Enflamed (Book 2) (20 page)

Relieved to be on solid ground
again, Kaijin took a deep breath to calm his nerves.
I’ve never heard of
Firebrands. Is it cleric magic?
“So, what does that mean, Great Mistress? I
am a slayer?”

“I might have suspected that
possibility if you served Tydus, but as you bear Ignis’s symbol, that does not
seem to be the case.”

“So does that mean you ...
trust me?”

“For now.
Do not give me a reason to reconsider.”

“And that is why you wished to
interrogate me alone?”

Kyniythyria huffed.
“Among other things.
You were asleep for three days; either
Sephiya’s sleep spell misfired, or you are highly sensitive to such
enchantments. Either way, the spell should not have lasted for as long as it
did. The strangeness made me wonder. You slept so deeply, in fact, that some of
your friends presumed you dead at first, even though you were still
breathing—albeit faintly.”

Kaijin nodded, starting to
understand what had happened. He stared toward the rear of the cave,
remembering the two strangers and their odd burden.

“You know something,
Firebrand.
Tell me.
Now.”

He looked back at her. “I ...
uh ...”

Kyniythyria flicked her tongue
at him again, giving his cheek a more powerful static shock. A bead of sweat
disappeared from the tip of his nose. “I can taste the apprehension on you. If
you know something about my child, speak now, or else.”

Kaijin fell onto his rear, and
he rubbed the pained spot on his face. Gazing up at the Dragon, he meekly drew
his knees to his chest. “I ... I awoke in this cave and heard men’s voices. I
saw something—something big—being dragged. It was too dark to see much, Great
Mistress.” He looked behind him briefly, and then returned his attention to
her. “One of the men used an item—a ring—and before I knew it, they were both
gone—disappeared into thin air. I suspect it was a spell of some sort—like
invisibility.”

She growled. “They have gotten
bolder and more foolish. They will pay dearly for this.”

He lowered his head. “That is
all I can remember, Great Mistress.”

“Very well.
I will allow you to join your companions. Use
whatever gift the Firelord has entrusted you with to find my child.”

Kaijin breathed a deep sigh of
relief.
Thank you.
He relaxed. “Great Mistress, if I may just have a
little food and water before I leave?”

Kyniythyria sneered. “Did you
not
hear what I told Omari?”

Kaijin cringed and slowly
stood up. “Great Mistress, with all due respect, my mind and body are fatigued.
I do not know how long—”

“I am done with you, and now
you wish to try my patience.” She let out an exasperated sigh and gestured
sharply with her head toward a corner of the cave he hadn’t noticed before,
where a jumble of mundane items sat—a small sack, some waterskins, and
miscellaneous weapons and camping gear. “Evan went hunting this morning. I’m
sure you will find something there. Take what you can carry and leave quickly.”

“Yes,
Mistress.”
Kaijin rummaged through
the items. Bags contained an assortment of nuts and berries, and the two
waterskins were half full. Kaijin also dug his haversack from among the gear,
and quickly stuffed a waterskin and some of the food into it.

Kyniythyria watched him for a
moment before moving away from the mouth of the cave. She curled up in her
empty nest and rested her head on the cool ground. Sparks flickered in her eyes
and then subsided. “Evan and Sephiya’s deaths were unfortunate but honorable.
They protected my home and did their duty. As much as I would rather deal with
the Legion myself, I fear I would only risk my child’s safety. They would call
for reinforcements. All this could very well be a trap for me, an attempt to
draw me out of my home to search for my child.”

“It sounds like a clever plan,
Great Mistress,” Kaijin replied. He finished packing and secured the straps on
his haversack. “If it succeeded, they could kill both you and your child.” He
slung the bag across his shoulders.

Kyniythyria let out an
irritated growl. “Indeed. I expect you to show them no mercy, Firebrand of
Ignis. Now, go.”

Without hesitation, Kaijin
left, and Miele swooped down from the cave’s shadowy ceiling and followed. He
began his descent down the mountain path, walking quickly in hopes of catching
up with his companions. Still, Kyniythyria’s words echoed in his mind.

No
mercy
...

XVIII

Nester and the rest of the
group trekked swiftly through the Mallowyn Crags, the foothills that surrounded
Kyniythyria’s mountain. They stopped to rest, but only until the sky brightened
with dawn, and then they were off again. They had found no clues of the
Legion’s whereabouts. Nester glanced behind him, seeing how everyone was
faring.

“Gods, I am still tired,”
Omari grumbled as he straggled behind the group. “Why could we have not rested
a little while longer?” Sitting comfortably on Omari’s shoulder, Percival
watched their surroundings.

Sigmund glanced over his
shoulder. “I share your sentiments, Omari, but we must press on.”

“Kyniythyria’s child depends
on it,” Aidan added.

Omari scoffed. “If I am to be
of any use in these endeavors, then I require ample rest, lest I risk clumsily
mis-casting spells.”

“Oh, quit your complain’,
mate.” Nester said. “We’re all tired. But that’s what makes things interestin’,
eh? Besides, what’s to say this ain’t part of your Citadel test?”

“This is
not
part of my
test. I was specifically instructed to have my staff enchanted, and that was
all. I am only delaying these efforts by foolishly trudging through unfamiliar
lands in search of an entire army.”

Nester rolled his eyes.
“Oy!
You may think I’m not
th
’
brightest light in th’ ’arbor, but even
I
know that fiddlers are th’
most convoluted blokes this side of Aransiya. They say one thing, but they really
mean somethin’ else. That’s ’ow it goes, aye? Always keeps you thinkin’ an’ all
that?”

“What?”

“It’s a rather sneaky scheme,
if you ask me. And I like it.” Nester laughed.

“There is nothing ‘sneaky’
about this. I would have completed my task and
already
been on my way back
to the Citadel if I had not encountered
you
people.”

Nester shook his head. “Nay,
if you ’adn’t encountered us, you’d be lookin’ for those slayers by your own
soddin’ self.”

Omari swore under his breath.

“That’s enough, you two.”
Zarya said. “The goddess has brought us together to work for a greater, common
cause. These are
Her
children we are helping. It’s a
high honor and blessing that very few have the opportunity to experience.”

Omari turned his head away,
scowling bitterly.

“Aye, aye.
I know, beautiful.” Nester nodded.

Zarya looked away and lowered
her head.

Aidan brought up the rear,
walking a few paces behind Omari. “Aidan is hoping we finish this soon, as
well. There has been too much violence—too much death.”

Omari walked to the side,
acknowledging the giant with a sneer. “You and your anti-violence fixation,” he
grumbled. “Do we even know where we are going, exactly?”

Nester halted and unfolded his
large map.
“We’re ’eadin’ south toward th’ Carran Marches.
And if we keep walkin’ in this direction, we’ll be in Ankhram in a few days.”

“Ankhram!”
Omari exclaimed, blinking.

Hearing everyone halt behind
him, Nester faced them and nodded. “Aye, an’ I don’t know ’bout you guys, but
I’d rather avoid those lands like
th
’ plague. Nothin’
worthwhile there, anyway—just
sand
everywhere.”

“We are not going to Ankhram,”
Sigmund said. “We are going to search this area. Stay vigilant, everyone. We
must work quickly.”

Aidan turned to Zarya. “Is
something wrong?”

The priestess snapped her head
up.
“Ah, no.
Nothing,” she said quickly. “Let’s be
off.” She promptly resumed walking and brushed past the rest of the group.

Nester folded his map and
looked behind him. In the distance, he could see the mountain that held
Kyniythyria’s cave. Its peak was almost completely shrouded in a thick,
lingering haze, which made it look haunted, forbidding. “She was plenty mad at
us,
She
was,” Nester mused. “Acted like
we
were
th
’ ones who prigged ’er egg!”

Omari rolled his eyes again.
“Would you not feel threatened if someone stole
your
child, Nester?”

“Mmm ... Well, I don’t
rightfully know. I ain’t got any li’l ones.”

Omari groaned. “Thank Malik.”

Nester thoughtfully stroked
his sideburns. “Say, you don’t think She’s gonna do somethin’ to Kaijin, do
you?”

Zarya sharply eyed Nester. “What?”

Nester froze. “I
–
I’m just
sayin,’ beautiful. I mean,
She
did
kinda rush
us all out. I didn’t wanna leave, but, well ... It ain’t wise to anger a Dragon
any more than they already are, aye?”

“I believe
She
merely wished to interrogate your friend before entrusting him with searching
for her child,” Sigmund said. “There is no need for alarm.”

Chewing her bottom lip, Zarya
looked at the guardian. Sigmund frowned at her. “Zarya, do you doubt the
guardians of Exodus—those chosen by the goddess?”

“No, I ... I am just worried
about Kaijin.”

Nester raised his eyebrows.
“Aye?
And ’ere I thought you wanted nothin’ to do with ’im.”

Aidan smiled at Zarya. “Aidan
is glad you do not hold any more ill feelings toward him.”

“He is a disturbed man,” Zarya
replied. “But in these past few days, I’ve had the opportunity to pray to the
goddess and meditate. I’ve come to realize that Kaijin holds the key to the
many answers I seek.”

Omari stared down his nose at
her. “Kaijin is but one man. He does not hold all the answers to life’s
problems.”

“I know, but—”

Oh, this is gettin’ good.
Nester smirked as he listened to his comrades.

He spotted movement in the
distance behind the priestess and squinted. A lone figure trudged the rocky
path, heading toward them. Even at that distance, Nester could see the glow of
the figure’s red hair. “Speakin’ of that fiery sod ...”

* * *

Kaijin, uncertain how long
he’d been walking, continued following his instincts as he trudged through the
rocky land. He wanted to stop, but his body refused, somehow. He felt something
tugging at his mind, controlling his body.

Where am I going?
My companions are all gone. I am a fool to be
exploring these unfamiliar lands alone.

“You are exactly where you
need to be,”
the fiery voice replied.

“And where is that? Lost?”
Kaijin said aloud. When the voice didn’t respond, he continued lumbering along
in silence. A sharp ping hit his mind, and he looked up just in time to see
Miele fly off ahead.

“Miele!
What’s going on? What do you see?”

A mental link with his
familiar allowed Kaijin to see his friends, who walked not far ahead. At his
urging, Miele zoomed toward the group. His stomach sank as he felt himself
diving down from the sky, only to stop just shy of impact from the ground.
Startled, the group stopped in their tracks to acknowledge Miele.

“That is Kaijin’s familiar, is
it not?” Sigmund pointed.

Nester nodded.
“Aye.
She’s a wee li’l thing, but she packs a wallop with
those ’uge, pointy teeth o’ hers. I bet she can eat a man in a single gulp!”

Zarya laughed. “She is a fruit
bat, Nester. A
harmless
fruit bat.”

“’’Armless?’
She soddin’ near bit my ear off, she did!”

Omari cleared his throat, and
said sharply, “Does it matter what she is? The fact that she is here means that
Kaijin is not too far. Let us find him and get this confounded task over with.”

Aidan peered behind him.
“Aidan will get him.”

Kaijin severed the mental link
and rubbed his eyes, feeling slightly disoriented. He looked up; Miele flew in
circles around him. A cool breeze swept across his face, and a large shadow
nearly eclipsed him. Kaijin found himself staring at a large, silver-scaled
chest.

Gods be damned, he’s
intimidating!
“A
–
Aidan?”
Kaijin blinked.

“Yes,” the giant replied.
“Aidan is glad to see you safe. The others are waiting ahead. Can you walk?”

“Uh ...”

Aidan smiled and hefted him in
his arms. Kaijin tensed, remembering Kyniythyria’s manhandling.

“Come. Aidan will help.” The
giant held him securely in his arms, rendering Kaijin unable to escape. Having
witnessed Aidan’s wrath before, resisting him was the last thing Kaijin wanted
to do. And Aidan could walk far more quickly than Kaijin.

They approached the group.

“Really,
Aidan?”
Omari scoffed, crossing
his arms. “He could not just walk on his own like everyone else?”

“It’s good to see you, too,
Omari,” Kaijin quipped, flashing half a smile.

Zarya frowned at Omari. “Who
knows what terrible things the Mistress has done to him?” She then looked at
Kaijin, her face softening.

“Nothing,” Sigmund said, “else
Kaijin would not be here now.”

Aidan set Kaijin down and
stood back. “Aidan was only helping.”

“It’s best we carry on.”
Sigmund set forth. “We can chat along the way.”

Kaijin trailed behind his
companions and watched them search their surroundings.

“Walk faster, lest we leave
you behind.” Omari broke Kaijin from his thoughts.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I
was falling behind.” Kaijin quickened his pace. “Why couldn’t the Dragon let us
all recuperate before setting out?”

Omari slowed until Kaijin
caught up. “The only thing on her mind is her missing child, which is
understandable, but annoying. I cannot function this way. I sincerely hope I do
not end up mis-casting a spell. Anyway, Zarya’s enchantments have allowed
me—allowed all of us—to endure. But there is no telling how much longer she
will be able to keep this up until she will need rest herself.”

As Kaijin was about to reply,
Miele shrieked. He winced, holding his head. “Ah ...”

Omari raised an eyebrow. “What
is it now?”

Kaijin lowered his hands from
his head. “Miele has made me rather jumpy lately. Ever since ...”

“What? Confound it, get to the
point already!”

“My
intermittent possession of Miele.
It makes my stomach turn upside down every time it happens—hells, every time I
think about it, for that matter.”

Omari chuckled darkly. “You
are frightened over
that,
Kaijin? How pathetic. And you call yourself a
mage.”

“I can sense Miele’s feelings.
But actually
flying
with her? Thank the gods I’m not afraid of heights.”

“She is a bat. Moreover,
possessing one’s familiar is as normal as breathing. Surely, they taught you
that in school.”

“Yes, my master taught me
about it, but this is the first time I’m actually experiencing it.”

Omari watched him coolly. “So,
as I suspected, your training was piss-poor, and here is proof of it. So now I
suppose it is up to
me
to teach
you
something that a novice
learns during their first year at the Citadel.”

Kaijin stiffened. “Now, wait a
minute. I—”

“Look, Kaijin. It is obvious
that I am more advanced than you.” He eyed Kaijin with pity. “Your ‘experience’
is one of the basic aspects of having a familiar. A mage is so attached to
their familiar that they have the ability to possess them mentally. How could
you possibly
not
have experienced this?”

Kaijin ignored the insults for
a moment and thought about his experiences during his training and the first
time he acquired Miele. “Miele and I have been together since I was ten, and
it’s never happened before. I guess my master was right. A mage never stops
learning. Does this mean you can possess Percival at will, too?”

Omari inclined his head
slightly. He scratched the weasel behind the ears, and Percival trilled softly.
“Yes, though I do not exercise that skill unless I must. I prefer to give
Percival his freedom.”

“I see.” Kaijin rubbed his
chin. He laughed. “My master once said that familiars are an extension of your
self. I didn’t realize he was being so literal.”

Omari huffed. “Your master was
incompetent to not tell you about something so exceptionally basic. You
do
realize that such incompetence is not tolerated at the dignified schools?” He
bore his gaze on Kaijn. “Schools like the one
I
attended, the most
highly-esteemed school in all the lands: the Ghaeldorund Citadel.”