Firestorm

Peta nodded and I ran toward his home. Cactus’s place was easy to find with all the junk and garbage surrounding it. I pushed a few things around with my feet looking for something that would work as a torch before giving up on my search and going into his house. The plants growing around us leaned in toward me. I lifted a hand to a young bamboo plant shooting out of the ground. If I stuffed the end with a bit of cloth, it would work for a torch.

“Forgive me,” I whispered as I took my spear and cut the bamboo at the ground. It would grow back, but even so, I didn’t take lightly to cutting it down. Searching through Cactus’s place for some fabric or cloth, I found myself at his bedroom door.

Peta shook her head, her eyes catching mine. “Don’t go in there, Dirt Girl. You won’t like it.”

As if that would make me walk away. I slowly pushed the door open. Cactus was sprawled on his bed, his naked torso raising and falling with his deep breaths. I sucked in a sharp breath.

Beside him lay Maggie, her riotous curls spread over his pillow, and her body also naked, her armor spread over the floor as if it had been taken off and dropped where she stood.

“Shit,” I whispered even though I knew they wouldn’t wake. “I didn’t mean to beat up his girlfriend.”

Which explained why he hadn’t looked back when he’d left. I refused to feel anything, refused to acknowledge it hurt my feelings that he would sleep with Maggie of all people. I bent and grabbed one of his shirts from the floor and wrapped it around the end of the bamboo. A small part of me hoped it was one of his favorites.

“Are you upset, Dirt Girl?” Peta asked.

“Why would I be upset?” Why indeed? I had no claim on him other than friendship.

“Because he kissed you today and I feel how much you care for him. This is a betrayal. Why does it not bother you?”

“And I have kissed Ash. Neither of them are my bedmates, play mates, or anything between those. Friends, that is all.” The words came out a little harsher than I’d planned and I let out a breath. “Okay, maybe it bothers me a little, but I can’t be surprised. Cactus lives here, this is his home.”

“But he wants to escape,” she pointed out.

I left Cactus and Maggie sleeping peacefully and headed back the way we’d come. “Yes, he does. That doesn’t mean he won’t enjoy what is left of his stay here.”

I went to the bridge and stood at the edge, dipping the torch close to the rolling river of liquid death. Before the material even touched the surface, it burst into flames. Stepping back, I held the torch aloft and went to the opening. Stepping into the darkness, the torch didn’t throw the light as far as I would have liked but Peta gave a chirping sound.

“I can see. But your torch won’t last so we must hurry.”

Knowing she was right I broke into a slow jog, taking the turns and twists as Peta directed until I stood in front of the healer’s rooms. She took us on a direct route, and the rooms weren’t as far away as they’d seemed when others had led us.

The rod of Asclepius etched into the double doors glittered in the torchlight. Under the flickering flame, the snake looked far more like a firewyrm than any other reptile, now that I’d met a firewyrm in person. I slowed and put my hand on the door, half expecting it to be locked. But it opened easily and I stepped inside, shutting the door quickly. Setting the torch into a wall scone, I peered around me, taking the place in.

The room was empty of patients, and clean of any blood that may have been spilled. Around the edge of the room, a counter was built into the wall, and on it were tools of the healer’s trade. Scalpels, knives, ointments, and herbals for a variety of ailments, bandages, wraps, and splints set aside, ready at a moment’s notice. But none of that was what I needed.

“Where would they put those who are critically injured? And would they have taken notes?” I placed a hand on one of the empty beds, leaning on it.

Peta hopped from my shoulder and trotted around the room, sniffing. “I don’t know. What are we looking for?”

That was the question I wasn’t sure I had an answer to. I cupped the back of my neck with my hands. “I don’t know exactly. Evidence of some sort.”

“That is not helpful, Dirt Girl.”

“Just see if anything sticks out to you.” I walked around the room, touching the jars of herbs and salves, ointments for burns mostly. Which was interesting. “Why do so many Salamanders get burned when they are immune to the flames?”

“Normally they don’t but lately there have been injuries of that kind for many of them. Usually the salves are saved for those who are visiting the Pit,” Peta jumped onto the counter that ran around the entire room, putting her nose into several jars, sneezing in one.

Her nose twitched. “Occasionally a death occurs because a child who is too young tries to swim in the lava.”

I shuddered. “Why would they let them do that?”

“They don’t. These are children in their early teenage years who believe they are invincible.” Peta’s voice grew sad. “One of my charges was just such a child.”

Gut wrenching grief flowed from Peta into me and I had to clamp down on the tears that threatened. Tears that would burn my face with their heat and the remembrance of my own loss.

“Peta—”

“Shhhh.” She hissed, her eyes narrowing and her ears twitching. “Hide. Someone is coming.”

CHAPTER 12