The Fire Prophecy

by Megan Linski

  “Sophia, you did great back there,” I said as she hiked beside me. “I knew you had it in you all along.”

  She cleared her throat. “I realized something, Liam,” Sophia said. “All this time, I thought anger was the key to Fire. But it’s not. When I saw all you guys helping me, I felt such strong emotion for you all, and the ability to handle the flames just came on its own. Passion and love is the key to sustaining a flame. What I feel for you helped me gain control of my powers.”

  When she said that, I wanted to kiss her again. But we were back on camera, so I just said, “I’m glad, Soph. Really.”

  The last bit was kind of hard. The rocks were so jagged and craggy that it was almost impossible for anyone to climb them alone.

  But we didn’t have to do it alone. We helped each other climb, giving a boost and taking turns pulling each other up the mountain. The Familiars helped where they could, giving an extra push or lift when we needed it. It was like we were one long chain, and we got the system down, each of us doing our part to make sure everyone made it to the end. When we got to the summit, Imogen and Jonah reached down and grabbed me by the arms, yanking me to the embankment.

  I reached down for Sophia’s hand. She wrapped her fingers around my forearm, and I pulled her to the top. The flag waved in front of us in the wind.

  We were here. All of us had made it. I gave everyone a look, and said, “On the count of three. One, two, three!”

  All four of us grabbed onto the flagpole. From far away, I could hear the drums being played in the arena as a signal that a team had made it to the finish line. A floating carriage instantly came down from the sky, and I felt myself shaking in relief.

  Food. A shower. A bed. It was only a short ride away.

  We scrambled to get inside the carriage as soon as possible. I didn’t even care that I was crushed against Squeaks’ ass. Everyone was smiling. I wasn’t sure if it was from delirium or happiness, but I didn’t care.

  You did good, Liam, I told myself, and I realized with a start that I’d done it. I’d kept my team alive for the entire tournament, even myself. Sure, I kinda cheated a little with the magic cave, but specifics.

  The carriage floated down into the arena and landed on stage. I looked out the window and noticed that the arena was completely sold out again, full of people looking to welcome the teams home. As the doors opened, we all tumbled out of the carriage and landed on our faces. A graceful exit, as what we were known for.

  We clumsily got to our feet. Squeaks shook her feathers, and we could hear it. The entire arena was completely silent. A single raindrop could’ve fallen and we would’ve heard it. Every face in the stadium stared back at us with an open mouth, like they couldn’t believe it.

  Aw, shit. Had we arrived so far behind the other teams that the whole tribe was stunned about how slow we were? When had the other teams showed up? Days ago?

  Head Dean Alric hurried onstage. At least he’d stuck around to welcome us. I felt sorry for wasting his time. He was a nice guy.

  Alric cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone. “Please welcome this year’s winners of the Elemental Cup, the White Team!”

  The stadium absolutely erupted. It sounded like the walls were about to come down, the crowd was so loud. The stage shook with the weight of the applause. My legs wavered beneath me, but I don’t think it was from the cheering.

  “Looks like the White Team went from being the least-favorite team to being adored by the fans.” The announcer’s voice, Eli, echoed over the stadium. You could barely hear him over the crowd.

  “Everyone loves an underdog, Eli,” Louis replied. “And this team definitely came from behind to win.”

  Wait. Winners?!

  It took me a minute to realize what was going on. Jonah and Imogen were freaking out. Jonah was blowing kisses to the crowd, Squeaks copying him. Imogen was holding onto Sassy and crying tears of joy. I bet she hoped her brother could see her now.

  Sophia had a smug look on her face. She turned to look at me and said, “Told you.”

  This was too good to be true. We’d won the Cup? I didn’t know how we’d beaten the other teams back, but I didn’t care. We’d gotten every member of our team through the tournament alive, and we’d won. That was practically unheard of.

  Baine was hurrying onstage. He was wearing this really outrageous pinstripe suit that was bright turquoise with a blue carnation pinned to the front. He looked like a proud dad. He was carrying a golden trophy that was as big as my torso and had the symbols of all four Houses engraved on it.

  “Congratulations,” he said as he passed it to me and Sophia. Each of us took a handle. “I told you there was something special about this team.”

  Sophia and I looked at each other. Simultaneously, we lifted the Cup up to the crowd in victory. The stadium exploded again. I’m pretty sure the sound could be heard from here to San Francisco.

  I caught sight of my family in the stands. My brothers and sisters were high-fiving each other, and my mother was weeping. Dad puffed out his chest and nodded to me, giving a thumbs up.

  “We won,” I said. It was almost like we were in a dream. “We really fucking won.”

  The reality of everything I’d been through in the past couple of days hit me like a tidal wave, and I wasn’t ready for it. I had turned to smile at Sophia, but the Cup had already slipped out of my grasp, and my eyes were rolling in the back of my head. My knees buckled beneath me. I didn’t realize I had collapsed until I hit the ground.

  I heard Sophia calling my name, and the crowd screaming.

  And then, nothing.

  Liam Mitoh was perfection in every sense of the word. I didn’t care that he could barely walk a half mile most days and breathed as if an elephant was sitting on his chest. He’d just been dealt a bad hand in life. It was what was in his mind and heart that mattered. It was the way he called me pawee, as if it meant something more. It was the night he took me up to the mountain to meet my ancestors and dance with them. It was the red-hot passion in the cave when I kissed him. Those were the things that truly mattered.

  Which was why when I watched him collapse on that stage, my heart shattered into a million pieces.

  I’m so sorry, Liam. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.

  I’d cradled him in my arms as Esis placed a tender paw on his forehead. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I didn’t even worry that the cameras were watching. Even a week later, guilt settled into my stomach like a heavy rock.

  “I can’t do this, Imogen,” I said nervously, turning away from the mirror.

  Imogen’s dorm room was smaller than mine, and the decor was almost the complete opposite. Whereas my room assaulted you with shades of red, her room was bathed in lighter, natural tones that had a more welcoming feel. The walls were a wooden texture like the hardwood floors, and her twin bed sat low to the ground, as if to keep her closer to the earth. Various plants were scattered throughout the room, including ivy that framed the window. Late December sunlight spilled into the room, bouncing off the bright white furniture. I wasn’t really supposed to be in the Nivita dorms, but Imogen wanted to get ready for the ball together. And now I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go— not if Liam wouldn’t be there.

  “Yes, you can, Sophia.” She dusted blush across her cheeks in the bathroom.

  Across the room, Esis and Sassy played together, chasing a piece of yarn Imogen had tied phoenix feathers to.

  I plopped down on Imogen’s bed, taking in shallow breaths, and not just because she tied my dress too tight. “It doesn’t feel right without Liam.”

  “He’ll be fine,” she said with a wave of her hand. “He’ll be out of the hospital in a few days.”

  Ugh. I didn’t need the reminder about how long it’d be before I got to talk to him again. I wasn’t allowed to visit him since I wasn’t family, so I hadn’t seen him since the medics carried him off stage.

  “Everyone’s going to want to congratulate us for winning,” I pointe
d out. “It doesn’t seem fair that he won’t be there. He’s the one who got us through.”

  Imogen peered through the bathroom door and frowned at me. “It was a team effort. You know we couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “I know.” I sighed. “But I never could’ve gotten us through the last task if it wasn’t for Liam.”

  “What do you mean?” Imogen asked, turning back to the mirror to apply her makeup. “Was it the kiss?”

  My heart lifted in my chest at the thought. That kiss with Liam was everything a first kiss was supposed to be, and more. If I thought Orenda Academy was magical when I arrived, it was nothing compared to Liam’s kiss in the cave. That was beyond the realms of magic.

  I knotted my hands in my lap. “I… I don’t know. I guess something just happened in the cave that helped me realize how to control the fire.”

  Imogen raised an eyebrow toward the mirror. “What all happened? I thought you guys just kissed.” She drew in a sharp breath. “Should I be expecting little Toaqua babies running around here soon? Oh, ancestors. I hope they have Liam’s eyes!”

  “Imogen!”

  She laughed.

  The truth was, I hadn’t told her about the totem Liam and I had found, though I didn’t think that had anything to do with making it through the last task. Still, I didn’t feel like I should mention it. It was like the ancestors wanted me to find it, but they didn’t want me telling anyone I had it. I’d secured a string around it and usually wore it around my neck, tucked under my shirt, but I’d left it in my room for the ball.

  “I already told you what happened,” I said. “We kissed. That was it.”

  My stomach sank. Was that really it? Was that all it would ever be? I wanted so much more with Liam, but even if we officially got together, we’d always have to keep it a secret. Koignis and Toaquas couldn’t be together. It totally sucked.

  “What about when Esis healed him?” Imogen asked. “You never really told me about that.”

  I shrugged. “What’s there to tell? Liam was almost dying. Now he’s back to normal. Well… almost. Once he gets out of the hospital.”

  “And when he does, will you finally tell him about Esis?”

  My mouth went dry. I wasn’t ready to think about that yet. “I… I don’t know. I was ready to tell him all about it in the cave, after Esis had healed him. But when he told me he was still in pain, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I don’t want him to resent us… because Esis can’t cure him completely.”

  “You have to tell him,” Imogen insisted.

  I glanced over to Esis, who was tugging at Sassy’s tail. “I know. But I want to test it more first and see what Esis’ limits are. I don’t want Liam to get his hopes up.”

  “Okay…” She sounded uncertain, but she set her makeup down and stepped out of the bathroom wearing a plush robe. “We can worry about that later. Are you ready to see my dress?”

  I sat up straighter. “I’d love to!”

  “Okay, but you have to close your eyes.”

  I placed my hands in front of my face, careful to not mess up my makeup Imogen had spent the last hour applying for me. I heard Imogen’s closet door open and the sound of fabric rustling.

  She spoke while she changed. “You probably already know this, but everyone likes to represent their House when they go to the ball. Usually, people just dress in their House colors: red, orange, or black for Koigni, green or brown for Nivita, blue or silver for Toaqua, and purple for Yapluma. Well, I wanted to do a little more to represent my House… and the others. So… what do you think?”

  I pulled my hands away from my eyes and opened them. My jaw dropped when Imogen twirled. The top half of her dress was made from twigs, as if it were a whicker corset. The skirt was layered in fern leaves so thick that it bulged out at least three feet in all directions. Flowers of all different colors were woven between the leaves, creating intricate colorful patterns. It reminded me of the mural on the wall in the dining hall, with red flowers for Koigni swirling into blue for Toaqua and purple for Yapluma.

  “Oh, Imogen,” I said breathlessly. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Oh, wait.” She turned to her dresser and pulled open the top drawer. When she turned around, she lifted a flower crown to her strawberry-blonde hair. “What do you think?”

  I stood and walked over to her. I couldn’t take my eyes off her dress. “I love it!”

  Even Esis stared up at her in awe.

  “Really?” she asked nervously, twirling around for me again. “It’s been really hard keeping everything alive.”

  “Yes, really,” I said. “I adore it.”

  Imogen smiled. “Thanks. So… um… since neither of us have dates, I kind of invited Jonah to escort us to the ball. I hope that’s okay.”

  Just another reminder that Liam wouldn’t be there, but if I had to go with anyone, I was glad it was these two.

  I forced a smile. “Yeah, it’ll be fun.”

  “Good,” Imogen said. “Because he’ll be here like… now.”

  On cue, a knock sounded at the door.

  I drew in a mock breath of disapproval. “Imogen. A guy in your dorm room? Such a rebel!”

  She swatted a hand at me before crossing the room to open the door. Jonah stood in the hallway with a proud smile on his face. He wore a black suit with a purple tie and a matching calla lily on his lapel. His hair was down from his usual bun, and it hung loose around his shoulders. His beard had been trimmed up nicely. Hot damn. He looked like Aquaman or something. I didn’t know why other dudes weren’t lining up to take him to the ball.

  “Ladies, your ride is here.” He stepped aside and gestured to Squeaks, who was wearing a purple vest that matched his tie. She was attached to the cutest little pony carriage. I absolutely adored it, but there was no way both Imogen and I would fit, especially with Imogen’s dress.

  “Just a second,” Imogen said. She hurried over to her closet and pulled out a pair of high heels that looked like they’d been carved from wood. She slipped them on. “Okay, ready.”

  Jonah extended a hand and helped Imogen and me into the carriage. Imogen’s dress draped over my legs, but I was surprised to find that we both fit.

  “Esis, come on.” I gestured to him.

  He smoothed down his fur and straightened his blue bowtie, taking one last glance in the mirror before bounding over to me and hopping on my lap. Sassy wore a flowery collar and jumped on Squeaks’ back for the ride.

  Jonah shut Imogen’s door and then turned to us. He folded his hands formally. “Ladies, as winners of the Elemental Cup and now the owners of a very large sum of money, which regrettably, I had to split between you, I would like to inform you that you are now officially Elementai Princesses... at least for tonight, that is.”

  Imogen leaned over to me and whispered, “He talks like we’re rich. Does he realize how much my parents and your sister got from betting on us? Talk about money!”

  Jonah continued like he hadn’t heard her. “Fortunately for you, you have breasts.” He gestured to Imogen’s generous cleavage and wiggled his eyebrows. “Which means guys will be fawning over you two all night long. But unfortunately for you”— he adjusted his tie and held his head up high— “I call dibs.”

  I burst into a fit of laughter while Imogen plucked a petal from her dress and tossed it at him. He used his Air power to blow it away.

  “Oh, shut up,” Imogen laughed. “Take us to the ball before I turn into a pumpkin!”

  Jonah cleared his throat and turned to Squeaks. “As you wish.”

  Squeaks pulled us down the hall of the Nivita dorms and past the common room, where a thick tree big enough to have reading nooks cut out in it grew up through the ceiling. The wheels on our little cart squeaked down the hall and filled the quiet air. The castle was pretty much deserted by now, since everyone was attending the ball and we were running a little late. Jonah led us down three different hallways before we reached the third-floor balcony that looked
over the grand entrance. I held on tight to the side of the cart and pulled Esis close to my belly when we reached the stairs, half expecting us to tumble down them. But Jonah used his Air power to keep our cart floating while Squeaks trotted down the steps. We took a second flight all the way to the first level, and our wheels touched ground again.

  The main entrance buzzed with conversation that spilled out from the ballroom. A few people milled around beneath the elaborate chandelier, and others were looking down on us from high up in the fourth and fifth floor balconies. A couple of people noticed us pull up in our little cart and were staring, but it didn’t really bother me. They were probably just looking at Imogen’s dress. Or maybe we drew eyes because we were the winners. Whatever. I was used to it by now.

  Jonah led Squeaks to the ballroom doors before pulling on the reins. Inside, the sound of soft music played, and I could see a large crowd of people and their Familiars spinning around the dance floor.

  “Ladies,” Jonah said formally. “Thank you for riding the Hippogriff Express. We do take tips, but we unfortunately cannot provide services at the end of the night if you are feeling a little tipsy, seeing as your host himself will be too drunk to drive.” He gestured to himself before extending a hand to help me out of the cart.

  Imogen hopped out by herself and snorted at him. “Apparently if we need anything, we know exactly where to find him.”

  Jonah smirked. “I'll be at the bar, chatting up hot guys and making Renar jealous.”

  Imogen scanned the dance floor like she hadn't heard him. The ballroom was gorgeous and bigger than any banquet hall I'd ever seen. At least twenty huge golden chandeliers hung from the high ceiling. Various shades of velvety curtains framed long windows, some of which were open to different patios. A string quartet played at one end of the room next to an empty DJ stand, while a bar ran the length of the other. Tables were set up near the bar, where people sipped their drinks and chatted amongst themselves. The setting sun cast a dull glow across the room but reflected off glittering surfaces, from the polished marble floor to the jewelry hanging from girls’ necks, bringing the whole room to life.