Fire Study

by Maria V. Snyder

  When he saw me, Stono sat down. His face drained of color, and I worried he would faint. He muttered a thank-you to the floor, evading my gaze. Oran and Violet continued to question Chestnut on the necklace snakes.

  Chestnut stammered and fidgeted. “I wanted to help.”

  “You didn’t have our permission,” Oran said. “And now how many are dead?”

  “Six,” Chestnut said in a quiet voice.

  “Good for you, Chessie,” Stono said. “I wish you had killed them all. Pulled out their guts and strangled them with it!” Stono’s eyes lit with murderous intensity.

  The elders rounded on Stono. Shock mirrored on their faces.

  Violet recovered first. “Stono, you’ve had a difficult time. Why don’t you go and get some rest,” she ordered.

  He stood on trembling legs and shuffled a few steps, but paused next to me.

  “I’ll kill the snake that tried to eat you if you want,” he whispered in my ear. “Let me know what I can kill for you.”

  I turned to protest, but he moved away.

  “What did he say?” Oran asked.

  What, indeed? An offer of revenge on a snake or something more disturbing. “He said he would like to help me.”

  “Not without our permission.” Oran puffed up his chest with importance.

  “You can’t just use our clan members as your personal army. Taking Chestnut into an unknown, dangerous situation that could have killed him was wrong.”

  I had had enough of Oran Cinchona Zaltana. Stepping close to him, I said, “Could have, but didn’t. If we had waited for your permission, you would have lost three clan members. And I wouldn’t debate too long on how you’re going to search for a possible nest of Vermin living in your jungle. If you wait too long, they’re liable to multiply.”

  “What are you talking about?” Violet asked.

  It was then that Esau and Perl joined us. Having heard my warning, Mother touched her throat, and my father’s grim expression deepened.

  “Father, could you inform the elders about the potential threat? I have other business to attend to,” I said.

  “Where are you going?” Perl asked.

  “To find my friends.”

  I found Leif in our parents’ quarters. He was sound asleep on the couch and it occurred to me that I didn’t know if he had his own rooms within the Zaltana homestead. Esau had knocked down the wall to Leif’s room to expand his work area. Unwilling to bother my brother, I tiptoed past him and went up to my room. Soon the sun would set and I wanted to fly with the bats.

  Lying down on my narrow bed, I felt sleep pull at me. I resisted, thinking of Moon Man. He had helped me and Leif in healing Stono. Perhaps the effort had exhausted him and rendered him unable to respond to my search.

  As the light dimmed, I drew magic from the power source and projected my mind into the jungle. Finding the collective consciousness of the bats, I joined in their nightly hunt for food.

  I floated from one bat to another, sensing the space below and around. On the lookout for any fires or signs of people, I coasted through the air, feeling the sun leave the sky. I wondered how the bats could know the size and shapes of their surroundings without seeing them. Was it a skill I could learn? My magic let me feel living beings, but I couldn’t sense anything from the lifeless objects in my path.

  The bats invaded every section of the Illiais Jungle. Nestled below the Daviian Plateau, the jungle wasn’t large. Two days of hard walking would see a person from one end to the other. The Illiais Market marked the western border of the jungle. A few bats swooped close to the market campfires, but they avoided the gritty air and noisy crowds of people.

  I pulled my awareness back. Having found no physical signs of Moon Man or the others in the jungle, I decided Leif and I would travel to the market tomorrow. The market was the rendezvous location we had set back on the plateau. If Moon Man followed the Vermin from the jungle, he would eventually look for us there. I hoped.

  When I awoke the next morning, a group of people were in my parents’ living area, all engaged in animated conversation.

  “It’s your turn. I delivered a wagonload of pummelo fruit last time,” Nutty said to Chestnut. “See?” She held up her right hand. “I still have the blisters.”

  “I’m not stupid. They’re from staying up all night finishing the clothes you owe Fern,” Chestnut retorted. “It’s your turn to go to the market.”

  “You can’t go collecting every single Curare vine, Esau. It will take you seasons,” Perl said. “And what about the Vermin? If they caught you again—” Perl’s hand flew to her throat as if she tried to block the emotion welling from her heart.

  “I’m not worried about that,” Esau said. “I’m worried about what they can do with the Curare!”

  “Curare can be countered with Theobroma,” Leif said to Esau. “We just need to make sure everyone has enough with them.”

  “Is not my turn,” Nutty said.

  “Is too,” Chestnut countered.

  “Yelena!” Nutty cried, spotting me. “I’ve made another pair of skirt/pants for you.” She held a light blue-and-yellow print.

  “Thanks,” I said. “You don’t have to go to the market, Nutty. I’ll deliver the clothes for you. And Leif, Theobroma is good at regaining movement, but it leaves you helpless against a magical attack. Father, can you find a way to get the Theobroma to work against Curare without the side effects? That would be more helpful than tearing down every vine. Besides, I couldn’t find any signs the Vermin are collecting vines right now, but I think sending out well-armed scouts to search the jungle from time to time would be a good idea.”

  “Yelena’s here,” Leif said. “Problems solved,” he teased.

  “I’ll have an easier time with the Theobroma than convincing Oran and Violet to send out reconnaissance teams,” Esau said. “They want to huddle in our homestead and hide!”

  “I’ll handle Oran and Violet,” Perl said.

  Her face had set in a determined frown, which she then turned on me. “You’re leaving us already?”

  “We need to rendezvous with our horses and our other team members,” I said.

  “Are they at the market?” Leif asked with a hopeful note in his voice.

  “Too many people for me to determine. In any case we need to look for signs of Ferde and Cahil.” They could be anywhere by now and doing unspeakable things. I shuddered as the image of Stono’s ruined stomach rose in my mind.

  “Not without breakfast.” Perl hurried toward the kitchen.

  “I’ll go get the dresses.” Nutty bounded away.

  “I’d better get my pack ready.” Leif smiled. “Never a dull day with you, little sister.”

  “What do you need?” Esau asked me.

  “I’m running out of Theobroma and Curare.”

  He went into the lift to ascend to the second floor. Chestnut looked around at the suddenly quiet room. He fidgeted, avoiding my gaze and I realized he wanted to talk about something other than whose turn it was to go to the market.

  “Now’s the time,” I said. “Once everyone comes back…”

  “I can’t…” He moved his hands as if he wanted to pull his thoughts from the air. “I’m having trouble getting past…” Wrapping his arms around his body, Chestnut rocked with frustration. “How can you be so calm? Standing there, making plans, barking out orders. Six people have died. Stono came back from the dead and now he’s different—”

  “Different? How?”

  “It’s probably nothing. He’s had a shock, but he’s harsher somehow.” Chestnut shook his head. “That’s not the point. Six people killed by necklace snakes. That’s the point.”

  I understood his problem. “You’ve never lost anyone to a snake before?”

  “No one. I know it’s not a terrible death. At least they’re dead before they get swallowed. I’ve always been kind of curious…” He cringed with guilt.

  “Curious to see a snake devour its prey and you feel re
sponsible for not stopping the snakes?”

  “Yes.” The word hissed out.

  “Think of what would have happened if the snakes had released the Vermin.”

  “You and Stono would have died.”

  “I’m not happy about the death of six people either, but, considering the alternative, I can rationalize it in my mind.” A shiver raced over my skin. As long as I didn’t think about it too much. “You asked how I can be so calm. I don’t have time not to be. I would like to grieve and worry and carry on, but that doesn’t get results.”

  “And results are important. Right, Yelena?” Leif asked as he entered the room. “One of the foremost things the First Magician taught me when I arrived at the Keep was to leave all sentimentality behind. Roze believes she was given the gift of magic to use for a purpose and she can’t let guilt and remorse keep her from achieving that purpose.” Leif rubbed his chin as his face settled into a thoughtful expression. “You’re a lot like her.”

  “I am not,” I said.

  “It was a compliment. You’re both intelligent. You’re doers. Natural leaders.”

  I disagreed. I didn’t conduct myself like Roze. She was a tyrant who thought she knew everything and didn’t stop to consider other options or other people’s views. I wasn’t like that. Was I?

  “Although she has a bad temper,” Leif said. “She was wrong about Ferde and Cahil’s direction. She’s not going to be happy about it.”

  “That I would agree with,” I said.

  “Agree with what?” Esau asked. His arms brimmed with containers.

  Nutty arrived with her stack of clothes, then Perl returned with a tray full of fruit and tea. By the time we ate, the morning hours were gone.

  “We better go. It’ll be a hard push to get to the market before dark,” Leif said.

  “Yelena, you have to come back and have a proper visit,” my mother instructed. “Perhaps when your life settles down.” She thought for a moment, and added, “Perhaps you can make some time to visit. I don’t see things settling down for you for a long while.”

  “Do you know this from your magic?” I asked.

  “No, dear. From your history.” A smile quirked her lips before Perl’s stern mother expression returned long enough for her to lecture me on being careful.

  With our backpacks loaded, Leif and I climbed down the ladder to the jungle floor. He set a quick pace and I hurried after him. When we stopped for a short rest, I tossed my heavy pack down and rubbed my sore back. Now I could sympathize with a pack horse…. Kiki!

  “Leif, does this trail stay wide until the market?”

  “As long as no trees have fallen over recently. The Zaltanas keep this pretty clear. Why?”

  “The horses.”

  He smacked his forehead with a hand.

  I reached out with my mind and searched for Kiki’s thoughts.

  She hid with Garnet and Rusalka in the forest west of the market.

  Late, she said in my mind. Dirty. Hungry.

  Come meet us on the jungle trail? We’ll get to the market faster. Groomed faster.

  She agreed. Leif and I continued to hike for a while in silence. The insects’ droning grew louder as the sunlight began to wane.

  “I keep forgetting you can communicate with horses,” Leif said. “I think you might be the first one in Sitian history.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “All the Keep’s students had to learn about past magicians and their powers, but Master Bloodgood would know for sure.”

  Bain Bloodgood, Second Magician, was a walking, talking history book. My list of questions grew longer each day. I had so much to learn about magic and history. The sheer amount overwhelmed me at times, and reminded me how unprepared I was.

  And how did I end up with these Soulfinder powers? Both my parents hadn’t enough power to be invited to the Keep so I hadn’t inherited them. Sheer dumb luck?

  Leif interrupted my thoughts. “Do you know anyone else who can talk to horses?”

  “The Stable Master has said he knows the horses’ moods and intentions, but he doesn’t hear their words in his mind per se.” And he had looked at me as if I had grown wings when I mentioned it to him.

  “How about in Ixia?”

  I considered. When the Commander had taken control of Ixia over sixteen years ago, he had ordered Valek, his chief of security, to assassinate all the magicians. Then, whenever an Ixian developed the ability to use magic—usually after puberty—Valek would assassinate the person if they hadn’t already escaped to Sitia. No magicians in Ixia, but my thoughts did linger on Porter, the Commander’s kennel master. He had an uncanny knack with the dogs, and he hadn’t needed leashes or a whistle to get them to obey him.

  “Perhaps one other,” I said. “Though he would never admit to it—that would be a death sentence.”

  “Maybe we could help smuggle him to Sitia.”

  “I don’t think he would want to come.”

  “Why not?” The idea shocked Leif.

  “I’ll explain later.” I didn’t have the energy to educate Leif about the Commander’s politics. Raised in Sitia, Leif believed Ixia equaled a horrible place to live. That with Ixia’s strict Code of Behavior, uniform requirement and having to obtain permits to marry or move to another house, the citizens had to be extremely unhappy. Ixia wasn’t perfect, but there were benefits to living there. For me, Valek was one.

  I missed seeing him every day, missed discussing poisons and fighting tactics and missed having a soul mate who knew what I needed before I did. I sighed. Better to have an immunity to magic like Valek than to be this feared Soulfinder. A Soulfinder, and completely useless against a Fire Warper.

  The Commander’s views on magic didn’t seem so extreme now. Magic was messy. And what the Vermin had done to increase their powers remained more horrible than anything I had witnessed in Ixia.

  “Leif, what about that Fire Warper?” I asked. Since the incident in the jungle, I hadn’t had time to discuss it with him. “Have you seen a magician step from a fire before?”

  “No. Roze Featherstone can make huge fires that’ll consume whole buildings, but she’ll burn if she gets too close to one. Since you’ve come home, I’ve been seeing all types of strange magic. You bring out the best and the worst in people,” Leif tried to joke.

  I failed to be amused. “The Vermin are using old magical rituals. Do you know anything about them?”

  “The Sandseed Story Weavers’ powers are legendary. They used to be called Efe Warriors. I had thought the stories of these Warriors were exaggerated.” Leif paused for a moment. “Until now. Two thousand years ago, well before the Sitian clans united, the Efe Tribe dominated the others. Using blood magic, the Efes had no rivals. The other clans would give them whatever they wanted. Food, gold or sacrifices, hoping to placate them. A disagreement erupted between the Efe rulers and a civil war started. The ensuing battle flattened the Daviian Mountains.”

  “Mountains?”

  “Now a plateau.”

  “Oh my.”

  “Right. After that a new leader named Guyan took control of the tribe’s survivors. He declared he would plant the seeds for a new tribe in the sands that fell when the mountains were destroyed. That’s how they got the name Sandseed and their magicians were then called Story Weavers.”

  The rumble of hooves interrupted Leif’s tale. Kiki’s face was a welcome sight, although her blue eyes looked tired and mud covered her copper-colored coat. Garnet and Rusalka hadn’t fared any better.

  Leif and I fed and watered the horses. I wanted to groom them and let them rest, but Leif insisted we get to the market first.

  “Too many predators at night,” Leif said. “The horses will attract every tree leopard in the jungle.”

  Market not far, Kiki said. Jungle smells…odd.

  We mounted and galloped toward the market. Being with us, the horses didn’t have to hide and we groomed them near the Zaltana campfire behind the market buildings as the sun be
gan to set. Many clans had built permanent sites for their members to stay while trading or purchasing goods.

  The Illiais Market did not close until late into the evening hours. An array of torches was lit to allow business to continue, although the commotion of customers bidding, arguing and shopping quieted in the evenings.

  After the horses were settled, I strolled quickly through the collection of bamboo buildings topped with thatched roofs. Most of the owners had the bamboo shade walls down to block the cold night breeze. When I had been here before, it had been the beginning of the hot season, and the shades had been rolled up to help cool the workers.

  Scanning the people at the market, I searched for Moon Man. I stopped a few customers and asked if anyone had seen my friends. One stand owner recalled spotting some men running through the market a few days ago, but he couldn’t describe them.

  My imagination kicked in and visions of Moon Man, Tauno and Marrok staked to the ground for the Kirakawa ritual filled my mind. Hidden behind a null shield, I wouldn’t be able to find them, and every minute we delayed was another minute for Cahil and Ferde.

  Focusing on the task at hand, I breathed in the market’s smells to ease the tightness in my chest. The exotic spices offered by the Greenblade Clan mixed with the smell of roasting meat. My stomach growled with hunger. Before I could stop to eat, I delivered the package of clothes to Fern. The small woman huffed with relief.

  “I thought Nutty wouldn’t have them done in time,” she exclaimed from behind a table piled with bolts of cloth.

  “I thought you sold fabric,” I said.

  “I’m expanding my business. Nutty’s getting quite the reputation.”

  “Is that good or bad?” I asked.

  “Both. A few of the Greenblade women have gotten tired of their plain green tunics and leggings and wanted a more colorful wardrobe. They’ve been buying every single one of Nutty’s shirts, dresses and skirt/pants. I supply the cloth and we split the profits. However, the clan elders are not too happy about the break with tradition.”