Firestorm

From under my vest I pulled the one sheet I’d taken from the book of Elemental Law. The thin sheet fluttered in the heat wafting through the room. I read it out loud. “It is my right as a royal of the Rim to take his place and his punishment in his stead. By law.”

Fiametta reached out and carefully took the paper from me. Her blue eyes darted as she skimmed the page. “Where did you get this?”

“It does not matter. This is law, regardless what family I would stand in.”

Fiametta lifted one hand and the lines of red flowed up her arms as she called on her element. Before she could burn the paper, I snatched it away.

Her eyes bugged out and the struggle on her face was momentary. “Come with me. Now. The rest of you wait here.”

She spun on her heel and I followed her out of sheer curiosity if nothing else. Why hadn’t she just allowed us to switch places?

Fiametta led me to her personal chamber, and when Peta moved as if to follow me in, the queen stopped her. “This is not for you, familiar. I see your hand in this; you took her to the library, giving her access that only Loam had.” She pointed at the paper I still clutched.

Peta tipped her head to one side. “You are not my queen any longer, Fiametta. I obey Larkspur, no one else.”

Fiametta’s hands clutched at her side, the only indicator that Peta’s words affected her at all.

I put a hand on Peta’s head. “Wait for me. Please.”

Peta nodded and sat on her haunches. “I will come if you call.”

Fiametta swept into her room and again, I followed. The door slammed behind me seemingly of its own volition.

“You are going to get us all killed, you idiot,” the queen snapped at me, all pretenses apparently dropped.

“Actually, I’m doing my best to get my people out of here.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Do you not wonder why there are so few Salamanders awake? Has it not crossed your mind that perhaps your friend’s life is a miniscule drop in the scheme of things?”

How in the goddess’s name was I supposed to know any of that? “Why did you bring me here?”

She began to pace, her power zipping along her arms and over her body as her agitation increased. “There are at least two more traitors within my home, Terraling. You found one, I want you to find these other two. If I have you in chains, I can hardly use you to ferret them out. And if you don’t manage that . . . those threatening me and my people have made it very clear they will wipe us all out. You and your friends included.”

This was not what I expected but I would use it to my advantage.

“And if I do? Will you let Ash go?”

“No.”

I burst out laughing; I couldn’t help it. “That doesn’t make me want to help you at all. If Ash will die either way, what does it matter to me if you survive your traitors?”

Pausing by the bed, she stroked the sheet with one hand and flames licked along it, but didn’t burn it. “The traitor has been leaving me notes, breaking into my room and taunting me while I sleep.”

A shiver ran through me. “As bad as that is, it has nothing to do with me.”

“That’s what you think.” Her eyes lifted to mine. “His words lead me to believe you are also a target seeing as he is encouraging me to wipe out the three Terralings in the Pit. You, Ash, and my Cactus.”

I swallowed hard. “Charge me with the deaths of the Enders, and allow me to go on trial. That gives me a reason to be in the Pit longer.”

“No.”

Anger sliced through what was left of my reason and I took hold of the power of the earth running through me. I softened the ground under her feet and sunk her to her neck in a split second. She gasped and stared up at me. “You would dare attack me?”

I crouched in front of her. “I am not attacking you, Fiametta. I am stopping you from doing something foolish. If I must, I will fight my way out of the Pit. Do you understand? I will pull this wyrm-ridden mountain down on your head. I will keep those who are mine safe, no matter the cost.”

Standing, my heart beat with fear as much as anger. I knew I was playing a dangerous game. “Do you think the traitor will leave you alive if I don’t let you go and he finds you imprisoned like this tonight?”

“My Enders will—”

“They will do nothing when they see a proclamation of release written on your paper.” I walked to her desk and opened the drawer, pulling out a thick piece of parchment. “Will they?”

“Terraling—”

“My name is Larkspur.” I corrected her as I laid down the paper and picked up the pen.

“I will hunt you to the ends of the world.”

“Not if one of the traitors kills you first. Which I’m banking on.” I scratched a few words on the paper as Fiametta struggled. With her arms pinned to her sides, it would take her time to blast her way out.

“I will . . . negotiate.” She bit the words out and I turned to see her eyes blazing and the lines of power running along the tops of her shoulders. She was fighting to get out and failing.

I swallowed hard and realized the anger had fled me and I couldn’t connect to the earth. “Worm shit.”

“Let me out, Terra—Larkspur. We will negotiate when I am free.” She tipped her head back as if she could look down her nose at me while imprisoned.

“Peta,” I called out, and she burst through the door a second later. Lowering her body to the floor, she crept toward Fiametta.