Fan the Flame

by September Thomas

  Joseph had literally silenced the world.

  With that realization, the curtain lifted as the lingering note of the horn vaporized like mist.

  The hundreds around us sucked in a cumulative breath, eyes wide and mouths parted. Then slowly, oh so incredibly slowly, did they begin clapping. Joseph didn’t so much as smile as he stared down Dragon. Only when the jawbone dipped, did he step back beside me.

  “That was incredible,” I cheered. He sneaked a glance at me out the corner of his eye. “How do you expect me to follow that?”

  “I imagine you’ll find some terribly, rambunctiously, unnecessarily reckless way to demonstrate your might like you normally do,” he replied as the clapping faded. “I’d expect nothing less.”

  That was encouraging.

  I prodded the spot in the back of my mind where Kaleal had taken to hiding lately. Nothing. I wondered if she was guarding the door again, protecting me against Geoffrey’s fiery temper. Since she wasn’t inclined to answer, I cracked my knuckles and stepped forward, my thoughts tumbling like leaves in the wind. I couldn’t settle on one idea until I remembered what Maat had said about the beauty in magic.

  Maybe strength wasn’t all I was capable of.

  “I’m Zara Ramone, God of Water and First of Four.” I paused to allow the words time to inflate, to sink in. “I can’t claim to possess the poise my partner here does, but I’ll try my best nevertheless.”

  Like Joseph, I didn’t need to motion for my magic to work, but the sweeping arm gestures helped me center myself, to draw the magic to me slowly, carefully, allowing it to grow and develop. With one long inhale, I lowered to the ground, my legs barely holding me a mere inch above the earth, and bowed deeply, magic to sweeping over me. I breathed out, and it froze as it touched my lips.

  Overhead, feathery clouds gathered, their misty forms exactly what I required. I raised my face and then… let go. As one, rain spilled in a choreographed sheet, but before a single drop so much as touched those assembled, I closed my fist, halting the movement. Sweat streaked down my back and I fought the urge to shake from the exertion it took to hold that kind of power, to control it with immeasurable delicacy.

  The next part of my plan was even more complicated.

  Slowly, I carefully froze the droplets closest to the ground, crystallizing them in midair. From there, I worked in reverse, focusing intently on the blend of magic straining both my muscles and mind. It wanted to fight, it wanted to destroy… and that’s what I’d done with it thus far, but now I knew my magic was so much more.

  I wanted to be so much more.

  I forced back those destructive impulses, freezing the water droplets one by one, all the way up to the clouds. Once the curtain was finished, my hands circled slowly, pushing the droplets into motion, shifting them into an icy pattern, weaving them in and out, around and around.

  A spider’s web emerged.

  I couldn’t resist shaking, this was worse than trying to hold up a house with one arm, but I couldn’t stop now. I refused to stop despite the headache now thundering away. The wispy sensation of Kaleal even peeked out, drawn by the incredible pull of magic.

  With one last thought, I dismissed the clouds and the sun emerged. The crowd gasped, some crying out with wonder, as the light shimmered off the millions of tiny beads, turning the creation to the glistening wonder I’d known it could be. I held it there, relishing those who reached toward the lowest hanging crystals.

  When I hit my breaking point, I allowed my masterpiece to evaporate into the wind.

  The thunder of applause beat back the torment of my headache and I grinned broadly at the crowd. Joseph hauled me against his side, shaking me with delight, and pressed a kiss against my hair. “That was beautiful,” he said. “And not at all reckless.”

  Part of me wondered what Ryder had thought.

  The web and all its tricky implications reminded me of him.

  Chapter 27

  The bone masks were really starting to piss me off.

  Immediately following our displays of power, a guard had led us into the temple. From there, we’d proceeded through a labyrinth of meandering hallways and ended up… here. A boardroom. It boasted soaring ceilings and exposed wooden beams. Four long windows that started at the floor and stretched up and up and up were the only source of light. The skulls of animals hung from pegs on the walls, and the table around which we were seated appeared to be one very long cut of granite.

  But it was still a boardroom.

  I’d wanted a shower. Even a change of clothing would have been nice.

  Nope, that wasn’t in the cards.

  Ryder snagged my hand and wove my fingers through his.

  “Calm down,” he whispered, golden eyes glowing with assessment. “If you don’t, your headache will return, and then you’ll be even more miserable than you are now.”

  He was probably right. With effort, I’d forced back the headache on the walk here, though I had a feeling if I didn’t sleep soon it wouldn’t matter because heady waves of exhaustion still hovered in the recesses of my mind.

  The Lost City hasn’t changed much at all, Kaleal said lazily, leaning against a wall in my head. Same conniving people, same hideous decor.

  I see you’re feeling much better, I snipped. Was the fight with Phenex not interesting enough for you?

  I knew you’d figure it out, she volleyed back. You have an uncanny way of getting yourself out of tight spots. Like a mouse.

  The pride that had filled me deflated and I tried to block her out. Twelve of the council members had arrived. Our group was lined up along one side of the table, with Joseph and me at the center, while Davos took up the other side. The boy with the owl mask sat directly opposite me. His stare and creepy mask were already making me twitchy.

  He had to be the God. There was no way he wasn’t.

  I rubbed my fingers together as if it would help me feel the texture of the magic connecting us. That sensation was still there, similar to the one I’d felt with Joseph, but it wasn’t anywhere near as strong. I didn’t understand what felt off about it, but I didn’t like it.

  We all turned when a door opened at the far end of the room. The other members of Davos stood, but my party remained seated as Dragon hovered at the entrance.

  “Please, no need to get up,” he said, and the members of Davos sat once more. Ryder arched a brow as he relinquished his grip on my hand. I immediately missed the casual intimacy, though I was able to focus better as Dragon took his time moving down the line of chairs. I wondered what had taken him so long.

  And seriously, what was with the masks? Did they ever take them off? What did they mean?

  Once he was seated and had arranged his robes just so, Dragon swung my way. “We appreciate you taking the time to speak with us on such short notice, Gods of Water and Air. We realize you had a long and strenuous journey, and we seek to streamline your stay here.”

  I folded my hands on the table. “We appreciate it.”

  “As you heard me say outside, we are Davos. Together we lead the Lost City, providing both protection for the people who live here and all their essential needs.” He motioned at himself. “I’m called Seth, I’m what you would consider the head of our group, a president of sorts. To my left is Oron—” the boy in the owl mask—“he’s in charge of our security forces…”

  As Seth worked his way down the line, I kept my attention on the boy. Why wasn’t he in charge? He was the God here, after all. Though, apparently, no one was willing to cop to that yet.

  I imagine Davos has wrestled control from the Gods, seeing as they were gone for so long. Kaleal’s words were a hush. The temples of Water and Air are long gone, so it’s hard to say how they operated on a day-by-day basis, but it’s fascinating how Earth’s power dynamic has changed. I wonder if Fire is similar.

  Joseph was introducing the various members of our party, and I inclined my head, continuing my intense scrutiny of the boy. His skin was the color of
freshly poured coffee and he sat with a slight hunch. Unlike the bone jewelry most seemed to favor here, he wore eight brass rings emblazoned with the tri-peaked mountaintops of Earth’s symbol. His nails were short and trimmed.

  “How may we assist you today, Ms. Ramone?” Yeah, Seth definitely was giving me Phenex vibes. The vial seemed to heat against my chest in response.

  “The answer is two-fold,” I said. “May I speak bluntly?”

  You really do remind me of myself, Kaleal mused, and I shushed her.

  “I believe you already are, Ms. Ramone.” He leaned on his elbows.

  An irrational urge to rip the bleached bones from his face and fling them across the room bubbled before I shoved it down.

  “How friendly are you with the Order?”

  The dragon mask dipped. “We’ve not had contact since the attacks on the temples,” he said.

  Joseph shook his head, the movement minuscule. I flattened my palms on the table and selected my words carefully. “I deeply want our temples to not only cooperate with one another but to trust one another, too. There’s a rich history there dating back to the dawn of time I’d like to respect and encourage. But I can’t do that when you lie to my face. Would you please reconsider your answer.”

  Going for the jugular, I like it, Kaleal preened, raising her arms in a boxing fashion.

  Seth’s shoulders stiffened beneath his robe. Other members of Davos shifted in their seats.

  “Very well,” he said. “We’ve had correspondence with the Order and its Hand, however, relations haven’t been particularly friendly given all that happened seventeen years ago. I will say that in light of recent events, they were keen to inform us about the circumstances surrounding you and the God of Air, here.”

  “So you’re aware the Order is hunting us down, right?” I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms, fixing my attention on the boy. “How does your defense minister feel about all that? For Gods who are wanted by their own church, and who I presume are being painted as reckless magical creatures bent on destruction, you seemed to open the gates easily enough.”

  The boy didn’t so much as twitch a finger.

  I frowned and Seth tapped the table twice, reverting my attention back to him. Heat filled my cheeks as I glanced between them, not understanding the power dynamic or the boy’s silence.

  Seth spoke smoothly, cleanly. “We also understand the true relationship between the Gods and the Order, and are willing to assist as we can, even if it’s something as simple as providing temporary shelter.”

  Temporary. Interesting, Kaleal hissed. They really don’t like you, do they?

  I tried a different peg. “Are you also aware that Geoffrey targeted me and Joseph in another hair-brained attack not far from your temple walls?”

  A clock in the corner of the room ticked.

  “We did locate the bodies of Order soldiers not far from your position, yes. While we weren’t fully informed of the circumstances, we drew natural assumptions.”

  “Allow me to draw another assumption for you. Geoffrey isn’t going to stop.” My tone brokered no argument. “He will not give up on his twisted crusade until I’m dead. Until Joseph is dead. Until your God is dead. Whether or not you’ve reached that conclusion yet is your business, but as the only God among the four who’s had any real contact with him over the past two months, I can guarantee that I speak truthfully.”

  “Your conviction is noted.”

  The other members of Davos might as well not be here, not even the God. It was clear that Seth was in control. It was obvious that he might call himself the president, but I had a feeling it was more like a dictator. I wondered if Kaleal was correct, if the temple had, in fact, changed so much over the past two-thousand years that its God would no longer be viewed as the true authority.

  “I will be up-front about my intentions.” I rubbed my hands together. “I came here seeking the God of Earth, hoping that he”—I squinted at the boy who held still, stiff and unbending—“would join me on our fated quest to end an impending nuclear apocalypse. While I’m not sure which role we will all play in averting disaster, I assure you I still intend to accomplish that mission.”

  I drew myself up, still addressing Oron as Seth seethed. “But before that can happen, we must bring the Order to its knees. I want to remove Geoffrey from his position. I’ll do whatever it takes to knock him out as an obstacle because that’s what he is right now: a barrier standing between us and success. I simply can’t allow that—especially after his display this morning.”

  “You’ve spoken plainly until now, Water God.” Seth’s voice vibrated with an emotion I couldn’t pinpoint. “What exactly are you asking of us?”

  “I’m asking you to join me in my assault.” The legs of my chair screeched on the stone floor as I shot to my feet. Joseph was a step behind. “I’m asking the Earth Temple to stand with Water and Air—and Fire if I have any say in it—in taking down a monster. Geoffrey is incredibly powerful and he’s incredibly unstable. Throughout history, we’ve seen the disastrous consequences of that combination. Stand with me now and I’ll remember forever. Help me end his reign so we can proceed as we were meant to.”

  Well said, Kaleal congratulated, bringing her semblance of hands together in a silent clap. You are learning, aren’t you?

  Seth, too, rose, the motion as sinuous as the dragon whose face he hid behind. He braced his hand on Oron’s shoulder when the boy attempted to follow.

  “You speak with the ferocity of a lion, Water God,” Seth said. “But I wonder if your spirit is as strong. We’ll consider your request. You’ll have your answer by the week’s end.” He bowed, the motion mocking, but when he turned I shook my head.

  “I wasn’t done,” I gritted.

  Seth stilled, his back to me. “Oh?”

  I turned my laser-like focus on the boy across from me. “Where is your God and when can I meet him?”

  Infuriatingly, he remained silent, unbending beneath my harsh words.

  “Soon,” Seth quipped. “We in the Lost City move at a different pace than you may be accustomed, Water God. Patience, here, is a virtue.”

  “If I were him, I’d be about out of patience by now.” I stared down those dark sockets of the boy who lingered, my own eyes burning, glowing, knowing. “Whenever he’s ready, I’ve got something of his.”

  Chapter 28

  “It isn’t rooted in Latin, that’s for sure,” Joseph said.

  I peered at him as the wind fluttered the pages of the thick volume open in my lap. My thumbs pressed down harder, securing my place in the text. Joseph flipped the original copy of The Word upside down and squinted at the spidery print with one eye closed.

  “I am about ninety percent certain it reads like English.” He closed the wafer-thin pages and dropped it in the metallic box at his hip. The book, fortunately, had been among our items recovered by Earth scouts when they’d gone to dispose of the soldier’s bodies three days ago. “But don’t get too excited, I haven’t discounted that it reads right to left like Japanese, and that could change everything. I’m finishing up a few keys today that should help.”

  “You have me on pins and needles over here,” I muttered dryly, giving up on my own reading. After the meeting, we were told that we were free to explore the pyramid but to not step foot on the grounds outside. This was the first time I’d been outdoors in days, and it was technically only possible because I was besties with a guy who used the wind to turn the pages of his reading material for him.

  Which reminded me… the pads of my fingers went white as I pressed them against the limestone and peered over the ledge and down at the colorful specks I assumed were people milling about hundreds of feet below. The sheer height gave me a tinge of vertigo, and I leaned back again. While the sides of the pyramids were primarily flat, each also possessed three-foot ledges that stuck out at four distinct levels. About an hour ago, after declaring he was going stir crazy, Joseph had whisked us to the highest le
dge.

  Bonus point: we technically hadn’t stepped foot on the grounds to get here.

  “Seriously though.” I swung my leg up and leaned my cheek on my knee. “I meant what I said, if anyone is going to figure out what it says, it’s you.”

  A dusting of rosiness touched his cheekbones, and he hurried to change the conversation. “How did things go with Seth this morning?”

  I dug a nail into a crack in the ledge and worked some of the dirt out. “About the same as it did yesterday and the day before that.”

  The first full day at the temple, I’d met with Seth and another member of Davos bearing the mask of a large feline, discussing our predicament. After that meeting, when it became clear they were more interested in strategy than anything else, I’d roped Finn into the mix, imploring him to use his military intellect to keep the conversation moving.

  To our surprise, Davos didn’t seem opposed to a war against the Order. Turns out, they had an abundance of well-trained soldiers champing at the bit for some action, however they wanted more control over the situation than I thought was reasonable. As much as I wanted to dust my hands of the whole affair… I couldn’t. Not yet anyway, I reasoned, monitoring a bird coasting on an updraft. Once this was over, I’d step back. But until then, I had to trust my instincts, and those were screaming at me that Davos wasn’t the long-term solution we needed.

  When we’d parted ways this morning, our stances on the situation hadn’t changed much. The sinking feeling in my gut told me we weren’t going to find a compromise.

  “You and Finn will figure it out,” Joseph said. He’d blanched at the idea of negotiation, and, while he offered advice he’d learned from his books, he still had yet to enter the room. “You two are some of the most clever people I know.”