The Spark of a Feudling (8 page)

****

Christian could finally see as the sun set on the second day. There had been no word on Ada, although her father had finally gone looking for her and had sent several of his finest guards as well. The pain in his head had abated, but his heart seemed not to have recovered, no matter how often his mother tried to heal him. He had a suspicion that it would not heal until Ada returned.

If she returned.

When the bell started to sound, echoing across the near-empty courtyard of the estate, Christian pushed himself to his feet, following his mother as she picked up her skirts and raced from the house. He recognized the peal of the bells — it was a warning. They were under attack.

Under attack without the duke or Ada to protect them.

He paused in the doorway to grab his boots, wrenching them on. From where he stood, he couldn't see anyone — even his mother had disappeared. Behind him, Charity made a noise. He looked toward her while fighting to keep his balance. Her silver eyes were glowing. “She's coming, Christian. You just have to fight them off until she gets here.”

Ada is coming home
.

He nodded, straightening. “Stay here. Hide in the crawl space until I get back,” he called over his shoulder. He didn't hear her reply as he let the door swing shut behind him.

He heard the screams before he even found the battle, and he ran, nearly tripping as he rounded the corner.

The courtyard was in chaos. The front gates were hanging on their hinges and the trees were on fire.
She's coming, Christian. You just have to fight them off until she gets here.

He'd only had one lesson in Edren spells. His mother could fight, but she couldn't do it alone. “Hurry, Ada.”

Running down the drive, he passed Vivian, whose spells were so weak they almost didn't make it to their target — an angry man with a large ax. So these were mercenaries. Assassins. But not sorcerers. Christian nodded to himself. He could handle that. He didn't pause as he ran, but burned the
lirik
Ada had taught him, thrilled as it caught, and shoved it at the man attacking Vivian. His blue flames looked odd in such a vicious spell, but it hit the man in the side faster than Vivian's spell that she'd pushed several seconds before. The man screamed as the magic ate through him, and then he was nothing but a leftover shell of a body and ash in the air.

Christian felt strange. He looked for his mother. His power felt different — not the calm, healing flames he usually had, but a
hunger.
A handful of the duke's guards-in-training flanked her, fighting off the main force of the mercenaries, but none of them were doing any more than getting in her way. Scarlett faced at least twenty men, and Christian could hear the sound of pounding hooves — lots of them. More were on their way. A fiery arrow, fueled by regular flames, shot through the guards, slamming into the one closest to Christian. He watched the man go down as blood bubbled on his lips, and then the guard lay still. Christian whirled, searching for the archer. He caught sight of him in the trees beyond the gate. Without hesitating, Christian went after him. He rounded the guards and raced past his mother. “Christian!” she screamed, but he didn't hesitate. She couldn't burn a spell fast enough to stop an arrow if it came after her. Christian had to get rid of the archer.

He burned a
rikil,
one of the three kill spells Ada had taught him, as he ran. It took him two tries, and the second time his hand shook so badly he wasn't sure it would hold. But hold it did, and he shoved it toward the trees with all the fury pulsing through him. How dare they come here and attack his home — his mother? The spell shot through the air, burst through the tree the assassin hid behind, and slammed into the man's skull. Christian watched with a sick satisfaction as the man grabbed his head, screaming as he plummeted to the ground. Then he spun, finding himself at the backs of the other soldiers. He burned spells, one after another, everything Ada had taught him, and shoved them at the mercenaries in front of him. They went down screaming, those big, seasoned warriors who should have been fighting the queen's battles, not here attacking an Edren estate.

He felt the arrow plunge into his shoulder and he bellowed in pain as it tore through his flesh, scalding the skin as it burst from the other side. His mother screamed his name again, but he ignored her, instead scanning the trees behind him for his attacker. The archer rode on a big, armor covered horse, but the man's head was bare so he could see to notch his arrow. Christian didn't hesitate. Burning the
lirik
into the air, he pushed it, watching as it rocketed straight toward the uncovered flesh. The man's head burned as he screamed until the flames devoured him and there was nothing left to scream with.

But there were more behind him. Christian leaped into the trees, clambering halfway to the top the way he and Ada had done a thousand times before. From there, he attacked. Burning spell after spell, he threw them at the men riding in, until they broke formation and raced around in chaos, trying to find him. While they were distracted, Christian went after the men still fighting with Scarlett and her pathetic gathering of guards.

“There! He's in the tree!” He heard the yell, and the arrows followed it. By now, the air was thick with smoke and the smell of burning flesh, acrid against his tongue. He dropped from the tree and flung another
lirik
, the spell coming more easily every time. The world spun, just a bit, and he realized his entire chest was covered in blood. He couldn't keep fighting much longer before he'd pass out from blood loss. He met his mother's eyes over the soldiers and nodded grimly. He'd do what he could for as long as he could.

****

Ada and Horse meandered through the thick forest. She hurt too much to keep up their frantic pace for long. The sun was sinking in the western sky and she struggled to keep her head up and her heavy eyes open.

Hurry, Ada. We need you
.

Charity's voice nearly split her skull and she screeched, grabbing her head. The pain was gone almost as soon as it'd begun, but Ada had seen a flash in those few seconds — what Charity could see, undoubtedly. The estate was under attack, and Christian and Governess Buttercroft were the only ones fighting to save it.

“Horse? How much do you have left? They need us.” Her voice shook in fear, pleading, exhaustion… she wasn't sure what. But Horse heard, and somehow, he understood. Taking the bit in his mouth, he lunged forward, lengthening his long strides until he fairly flew over the dirt road.

I'
m coming, Charity
. Just hold on. I'm coming.

****

The sun had set, but it didn't matter. The inferno from the trees, the outer buildings, and the gate gave them plenty of light to keep fighting. He saw some of the men had torches, and were lighting fires of their own, as if the sorcerers' spells weren't enough. He burned another
rikil
— the spell felt completely natural now — and shoved it at the man closest to him. Christian had been forced back until he stood beside his mother, and now they fought back to back, trying to keep the men from getting past the courtyard. Charity was beyond the courtyard. Servants and the duke's personal staff had joined the fight, but they were all Carules and knew absolutely nothing about offensive spells. Vivian had collapsed long ago and now lay unmoving on the manor steps. Christian just caught a glimpse of movement and turned toward it in time to see Charity racing across the once-beautifully manicured lawns to Vivian's side, sweat already dampening her hair. She grabbed the woman and pulled, trying to tug her to safety.

“Christian!” Scarlett snapped. He spun away from Charity to face the battle again as an ax swung toward him. He leaped back, dragging Scarlett with him, but the ax still managed to graze his chest. Even as he yelled in pain, the
lirik
flew from his hands, smashing the ax-wielding soldier and knocking him backward as he screamed and clawed at his face, trying to put out the flames.

At least no more soldiers had come, but there were still far too many for an untrained boy and a Carules governess.

“Ada!” he heard Charity scream behind him, and he risked a glance over his shoulder at the road. There was nothing there.

“Oh mercy. Ada, no,” he heard Scarlett moan, and he pushed another spell away as he looked over at her in confusion. When she didn't acknowledge him, he followed her gaze to the steep mountain rising behind the estate. Alexios, the duke's favorite horse, was rearing at the crest.

Ada was on his back.

“Ada, no!” Christian screamed, but there were a dozen other screaming men and she couldn't possibly hear him.

The horse leaped over the rise, racing headlong down the nearly vertical decline.
He's going to fall. He's going to break a leg. He's going to pitch her over his head and trample her…
Christian couldn't tear his gaze from her as they roared down the mountain. Alexios leaped, tucking his legs under him as he soared over a felled tree, and landed hard on the other side. He barely avoided a boulder and crashed over deep rivets in the bare earth. The giant horse tossed his head, and despite the yelling, the screams of the dying and the crackle of hungry flames, Christian could hear him pant with every leap. They weren't going to make it.

Christian felt the arrow hit him, sliding into his already torn shoulder. His vision swam, blinded by pain, so that he could no longer see Alexios' death race down the jagged hill. He threw the
lirik
in the direction the arrow had come from, but they had closed in on him while he had been watching the giant horse fly down the mountain like he had wings. He and Scarlett were surrounded.

Christian threw another
lirik,
and then a
rikil
, but it wasn't enough. Beside him, a pole slammed into Scarlett's stomach, knocking her backward. She landed hard in the dirt, but immediately forced herself to her feet.

It was too late. The mercenaries moved closer, the nearest swinging his sword at Christian's neck. Christian jumped backward but felt the blade of another sword against his back. Scarlett was forced to the ground, a torch held to her face. Christian could smell her hair burning.

They were going to die. He had failed his mother and his sister.

The man holding the torch to Scarlett's face suddenly screamed, a hole burning clear through him as Alexios raced around the corner of the manor, Ada kneeling on his back and burning another
lirik
. She shoved it forward, but her horse nearly outran it, he was so fast. His feet attacked the soldier closest to him, beating him into the ground as more of Ada's spells came, so fast and so many that they burned Christian's eyes. He barely recognized her — she was so
angry
, so driven. Her eyes were wild, her long black and red curls fell free around her face. And already, she was bloody. And burned, if Christian's eyesight was to be believed.

She leaped from the back of the horse, landing hard on one of the mercenaries, tackling him to the ground. His ax flew from his hands, skittering across the rocks in the dirt. And then she punched him, her small fist connecting with his nose and Christian distinctly heard it crack. He spun away from her, his hand flowing through the spell as he moved, and pushed it into the man who sought to run him through with his sword. He jerked around again, his feet twisting in the dirt, throwing more spells, protecting himself and his mother. Scarlett was barely able to stand now, but she refused to give up, although her magic was spent and she had nothing to defend herself with.

Except Ada.

Ada left a pile of dead, burning bodies behind her as she whirled through them like a small, incredibly deadly demon. “I learned something new,” she panted, arriving at his side. She dropped her hands, igniting the grass around her, and jerked her hands above her head. The flames roared, rising around her, and then she pushed them away from her, lighting the several men around them on fire. They screamed, trying to escape, but she did it again, catching them as they ran. Christian leaped to her aid, burning more
liriks
and sending them after the men who hadn't gone down yet.

Christian spun in a circle, looking for the few he'd seen escape, but the smoke was so thick he could barely see.

And then he heard his sister's scream shatter the burning air. Ada whirled with him, already running forward blindly through the smoke. They would kill her, or worse, Christian knew. His sister had no magic. She was sickly. She was weak. But as her form took shape through falling soot, Christian realized how very wrong he was. Charity had the ax and swung it like she was possessed, guarding the doors to the manor and Vivian, still lying behind her. The man ill-fated enough to have underestimated her was cut in half, his upper body sliding sideways as his legs collapsed. The man next to him, splattered with his comrade's blood, backed away, his hands up. But there was no mercy for him as Ada's spell hit him in the back.

“Where are you, you filthy heathens? Come out and fight me!” Ada screamed, standing in front of Charity now. Christian turned, slowly, but there were no more. In the distance, the sound of frantic horse hooves escaped into the night.

The battle was over. He had held them off until Ada returned. Slowly, Christian fell to his knees.

****

Ada paced, her heart in her throat, nearly strangling her. “Please, Ada, rest. You're wounded as well,” Governess Buttercroft said, looking up from where Christian lay, still and pale.

Ada shook her head but didn't say a word. If she hadn't fought that stupid battle. If she hadn't run away. If she hadn't slept for a day. This was all her fault. The boy she loved lay dying, and it was all her fault.

“Can you help him?” she asked, more of a whimper than an actual question.

Governess Buttercroft scowled at her. “Of course I can help him. Have you forgotten who I am?”

Ada inched forward, laying her hand against Christian's cheek. “Can you teach me?”

Her governess froze, blinking owlishly at her. Scarlett, too, was injured, but she had no one to attend to her wounds. The staff, what was left of them, had used up all their magic trying to fight. Those who could still heal were working on Vivian, although when Ada had pulled her inside she hadn't seen any wounds or even scorch marks on her mother's fine gown.

“Ada, you've been in two battles in one day. You're wounded yourself. I don't think—”

Ada cut her off, hoping her eyes were as hard to say no to as Christian always claimed. “Please, Governess Buttercroft. If I can help, if you can teach me, please do so.”

The room smelled of burnt flesh and the tangy odor of drying blood. A lady should want to faint. Ada just wanted to heal.
I am a strange girl indeed
. Charity came in with her herbs and grinding stone, setting them quietly on the table. She smiled encouragingly at Ada, and since she was a seer, Ada took that as a good sign.

Scarlett sighed. “Healing is completely different than burning spells and throwing them at someone. You have to feel it in your heart, and not everyone can do it.”

“My father says I'm powerful,” Ada said in a small voice, but her governess just laughed.

“That you are, Ada. But even the most powerful sorcerers in history could not do every spell. We all must have our weaknesses.” Ada stared up at her, heartbroken. If she couldn't help heal, there was no way to make amends. Scarlett studied her for several seconds before her stern expression melted and she nodded. She took Ada's hand — gently — and placed it above Christian's wound. “Your spells come from the flames in your blood. Our spells come from our heart. If you want to learn Carules magic, you must learn it from there.”

Ada closed her eyes tight, like she had when she was a little girl and Governess Buttercroft had spent hours trying to teach her the spells her father thought she should know. She'd always been a slow learner.
I don't have time to be slow now. Christian needs me. Governess Buttercroft needs me.
Her heart pounded, as if trying to tell her it was ready to do her bidding. She needed only to ask. She envisioned Christian's blue flames, the hundreds of times he'd healed her or Charity. There was a kindness there, a gentleness. Love.

She wasn't aware of the heat coming from her hands until Scarlett gasped and Charity clapped happily. Ada's eyes flew open to see the warm red flames slowly seeping into Christian's wounds, mending the torn skin. It wasn't hot and tingly like her battle flames were. These flames were gentle and warm — more of a mist than a spark. They wove through the broken skin, melding with Christian's blue flames, strengthening them and making him whole again. It was inspiring to watch, and Ada couldn't have looked away if she'd wanted to.

He stirred under her hands, his brown eyes opening just a bit. He struggled to focus on her face, and then his eyes widened. “Ada! How—”

“Your mother taught me. Hush while I concentrate.” Beads of sweat rolled down her temple, and her hands started to shake from the effort. Clearly, she wasn't as powerful as Christian, but she had been powerful enough. She had saved him.

He reached up and took her hand, bringing her palm to his lips. “I'm better, Ada. Rest now. You've healed me.”

“Your mother still needs healing. She's been wounded,” Ada said, but had absolutely no desire to move her hand from his kiss.

“Ada has been wounded as well. Many times, from the look of things. We need more healers. I will try to summon some from the neighboring villages.”

William
. Ada's heart jumped into her throat at the thought of seeing him again. “Charnock does not have sorcerers. That's where I've just returned from.”

Scarlett nodded wearily and went to work doing spells that Ada had never seen before. Watching made her weary, and she sank onto the bed next to Christian. “I heard Charity calling me. While I was on my way home. Is that what your mother is doing?”

“No.” Charity spoke for the first time from the shadows where she rested. “What I did, only seers can do. Your father is very interested to know how we do it, but so far he has had no success in replicating it.”

Ada's breath froze in her throat and she turned wide eyes on Christian. He spoke slowly, as if afraid he might spook his sister with abrupt words. “Is that what he's been working on while you've been with him?”

Charity blinked rapidly like she was just waking up. “I—I don't know. I don't know where that thought even came from.”

Scarlett had also frozen, her spells fizzling and dying as ash fell to the floor. “Charity, you need to think very hard. Is that what he's been doing to you?”

Charity began to cry and Ada heaved herself to her feet, stumbling exhaustedly toward her. Cradling Charity's head against her shoulder, Ada made soothing noises. “Borrow my strength, Charity. Use me to find your answers.”

She felt Charity's gift without actually seeing her silver eyes glow. Ada wasn't sure if she was strong enough to lend any more strength, but if this was the only way, she would do it. Somehow, deep down, she had to have hidden reserves… didn't she?

Christian crawled across the bed to Charity's other side, gripping her hand, and then Ada's. She felt his strength flowing through them, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight, focusing on Charity, on opening the bond between them.

“I see him… I see him doing a spell. It's hard to see because he tries to hide it. Weird slashing lines, like cuts in the air. And then it comes and—” Charity screamed, grabbing her head.

“That's enough. She's had enough!” Scarlett jerked them apart, scooping Charity into her arms. Ada's tall, always stoic governess was shaking and pale and frightened.

Ada met Christian's eyes, but his face had gone an alarming shade of grey, and he clutched his head as well.
Did her pain transfer to him?
“Can I heal you?” she asked.

“You, here, is healing enough. I worried.” He kept his voice low, so only she could hear him.

“I know. I'm so sorry, Christian. This is all my fault. If I hadn't been chasing that battle…”

“Chasing battles is your destiny, Ada. Following your destiny will make you stronger, not weak and helpless like your mother.” Scarlett's voice was scathing, and Ada nearly flinched. But she was right — Vivian had been useless under attack. Charity had to save her. With an ax. An ax that weighed as much as she did.

“You were amazingly brave today, Charity.” Ada rose to her feet, squeezing Christian's hand. She was loath to leave him, but she had to see what the damage had been to the manor and the outbuildings.

“I'll come with you.” Christian rose, color returning to his face under the scruff of a day's beard. She smiled up at him, grateful for the company. And they needed to plan. Somehow, they needed to keep Charity away from Richard. Under all the panic and exhaustion and confusion, Ada prayed hard that whatever Richard was doing, he had a good, redeeming reason for it.

It was still raining ash in a fine mist, like the first winter snowfall, but the fires had been put out. Bodies still littered the courtyard and the road leading into the forest.

“What, exactly, possessed you to ride like a demon down the mountain instead of coming around on the road?” Christian asked, his voice harsh in the still night. Ada flinched, but she knew it was fear that made him brusque.

“I heard Charity call. I could see you, through her eyes… I knew you needed me and I didn't have time to go all the way around. So I came straight through.”

“You could have killed Alexios. Or he could have stumbled and thrown you. You both could have died!”

“Alexios. That is a much finer name than Horse.” Ada smiled.

Christian scowled at her. “Stop changing the subject.”

Ada sighed, slipping her small fingers around his. Christian's rough thumb caressed the back of her hand absently. “Christian, I saw Charity's vision. Had I been any longer, you all would have died. If that were to happen, I would rather be thrown from a horse and die with you than live on without you.”

He stilled, his breathing hitching in his chest. “What are you saying, Ada?”

She took a deep breath. “I'm saying I love you, Christian Buttercroft. I have for eight long years. And I do not want to live in a world where you are not.”

He watched her silently, his eyes wide in the darkness of the night. “You—you love me?”

She couldn't help but smile. “Yes, Christian.”

“But—but you are the daughter of a duke. Nobility. I am nothing.”

Ada considered kicking him, but instead stomped her small foot and glowered at him. She felt the sparks struggling to light at her fingertips, responding to her anger, but she didn't have enough magic left for them to light. “I am a sorceress. You are a sorcerer. That is all I care about. I do not choose nobility. I do not choose their life. I am a warrior and you are my healer. That is all that matters.”

Christian took her in his arms, pulling her tight against him. She fit there like he was made just for her. Raising her face to his, she growled at him. “And if you do not kiss me right this second, I shall kick you in truth.”

He chuckled, brushing his knuckles against her cheekbone. “I love you as well, Ada Aleshire. Always. Forever.”

She narrowed her eyes, doing her best to look threatening, and he laughed outright. When she kicked him, gently — just as a warning — he lowered his head, claiming her mouth with his own.