Runa had tried to coerce her with offerings of archery practice. She’d practiced so much on the ship and since their arrival in Mizune. She sat in silence, only speaking when interpreting for Arion, considering carefully every new piece of information the group had to offer.

  “Arion,” Alexander continued. “Will you stay by Fia’s side throughout the attack?”

  Arion nodded, tapping a heavy hoof on the ground. He had said little, but Fia had no doubt he’d seen his fair share of battles.

  “My people will create a shield of ice,” Yahto said. “How many angels have you called for?”

  “There are several hundred in the skies above Mizune and the surrounding area as we speak. The airships arrive tomorrow,” Alexander added. “Can the Mizunese create a shield big enough if we can come in low to the ground?”

  “We cannot guarantee it, but we can try,” Yahto replied.

  “It is as solid a plan as any.” Altair stood, holding his chin between finger and thumb. “We had hoped against hope that it would not come to this. Let us still have faith that it will not. To each of you, I cannot give you any better words of advice than to tell your loved ones what they mean to you, and to kiss them goodnight before you climb into bed this evening. Tomorrow may be our last day on Ohinyan.” He pulled the layers of his cloak around himself and folded his arms across his chest.

  “Yes, Father, and tonight, we will celebrate life,” Yahto said.

  The fire fizzled out as one of the Mizunese channelled water across it, and the chamber became tinged with the pale blue light from above as the room emptied.

  “Walk with me?” Alexander asked, taking Fia’s hand.

  “I know,” Fia said. “It isn’t safe for me here. And I have to go home. But I keep thinking about what home means to me, Alexander, and it isn’t that empty flat back in London. It isn’t that life.”

  They crossed the bridges of Mizune, past market stalls packing up for the day and fisherman as they wound up their nets for the night, ready for the next day’s catch. The wind carried the salty scent of the ocean across the harbour towards them, and seals barked somewhere in the dusk.

  “And what life is there for you here?” Alexander said, shaking his head. “For anyone here in Ohinyan? We don’t know what’s coming, and it isn’t safe for anyone. If we make it through tomorrow, then what?” They walked for a while, making their way up the path leading high above Mizune.

  Fia looked out at the icy passage they’d navigated their way through on their arrival to Mizune, at the flickering silhouette of one of the blue markers, nearly black in the little light that remained. Blue veins streaked the ice from their tip right into the inky water below them, glowing in the twilight.

  “We don’t know what the next day will bring, or the day after that when Erebus could return and destroy everything, and then in moments the sun could vanish forever,” Alexander added as they reached the cliff top overlooking Mizune. “If you can hear him, that means he can get inside your head, manipulate you...”

  A sinking feeling in her stomach told her it was the truth. She had no defence against Erebus. No way of keeping him out.

  The glittering lights of oil lamps being turned on twinkled below them, and the fog had finally begun to disperse. Maab and Enne were nearby, playing together as wild cats, almost invisible against the backdrop of snow.

  “I’ve almost made my decision,” Fia said. “Sometimes, the right thing isn’t always the easiest, do you understand?” she asked, turning to look at Alexander, his wings tucked behind him. The last of the light had slipped away over the horizon, and the night was settling in. She put a hand to his face and gazed into his eyes. Silver flecks glistened in the darkness.

  “I can’t lose you,” he finally said.

  “You won’t.” Fia bit down on her lip. She couldn’t lose anyone else; it would be the end of her.

  Alexander reached out to her. “If anything were to happen to you…” He glanced up at the sky, to where the sky spirits had begun their nightly dance. Fia stood beside him, and he took her hand in his as the colours unfolded before them.

  “I’ve never…” he began, and with his free hand, he traced a thumb across her cheek. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”

  Fia felt the familiar stir of electricity surrounding them.

  “I can’t lose you, Fia.” He kissed her, and she never wanted it to end. “You’ll be safe on Earth, no matter what happens here,” he said, as he pulled back.

  Fia breathed in a deep, cold breath of air and laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m not ready to give this up. Not now. Not ever.” She lifted her head up to look at him.

  “Alexander,” Maab called out from behind them. He fixed the last piece of his armour to his chest as he approached.

  “Maab, what is it?”

  They walked ahead together, and Enne joined Fia as she watched the sky spirits.

  “My people say that these are the spirits of those that have passed,” Enne said softly, following Fia’s gaze.

  “The sky spirits?”

  Enne nodded. Fia couldn’t bring herself to look amongst the stars for Sophie, not tonight. “Why did you leave your people, your home?”

  “Home and where you come from are two very different things, Fia.” A gentle smile spread across his face. “There are many things going on in the north, and it is no longer the wonderful place that people speak of so fondly in tales and legends.” The sky spirits chimed as they turned from ribbons of cyan to magenta.

  “I think memories of a place can often be much more beautiful than reality,” Fia replied.

  “Yes, I think that’s right.” Enne looked away to the footprints in the snow. Fia followed his gaze to Maab and Alexander. “So tomorrow, we fight, and the next day you will return to Earth, as if none of this ever happened.”

  “I notice you don’t refer to it as my home, like the others do,” Fia said, with a small laugh. She pulled her hood up over her head, hoping the cold wind would hide her reddening cheeks.

  “Home is wherever this is, Fia.” Enne broke his gaze away from Maab to point at her chest. “In the end, it was love that liberated me from that tormented place. Being with him is the only freedom I need in life. Anywhere he goes is my home.” Enne’s face lit up as he watched Maab walking ahead with Alexander.

  Fia smiled. Enne was full of light and life. His words were gentle, but she’d seen his fierceness when he’d saved her from the Sorren. “Tomorrow, we fight, the next day, Earth,” she repeated with a sigh, letting the words sink in. “But it certainly couldn’t be as if it had never happened. How could I forget this,” she said, waving her hands at the sky spirits, “or forget all of you?”

  “Forget him, you mean?” Enne gestured to Alexander. “He will come back for you, you know, when it’s safe. He’s right to tell you it isn’t safe here, and besides, what’s love without a little heartache?” He laughed. It was an infectious sound lighting up his whole face.

  “You think he’s right?” Fia asked.

  “I do. It is the logical thing to do. You’ll be safe on Earth. Erebus’s whispers cannot reach you there,” he said, winking.

  “But how did—"

  “And if you are safe, then you can build a life together when this is all over,” he finished.

  “You make it seem so simple.”

  “Ah, life is not so difficult really, Fia. It’s all happening inside of us. All this love, this fear, this worry. It’s not in Ohinyan, or in Earth. It’s in here.” He pointed to her chest once more. Enne laughed again, scooping up some snow and then throwing it at her playfully.

  “I never thanked you properly,” Fia said, dodging a snowball. “You saved my life Enne, back on the ship, from the Sorren. Thank you.”

&nb
sp; Enne smiled and nodded, as they were joined by Maab and Alexander.

  “Come now, or we will be late for the celebrations,” Maab said, reaching out to take Enne’s hand.

  Fia leaned into Alexander as he wrapped an arm around her. “It seems odd to have a party with what’s coming,”

  “It is the perfect time,” Enne replied. “We should always celebrate life as if we are about to take our last breath.” His armour dropped away from him, and he was a snow leopard once more, leaping and bounding through the snow beside Maab as a magnificent white tiger.

  Chapter Twenty–Eight

  Fia

  Fia hesitated at the perimeter of a clearing in the heart of Mizune, a gathering place, for ceremonies and celebrations Yahto had told her. The party was bright and lively: Navarii, Mizunese, and Nords laughed and danced together around an enormous fire in the centre.

  Barrels wrapped in strips of blue fabric and fastened bundles of fishing nets made seating areas around smaller fires, all bustling with people, drinking, eating, and talking.

  There was a time when the thought of a party, even just a few quiet drinks with friends, had filled her with dread, but things were different now. Everything had changed since coming to Ohinyan, and the thought of leaving it all behind knocked the air from her lungs.

  The night sky was clear, the shimmer of stars still visible in the firelight. Even the sky spirits had joined them. Fia could make out their colourful ribbons on the horizon. Couples whirled past in an energetic dance, one pair after another spun by her.

  She recognised Maab and Enne, their silver hair catching the light as they danced. Maab held Enne’s hands in his as they moved, a broad smile across his face. The only time he ever smiled was when he looked at his partner. The music stopped, and Maab pulled Enne towards him, his hands on Enne’s face as they kissed, quickly and hungrily.

  Fia knew she shouldn’t watch, but the way they touched each other, the way they gazed at each other like there was no one else around, she couldn’t look away.

  Enne pulled back, a bright smile lighting up his face as breath clouded the small space between them. His lips moved, but Fia was too far away to hear. Enne reached for Maab’s hand and led him away from the crowd.

  Home and where you come from are two very different things. Enne’s words had stayed with her as they’d prepared for the party. It still seemed strange that anyone would want to have a party with what awaited them the next morning, but Runa had told her that was precisely why, so they spent less time sitting up worrying about it and more time simply being together. Fia understood, but she preferred the more poetic way Enne had put it.

  “Fia, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Alexander wrapped his arms around her the moment he was beside her.

  “I’m not used to parties,” she said, leaning into him and breathing in the scents of the forest clinging to his skin—pine, cinnamon, jasmine.

  “Stay here tomorrow, stay here away from the fight, where I know you’ll be safe.” Alexander’s breath was warm in her hair, and he pressed a kiss against her head.

  Fia spun around to face him, the cold air filling the space between them instantly. How was he still not wearing a shirt? “I’m not going to sit here and make all of Mizune a target, Alexander. We need to draw them out. I can fight—I want to fight.” She reached a hand up to his face, her fingers rubbing against the stubble lining his chin. “I want to be where you are.”

  He took her hand in his and sighed. “You’ve no idea what Lorn can do.” He swallowed. “I can’t let her do that to you.”

  “Tell me.” Fia rested her head against his chest. “What happened between the two of you?” Music still played, drums and wind instruments carried a lively tune, but Alexander’s expression was stern.

  He cleared his throat. “It wasn’t long before I left for Earth to find you, a few months at most. My father had been making progress with Par, the Makya council leader, for a new alliance between the angels and the Makya.” He took her hand and moved them closer to a smaller fire that was unoccupied. “I might not feel the cold, but you do.”

  Alexander sat on a barrel beside Fia, his hands resting on his thighs. “My father agreed to attend a meeting in Nadar, the Makya’s home country, at the southernmost tip of Iraluxia. But Lorn requested my presence, and my father said it would be rude to refuse, so I accompanied him.” His hands rubbed at the fabric of his trousers as he gazed into the fire.

  A sickening feeling worked its way up Fia’s arms, balling at her throat.

  “When we arrived, Lorn requested my presence immediately. She was wild—rattling off ancient history about why we should be together—why we were meant for each other. She even kissed me.” He laughed, but it was a choked, forced sound. “You have to understand Fia, angels are protectors. In all of the history I have ever been taught, the Makya have destroyed, taken, or controlled. When she kissed me, I saw no love in her eyes, only all of the things she wanted, and it certainly wasn’t me.” Alexander stood, flexed his wings, and sat back down again. Was he counting his breaths?

  “When I refused her, Lorn lost her temper, throwing flames. She destroyed the banners in our meeting room within minutes. Moments later, my father and Par joined us, and Lorn—she was out of control, she—” He closed his eyes. “My father stood between us, to reason with her, but she’d already shot a stream of flames in my direction, and my father took most of the force of it. I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t do anything. I pulled down a banner to extinguish the flames on my wing, and when I looked up Par was trying to help my father.” He reached a hand to his wing, as if he were recalling the wound.

  “And then Lorn attacked Par, too, and Par fought back—she’s old but she’s fierce, and she sent Lorn running. My father…” Alexander swallowed.

  Tears pressed at Fia’s eyes, and she wiped one away as it rolled down her cheek.

  “Par got us both out. The room was gone—it was ash. My wing was badly burnt, but my father, he was—he wasn’t breathing.” Alexander shook his head, and his eyes flicked open, lined with tears. “Par did everything she could, she called for healers, but they’re not equipped to deal with those kinds of injuries in Nadar. They’ve no need for it.”

  Fia reached for him and took his hands in hers.

  Alexander straightened himself and cleared his throat again. “These attacks, I truly don’t believe them to be Par’s doing. She did everything she could to save my father, but I couldn’t risk sending any more angels to Nadar, not after what happened. And Lorn—I don’t even know if they punished her, if she regrets what she did. Probably neither of those things. But I know exactly what she’s capable of Fia, and the thought of the same thing happening to you…” He pulled her into his lap and pressed his face into her hair. “I can’t lose you.”

  Fia stifled a sob. “You won’t. I’m so sorry about your father—I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  His wings wrapped around her, and she looked up into his eyes. They were glassy in the firelight, and the thought of him grieving alone broke her heart.

  “You lost Sophie and it was…it was like the world had been pulled out from under you. Your love for her, Fia, it’s in everything you do. I didn’t want to take away from any of that by burdening you with my own loss.”

  The tears flowed freely now, and Fia didn’t wipe them away. They fell down her cheeks until the space between her and Alexander’s chest was damp. “Burdening me?” She choked a laugh. “Grief is so lonely. I’d have given anything to know somebody understood how it felt, to know what I was going through, what I’ve been going through.” She fought back at the anger rising in her chest. It had been this way since Sophie died—anger at people who still had their sister, their parents, anger at people who glazed over when she told them her sister was gone. It was a completely irrational anger and she knew it, but it was grief, and there was nothing she could do but accept it and hope it would pass.

  “I understand,” Alexander s
aid quietly. “I know.” He brushed the hair out of her eyes and wiped at her tears. “I wasn’t ready before, to talk about it. But I want to share everything with you.”

  Fia’s cheeks flushed with shame. She understood. She knew what it was like to not be ready, to hold onto every shred of emotion threatening to shatter her completely if she allowed herself to feel.

  They sat together, listening to the music and the sounds of the party. Laughter erupted nearby, and all Fia could think of was Alexander’s father, burning alive.

  “I’m going to get you something to eat,” Alexander finally said, pressing another kiss into her hair. “I’ll be right back.”

  Fia watched the flames as she waited, the party still lively around her. There was no way she could eat anything now.

  “Fia…” a voice whispered. Erebus. Nobody else had heard. The dancing and laughter continued, and no one else paused at the sound of his voice.

  “Why do you ignore me? I understand, you know, what it is to have no one left. To be truly alone.”

  “You are nothing but a shadow. You can’t hurt me, Erebus,” Fia breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper, too. Where was Alexander? She knew she should get up and find him, but something held her to the spot.

  The fire flickered for a moment, the flames turned black, and she felt her hands moving towards them, watched as they plunged into the fire without her control. She tried to speak, but no sound came out, and the black flames burned at her skin, as they wrapped around her hands and up her arms.

  “Not now, no. But you and I will meet soon enough. You disobeyed me, Fia. Next time, I will not hesitate. Return to Earth, or I will destroy everything you love.” The fire hissed and turned orange once more. Fia was back on her seat, her hands in her lap, as they had been moments before, no signs of burns on her skin. The music and the laughter drowned into nothing, and Fia’s heart was like a drumbeat in her ears. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she tried to count her breaths, but it was no use, fear caught in her throat.