Firebrand (Page 168)
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245
- Page 246
- Page 247
- Page 248
- Page 249
- Page 250
“I once had to quell the Aeon Iire, myself,” he said. “That is a dangerous one and you must be vigilant. The dark ones are very aggressive.”
She could not see him quite right, and she realized it was because she was wearing a gauzy veil. It made her feel too hot, but she could not seem to gather the strength to lift it away from her face.
The Rider gazed hard at her. “I see you are not well. This is not good, for the necromancer could have control of the Aeon Iire soon. You must be ready.”
So hot. Flames reflected on the surface of the river. The mill buildings were engulfed in fire. The river bank burned, as well, surrounded her and the Rider.
“You really are unwell, aren’t you.” The Rider produced a cloth and knelt by the water. He dipped it in, and the rings that drifted outward along the surface rippled flame. He wrung it out and then returned to her and lifted her veil, and dabbed her face with the cloth. It was cooling, and the intensity of the fire moderated.
He shook his head. “And, of course, no help from Westrion.”
What did the death god have to do with it?
“You need to be well, be strong,” the Rider said, dabbing her neck with the cooling cloth. “The living world, and yes, even the spirit world, are depending on you. If the Aeon Iire is broken and the dark ones escape, we are all doomed.”
PAST MIDNIGHT
“Doomed.”
Estral shuddered out of an uneasy sleep. “What?” she asked Karigan. “What did you say?”
But Karigan did not answer. Then, out of silence, Mister Whiskers and his mate started to emit low growls. Given Mister Whiskers’ size, his growl rumbled like an earthquake. Estral looked out to see what could possibly be perturbing them, and in the shadowy dark, discerned a girl standing outside the pen, but little of her features.
“Who are you?” Estral demanded.
“I have your voice,” the girl replied.
Estral leaped up and jammed her arm through an opening in the slats to grab at the girl who hopped back and stuck her tongue out.
“Come here!” Estral cried. “Give it back!” If only she could lay her hands on the girl, then she could say the word that Idris had given her.
“It’s mine now. You can’t have it back. Besides, you get to have kitties, so why shouldn’t I have something?” The girl started to skip away, then paused. “And your friend is gonna die. Especially if Nyssa works on her again. Nyssa likes blood.” Then she was gone, giggles trailing after her.
Estral banged her hands against the slats and screamed her rage; then she dropped down onto the straw, ready to weep.
“Water . . .”
Estral looked up. “Karigan?”
“Water . . .” came the hoarse whisper.
“Yes, yes, of course.”
She filled the ladle with water, but by the time she brought it to Karigan, she was once more asleep or unconscious. Estral placed her wrist against Karigan’s brow. Definitely fevered. She patted the water on her face.
When she was done, she said to Mister Whiskers, “Can’t you do anything more than provide a protective wing?”
“Meep?”
She sat again ready to give in to her helplessness. What can I do? Nothing, nothing at all. I am no mender, and Karigan is paying for my mistake. I am worse than useless.
It then occurred to her maybe there was something she could do. It’s what Enver would do: sing the healing. He had taught her a little of it as they traveled. Song without words, a resonance and harmony. Feeling the earth beneath her, letting the music rise through her, and then releasing it to the sky and into the burning fire of the stars. She did not know if it actually helped the injured and ill, but it could not hurt, and so she began.
Perhaps it was the influence of the gift Idris had given her seemingly ages ago, but the music swelled within her, filled the pen, and, it seemed to her, escaped to the heavens. Was it her imagination, or did Karigan rest easier? Mister Whiskers and his mate purred. If it had no other effect, perhaps she herself was healing, at least a little.
She was about to begin again when she sensed another presence in the building. If it was that girl—
“Little cousin?” Silver moonlight blossomed from Enver’s cupped hands where he stood outside the pen.
“Enver!” Now tears did fall.
“I heard your song,” he said. “You have done well.”
“Thank the gods you are here. Karigan—it’s unspeakable what they did to her.”
He unlocked the door, having somehow acquired the key. He knelt beside Karigan, and Mister Whiskers withdrew his wing. He peeled back the blanket. Flaps of skin stuck to rough wool, which caused crusted wounds to bleed again. The moonstone revealed Karigan’s back in all its raw detail. Estral glanced away.
“I will never understand,” Enver said, “the cruelty your people inflict on one another.”
“I don’t understand it either, except that it has always been so. Can we move her? Can we—can we leave?”
“What must be done, will be,” he replied. He wrapped the blanket around Karigan as he gently lifted her and placed her over his shoulder.
“No carry,” she muttered.
“Shh, Galadheon,” Enver said. “There is no carrying. It is just a dream.”
She quieted.
“Come, little cousin. The gryphons will be our escort.”
Estral followed Enver out of the pen, reveling at the sense of freedom she now felt. But they were not really free, not by a long way. She had the presence of mind to grab her coat, and Karigan’s, off the table, along with their weapons. She put her coat on and slung Karigan’s bonewood over her shoulder. She girded herself with the saber just to make the carrying of everything easier.
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245
- Page 246
- Page 247
- Page 248
- Page 249
- Page 250