Born of Fire (The Cloud Warrior Saga Book 8) (3 page)

Tan sent spirit slamming into each of the runes, sweeping his focus around the room. A loud
crack
sounded within his mind.

Elanne gasped. The leather bands on her wrists snapped open. Her dress flared with a flash of white light, and then the runes disappeared.

All around him, the same happened. Jewelry cracked and broke. The embroidery on Leon’s robe, as well as the others with similar embroidery, surged with light and then disappeared. Even the servant, the woman who had brought him before these leaders of Par-shon, lost her earrings to his shaping.

He felt something like
a release of elementals, but not the same as when he had fought the Utu Tonah. Then it had been clear what he did when he released the bonds.

Careful, Tan,
Amia sent.
These people are respected within Par-shon. They form a ruling council. They are the reason that the country has run so smoothly the last few months.

That’s the reason they still live.

The mood from the people standing before him changed immediately. Everyone other than Elanne cowered from him, taking steps back as if they hoped to recede from him.

“I defeated your Utu Tonah, a man more bonded to the elementals than anyone I have ever seen, and you think you can come before me, hiding bonds from me?” Tan struggled to keep his voice under control, but the anger coursing through him made it difficult. “There will be no negotiation in this. Elementals may bond, but at their choosing. A bond will not be forced.” He made a point of meeting the eyes of each person around him. Elanne continued to stare defiantly. If nothing else, he realized that he would have to watch her more closely than the others. “Any bonds I discover will be stripped from you.”

Not far enough, Tan.

He glanced at Amia before going on. He needed to lead but didn’t want to do so in a way that was too harsh—but maybe the people of Par-shon didn’t understand anything but an authoritarian approach.

“If this happens again, titles will be stripped from you as well.” He breathed out and waved a hand. “Now go.”

Some hurried to leave. Others lingered a moment before scurrying off after the others.

The woman Marin hesitated. “How long will you be in Par-shon?” she asked softly.

Tan swallowed. Roine had the kingdoms running as smoothly as they could, working on improving the university and training the children of Althem. Cora promised him that Incendin continued to thrive, especially now that the lisincend had been brought back to fire. Elle helped within Doma, guiding the people, and had become something of their leader, though she didn’t want to admit it. Even in Chenir, the Supreme Leader guided the rebuilding effort.

He had ignored Par-shon too long.

“As long as it takes,” he said.

Marin nodded and left, moving quickly.

Elanne remained behind. “You have stripped me of my title.”

“I did nothing of the sort.”

“No? How can I be Mistress of Bonds if there are no bonds to oversee?”

You need to work with those who offend almost more than you work with those you agree with,
Amia suggested.
The Mother always warned me that they could cause the most trouble.

Tan resisted the urge to send Elanne away. Amia spoke sense, and he was thankful that he could have her silent guidance as he fumbled through what he needed to do as Utu Tonah. As frustrated as Elanne made him, he had to find a way to work with the people of Par-shon, even ones that he didn’t agree with. Even with those he didn’t particularly like. Maybe especially them.

Hadn’t he done the same with Incendin? Hadn’t he managed to look past the disagreement he had with them and find a way to work
with
them, even after what they had done to his family, and to Amia’s?

“You may hold the title, but you will need to find a different interpretation.”

Elanne stared at him for a moment. “The others see me as too young for my duties.”

Tan had noted that she
had
seemed younger than the others. “They probably see me the same.”

Her lips pinched in a frown. “When you… defeated… the Utu Tonah, Par-shon lost the Master of Bonds. As well as his second. And third. And forth.” She counted them off on her fingers, bending them back to show nine fingers curled into her palm. “I was the tenth. I
am
too young, but am all that Par-shon had.”

“You seem to have filled into your role.”

“What choice did I have?” Elanne asked.

“What were your responsibilities as Mistress of Bonds?” Amia moved to stand next to him, and Elanne shifted her attention to the other woman.

“My responsibilities were to maintain the bonds. The Utu Tonah asked for new ways to bond and to maintain the supply, but that hasn’t been the role of the Master of Bonds.”

She spoke so matter-of-factly about what had been done to the elementals that it disarmed him. “Then perhaps it is good that you are not the first, or second, or third…” Tan leaned slightly toward her so that he could make his point clear. “The elementals do not choose the bond. Some will come willingly, and maybe that can be your focus, but if they do not, you will not force the runes upon them.”

“You do not understand, Utu Tonah—”

Tan suppressed the surge of anger, not knowing whether it came from him or Asgar. “They are
not
crops to be used.” He tried finding a different approach. Perhaps one that would reach her better, but couldn’t come up with anything. Amia didn’t seem to have any other suggestions.

“Tell me what you would have me do, Utu Tonah.”

Tan suppressed a sigh. Elanne might already be beyond his ability to change. How many more would there be like her in Par-shon? How many more saw the elementals as nothing more than wheat to be harvested for their use?

This will be harder than I realized,
he sent to Amia.

That is why you must be the one to do it.

“If you would understand what I ask, then you will need to understand the elementals. That is your task. Listen to them.”

“Not all are like your draasin, Utu Tonah. Some
need
the bond, or they become wild.”

Asgar bristled at the comment.

Elanne watched Tan for a moment, focusing on his sword for longer than he felt comfortable. “If you will allow me a question, Utu Tonah?” Tan nodded. “You could have killed us all, couldn’t you? Even with all the bonds that we wore.”

“I would rather not kill.”

“That is not the question, Utu Tonah.”

Tan thought of the ease he had now with the elements, an ease that he shared with the elementals, even more so with fire through the fire bond. He could draw more power than any other warrior. Cora had grown stronger since bonding to Enya, and Roine had more strength than he realized, but Tan had come to understand that his unique connection to the elementals granted him incredible strength. But he had to use it wisely. That was why he had come to Par-shon.

“Had I wanted to, yes. I could have killed you all.”

Elanne nodded. “You are like him in that,” she said, though it was mostly to herself. Then quickly, she added, “Utu Tonah. Different, though. He would have killed to demonstrate that he could.”

“I have no need of such a demonstration.”

That wasn’t quite true, he decided. Had he no need, he wouldn’t have used his shaping on their runes, but anger had gotten the best of him and he had done what he thought needed at the time.

She tipped her head, almost a bow, and then turned and left him.

Tan waited until she was gone and let out a long sigh.

Amia still stared at the door. “She remains uncertain.”

“As am I with her.”

“Hers is different, I think.”

Amia’s ability to sense spirit was much more sensitive than his, and she could use it to detect much more delicate and subtle things than he could. Because of that, Tan reined in his frustration and told himself to listen to what she had to say.

“Different how?”

“She hasn’t decided whether to help you or not.” A smile spread across her face.

“I don’t see why you’re smiling. If she doesn’t know if she wants to help me, I might have to replace her.” Or eliminate the position entirely. There was no need to have a bond master now that he had forbidden such bonds, but he would take the time to evaluate everything before making those decisions.

“Because someone like her could be your most vocal opposition,” she started. Tan’s stomach sank. That was what he feared. “Or your most vocal support. I think you will need to work closely with her.”

Tan sighed again. He hadn’t expected it to be easy returning to Par-shon, but he hadn’t thought through what he had done by coming here.

Somehow, he felt that this was harder than anything that he’d ever before faced.

T
he grounds
outside the tower were green with hints of colorful flowers. The flowers were a new addition since the last time Tan had come to Par-shon. A gardener walked through the grounds, tending to the flowers, pulling some and weeding around others. Garza trailed after him, surprising Tan by shaping to keep the plants watered.

“That… was unexpected,” he commented to Amia.

She stood next to him, scanning the grounds, but her focus was on the line of children in front of them. Most were no older than ten or twelve, but a few were older, and one was nearly Tan’s age.

“There are so many,” she whispered to Tan.

He looked over at the gathering that Tolman had collected. Each of them was reported to have the potential to shape. Some might never be anything more than sensers, but there was value in adding to the strength in sensing as well. Others among them supposedly had the potential to shape, with many already beginning to show signs. From what Tan had learned, those with natural shaping ability had been prized by the Utu Tonah and chosen to bond first.

How many of these had once been bonded?

Maybe it was a mistake bringing them to the university to learn. If they
had
been bonded and had the same interest in regaining the bonds as some of the others that he’d already encountered, did he risk bringing them someplace to learn where they would potentially be exposed to elementals not found in Par-shon? Ethea sat on a place of convergence, where the elementals all came together. How hard would it be for someone who had known bonds to want to replicate that and maybe force another bond?

But as he looked at them, he reminded himself these were children. They were not the hardened bonded shapers that Tan had faced in his time dealing with Par-shon.

Tolman waited for him and stepped forward as they approached. “My Utu Tonah,” he started, bowing deeply. Tan noted that he wore nothing with runes, and he didn’t think that Tolman had worn anything with runes on them the last time he’d seen the man. “These are the candidates you requested.”

Tan stopped in front of them.
How many harbor hatred?
he asked Amia.

They are frightened. They fear that you will attack them as you did the Utu Tonah. They think you intend to kill them.

Tan hated that he had to prove his unwillingness to hurt the people of Par-shon. Had the previous Utu Tonah treated people so poorly that they would all feel that he could do the same? What kind of ruler does that?

But, he realized, he had experienced a ruler as bad, or worse. Althem had used spirit shaping to control his people. How was that not worse than what the Utu Tonah had done?

Using spirit, Tan laid a gentle shaping onto the children in front of him, calming them. As he did, he realized that he had been mistaken. Several were older than he had been when he first went to the kingdoms after he had first bonded. How frightened would he have been to stand in front of a warrior shaper—and one who had killed their ruler—without any ability to do anything?

He would have been terrified.

“Par-shon had more potential than I realized,” Tan said. He had to say something, not wanting to let the silence stretch on too long.

“Utu Tonah?” Tolman asked.

“Tell me, Tolman, how many were bonded?”

“Many were bonded, my Utu Tonah. That was how we introduced their ability to them.”

Tan tried suppressing his annoyance but knew that he failed. “There are other ways to discover abilities,” he said to Tolman.

His face went ashen, and he nodded. “Of course, my Utu Tonah.”

Tan studied him, wondering why Tolman would be so deferential to him but look at him with such fear in his eyes. Tan had never treated him with the same casual aggression he had been shown when he first came to Par-shon. He hadn’t demonstrated the same disregard for the people, had he?

Staring at Tolman would provide no answers.

Tan stepped past him. “How many of you were bonded to elementals before?”

Most shifted their feet nervously until one stepped forward. She was young—possibly only twelve—and barely came up to his chin. Lanky brown hair dropped to her shoulders, but her eyes had a bright light. “I was bonded, Utu Tonah.”

“What elemental were you bonded to?” he asked.

“Saa, Utu Tonah.”

Saa. Was there a reason a bonded of fire stepped forward more willingly than the others? Fire could inflame passions and lead to increased impulsiveness, traits that Tan had struggled to suppress, especially when he had nearly been twisted into one of the lisincend.

“What is your name?” he asked the girl.

“Fasha, Utu Tonah.”

“Tell me, Fasha, did you learn the name of your bonded elemental?”

Her mouth twisted and she started to smile. When Tan didn’t return the smile, hers began to fade. “Saa doesn’t have names. It is saa.”

Asgar, will you participate in a demonstration?

He sensed amusement. Since their arrival, Asgar had remained stationed on top of the tower. Tan hadn’t figured out why the draasin found it so entertaining to remain so high, watching down on Par-shon, but he sensed the draasin’s humor as he did.

Of course, Maelen. Which one do I get to eat?

Tan nearly snorted.
The little ones will not be all that filling, will they?

Not filling, but they are less chewy. What would you have me do?

Nothing more than come down from on high. Do you think the Mother will mind if you do?

Asgar chuckled, and fire streamed from his nostrils. He swooped down, coming to land in the middle of the garden on a fluttering of wings and a billowing wind. Tan approached him and placed his hand on one of his heated spikes. Steam rose up from places along his back where the draasin heat mixed with moisture in the air.

The children all scrambled back toward the wall of the tower. Some whimpered softly. Only Fasha remained daring enough to stay out near the draasin.

“Do you think the draasin has a name?” Tan asked, speaking loudly enough for all to hear, but directing his question to Fasha.

“That is a draasin,” she said.

Tan nodded. “He is one of the draasin, but do you think that he has a name?”

One of the other children, a skinny boy who couldn’t have been more than eight or nine, stepped forward and pointed. “How do you know it’s a boy?”

“Because I speak to him.”

The boy started to smile. “Like a dog?”

I think I will eat him,
Asgar said.

I doubt that he would provide you with even a snack.

That’s not why I would eat him.

Where is the challenge in the hunt?

The challenge will be you trying to stop me. You would fail, Maelen.

Tan smiled. “He doesn’t much care for being compared to a dog. And he doesn’t like it when I compare him to a horse, even though he can carry about as much as one.”

The draasin snorted fire at him, and Tan didn’t move. This was a lesson the children needed to see. The draasin fire struck but parted around him, leaving him unharmed. Tan had learned long ago that draasin fire wouldn’t harm him. Neither would lisincend shaping, or pretty much any other shaping of fire. That was the benefit of his connection to the fire bond.

Some of the children gasped, and a few laughed. A couple stepped forward, more daring.

“How do you know he has a name?” Fasha asked.

Tan patted Asgar on the side. “Because I gave it to him.”

The boy leaned to one of the other children. “See? Like a dog.”

Tan stopped in front of him, blocking the boy from Asgar. He didn’t
think
the draasin would attempt to eat him, but he didn’t want to take the risk. Asgar wasn’t nearly as jumpy about things like that as his father, but draasin were proud creatures, and with good reason.

“Most of the elementals have a name of their own. They will not share it with you unless they choose the bond.” Tan turned and focused on Fasha. “I will ask you again: did saa tell you its name?”

Fasha stared at Asgar, though the expression in her eyes was different than what he’d seen in so many who looked upon the draasin. Most had a look of longing. That had been the way the Utu Tonah had looked upon them, seeing them as a way to greater power. The lisincend had seen them as a connection to fire. And the kingdoms viewed the draasin as a threat, a view that Tan didn’t share.

But Fasha had a different light in her eyes, one that gave Tan a certain sense of hope. She studied Asgar with interest, but not one that burned with intensity of control. Rather, it was a curiosity. Cianna had a similar way of looking at the draasin, which was probably why Sashari had been willing to bond with her.

“There was no name to saa,” Fasha said.

Tan turned away from her. “And the others of you that were bonded? Did any of you know the name of your elementals?”

The question was met with silence.

Tan had not expected any to have actually known the name of the elemental they had bonded. That wasn’t the way that Par-shon bonded, but such sharing would make the bond stronger, and made it more difficult to sever.

“If an elemental chooses you,” Tan went on, “they will share their name. That is how you will know you were meant for the bond. It is respect, but respect must go both ways. You must respect the elemental and they, in turn, must respect you.”

He wasn’t sure why he bothered telling them this, other than that he didn’t want them running off to try and force a bond again. If he could convince most of them that there was another way—a better way—then he would have served the elementals.

“Utu Tonah,” a boy near the back started. He was tall and thin and had the beginning scruff of a beard. When Tan nodded, he went on, “You have bonded this draasin?”

“Not this one. My bonded was lost in the fighting.”

“But you know this one’s name.”

Tan smiled at the question. At least they were engaged now. That had to mean something, didn’t it? “I know his name, but that doesn’t mean I have bonded him. Knowing the elemental’s name is only the first part in forming the bond. The connection is deeper than that.”

“How do we know you can really talk to it?” one of the older boys asked. He was nearly Tan’s height, but more muscular. The others around him moved to the side to give him space.

Asgar. This is where we must demonstrate.

Maelen.

“What would you have me ask him to do?” Tan asked.

Some of the others shouted out suggestions, from having the draasin raise one leg to bring back a deer it had caught. The older boy rubbed his chin and let them speak. Then he raised his hand. The others fell silent.

“Has to be something that proves you can talk to him,” the boy said.

“What would convince
you
?” Tan asked.

A smile spread on the boy’s face. “Let me ride him.”

Well?
Tan asked Asgar.

You may claim it, but I am no horse.

This is to make a point, that’s all. These children come from a place where they don’t believe the elementals have anything to offer. The first step is learning that the elementals are more than mindless creatures.

Some would argue that
you’re
the mindless creatures,
Asgar said.

Tan suppressed his smile.

“He will allow it.”

The boy frowned. “How do you know? You haven’t asked him anything.”

Tan noted the distinct lack of formality to his questioning. How would the previous Utu Tonah have reacted had he been questioned like this? Probably with violence and pain, Tan figured. This way was better.

“Are you so certain I haven’t asked him anything?”

The boy took a hesitant step forward, then another. He stopped in front of Tan, but his eyes were fixed on Asgar. “It’s so… big.”

“He is.”

He is right to fear me. I might eat him. This one would provide more than a snack. The others would fear me as they should.

But I remember when you were nothing more than a hatchling.

That is because you are Maelen.

That doesn’t make sense.

Asgar snorted.
It does to me.

“Go on. You wanted proof that I speak to him.”

Up close, the boy trembled slightly. The bravado that he’d been showing, likely for the others, faded. He shook his head.

Fasha stepped forward. “I will.”

Tan waved the boy away and turned to Fasha. “You need to sit between the spikes on his back. Then you can ride.”

With that, she bowed to Asgar, who regarded her with a hint of amusement in his massive eyes, and then grabbed the spikes on his side as she climbed on, settling onto his back between two. She gripped them tightly, something that would not be possible if she had no ability with fire.

This one is bold.

Perhaps too bold,
Tan agreed.

We will see.

“How do I make him fly?” Fasha asked.

“You will not. I will ask for you.”

Asgar? I think a circle around the city is enough.

With a small snort and flap of wings, Asgar took to the sky. Fasha gasped, and through his connection to the draasin, he noted how she grasped tightly to his spikes.

Tan remembered his first flight, but it had been made out of necessity so that he could help Elle. Tan hadn’t even been certain that Asboel
would
help. All he knew was that he could speak to the draasin before he ever learned that he could bond to him, and what it meant that he did.

The others in the garden all took steps back as Asgar lifted from the clearing carrying Fasha. As he had been speaking to them, they had been creeping forward, their initial fears wearing off as they became increasingly comfortable with the idea that Tan had summoned the draasin.

When Asgar had climbed above the tower, he turned his attention back to the children. “The bonds you once had formed will be no more,” he said. “The
can
be no more.” He made his way around the group, drawing their attention back to him. He wasn’t certain that he would be able to pull their eyes back to him after they had seen Asgar, but slowly they did. Most looked at him differently. Tan didn’t know whether it was a sense of respect or fear. He would rather have the former. The prior Utu Tonah had ruled through fear, and he would not repeat that if he could help it. “You all have the potential to reach the power of the elements without the elementals. That is why you have been brought here. Some of you already have shown the beginnings of what you might be capable of doing.” Like Fasha. Had her connection to saa truly given her that much strength already?