Wildfire and Steel

by J. J. Green

  This galvanized them into action, and they began to run to other tents.

  “I’ll go and tell Magda,” said Darius.

  “No, you won’t,” Carina replied. “You’re staying here with me.” She was not about to lose her brother to the Spirit Mage again.

  And then she saw what she’d done. The camp was about to come under fire, and she had just sent her brothers and sisters away from her, where she could not protect them. They would all become separated. How would they find each other again?

  “Wait!” she shouted. “Come back!” But Parthenia and the others didn’t hear her. The noise in the camp was growing louder as the young mages woke up and asked each other what was going on. Bryce had also disappeared.

  Damn!

  Jace. Carina needed to speak to him. Or Justin. Someone who was in charge.

  The mages she had woken were not Transporting. They were standing around and chatting.

  “You have to get out of here,” Carina yelled at one group. “The camp is about to be attacked.”

  “Aren’t you the one who left?” one of them asked. “The new Spirit Mage’s sister?”

  “Yes,” Carina replied. “And I’ve come back to warn you, you must leave. Dirksen soldiers are about to attack and kill everyone.”

  “But how do you know?” the questioner asked.

  “It would take too long to explain,” said Carina. “You must believe me.”

  A scream echoed across from somewhere out at the edge of the camp, borne along on the strong breeze.

  “It’s begun,” Carina said. “Now do you believe me?”

  The mages’ expressions grew frightened. One of them nodded and returned to her tent.

  “Grab whatever you can, quickly,” said Carina. “Take all the elixir you can carry, and Transport as far from here as possible. Hide out somewhere until it’s safe to leave Pirine. But before you Transport, Send to someone else in the camp and tell them to do the same.”

  Carina grabbed Darius’ hand. “Do you know where Jace and Justin’s tent is?”

  “No. Only the Spirit Mage’s.”

  “Ugh, then the Spirit Mage’s it’ll have to be.”

  Screams and shouts were sounding from another direction. The soldiers were closing in. Mages were already dying. Carina had to try to save as many as she could, but she knew she couldn’t do it alone. By the time everyone received a warning the soldiers would be halfway through the camp.

  In fact, now that she thought about it, the Spirit Mage was exactly the person she needed to see.

  When Carina and Darius burst into the old woman’s tent, she was sound asleep despite the increasing mayhem going on around her. Carina grabbed Magda’s shoulder and roughly shook it.

  “Be gentle, Carina,” said Darius. “She’s very old.”

  “I know, but…” Carina bit her lip. Without the Spirit Mage’s help, hundreds of people would die.

  The rheumy eyes opened and blinked blearily. “What…? Carina, my dear. You came back.”

  A scream of protest, suddenly cut off, came through the walls of the tent.

  “What was that?” Magda asked.

  Carina said, “Can you Send to everyone in the camp? You Summoned them all, right? Can you Send to them? It’s very important.”

  “Yes, I….” She sat up, pushing down the blankets that covered her. “What’s happening?”

  “The Dirksens are attacking, and they plan on killing every mage they find.”

  Magda’s mouth gaped. She looked at Darius.

  “It’s true,” he said.

  “Bring me my elixir,” said Magda.

  Darius had already grabbed it. He handed the Spirit Mage the canister and she removed the lid. “Do it with me, Darius,” she said. “I’ll need your help. You know how.” After Darius nodded his agreement, she added, “Drink half of it. You’ll need it.”

  Between them, Magda and Darius drank the entire canister of elixir. Then they held hands and closed their eyes.

  All around, the sounds of fear, dismay, and confusion were rising, bubbling up like water in the spring at the center of the encampment. But Carina could hear another sound: a muted, rustling roar. She couldn’t figure out what it was.

  Magda and Darius unclasped their hands. As Magda opened her eyes, her skin increased in pallor. She looked exhausted.

  “I’ve done my best,” she said. “I cannot do any more right now.”

  Darius also looked tired.

  Then Carina suddenly recognized the sound that had been puzzling her. It was fire. The Dirksens had set the camp on fire.

  Rather than go from tent to tent, they were trying to drive out all the mages into the open, where the soldiers could pick them off, like hunters shooting game. Carina felt as though she was about to vomit.

  “Can we go and find Parthenia and the others now?” Darius asked.

  “Yes,” Carina said. Then a thought struck her. “Darius, can you Send to them, even though you don’t have anything of theirs? The same as you did just now to the mages in the camp?”

  His little face brightened. “Yes, I can!” But then his features darkened again. “But not to Bryce or Nahla.”

  “It’s okay, we can find them. Tell the others to come here, to the Spirit Mage’s tent.”

  While waiting for Darius to Cast, Carina said to Magda, “You should leave. It isn’t safe anywhere in the camp now. The soldiers will be here soon.” Or the fire will reach you.

  “No,” the Spirit Mage replied. “My place is here. Until everyone has gone. My role is to save magehood for the future and I will do that to my last breath.”

  “But you’re the repository of our history,” Carina said. “If you die, our history dies with you.”

  “Our history did not seem so important to you yesterday,” said Magda, her eyes twinkling. “You have a lot to learn, Carina. If I run out on my people, there’s no point in me remembering anything.”

  Carina did not have time to argue with the old woman. She knew what she was doing. “Did you Send to the others?” Carina asked Darius.

  “I did.”

  “Right. Let’s go.”

  “Wait,” said Magda. “Take some elixir with you, or you won’t be able to Transport yourselves out.”

  Carina grabbed canisters for herself and Darius, and ran out of the tent.

  The sky was red. The hues were from the rising sun and the burning encampment. Smoke and flames were billowing upward in the far reaches of the camp, but the breeze was blowing the fire closer every second.

  Somewhere out there were Ferne, Parthenia, and Oriana, hopefully now heading toward the Spirit Mage’s tent. Carina would have to find Bryce and Nahla. How, she didn’t know yet. On the plus side, mages were Transporting away from the site. Carina could see them leave their tents, clutching bags, and then disappearing. She could also see shadowy moving forms inside tents, back-lit by the glow of flames, vanish from sight.

  “Darius,” said Carina, “I’m going to Transport you to the….” Where could she send her brother that would be safe?

  “No,” said Darius. “I want to stay with you.”

  Carina was forced to acquiesce, as she could not think of a place on Pirine where Darius could wait for her in safety. “Okay. But stick to me like glue. Don’t leave my side.”

  Darius gripped her hand, and they set off. As soon as Carina found Bryce and Nahla, they would return to Magda’s tent to rendezvous with the others, and then they would all leave together. Carina didn’t think there was anything else she could do to help the stricken mages. Though she carried the guard’s weapon, she could not fight off tens, perhaps hundreds, of soldiers by herself.

  Holding Darius’ hand tightly, Carina ran along an avenue of tents. She shouted to the remaining mages to leave immediately, driving home Magda and Darius’ message. They were running toward the flames, but Carina couldn’t help it. The soldiers had set fire to the camp on all sides. Danger lay in every direction.

  Where was B
ryce? Where was Nahla?

  Someone was heading in their direction. Carina recognized her sister. “Parthenia!” she shouted. Her sister had Nahla with her! If there had been time, Carina would have kissed her. “Don’t stop,” she said. “Go to Magda’s and wait for us. If you see any soldiers or the fire comes near, Transport to the trail we followed on the horses. About halfway along.”

  Parthenia nodded and Carina’s two sisters ran past her.

  Her heart lightening a fraction, she ran on. The campsite was beginning to look deserted. Carina hoped the majority of the mages had gotten away. The Dirksens would scour the planet for them, of course, but if the young men and women were careful, they stood a good chance of not being captured.

  Carina and Darius were nearing the flames. She didn’t dare to move any closer, yet there was no sign of Bryce. She guessed he must have gone to another area. If she didn’t find him soon, the entire place would be ablaze.

  Worse still, the roaring of the flames made it impossible to hear pulse rounds being fired. She had no idea if troops were approaching.

  “Jace!” Darius screamed. He was staring off to one side, his hand like a vise on Carina’s.

  When she saw what her brother was looking at, her heart froze. A pillar of fire was stumbling between the tents. Was it Jace? Carina could not tell if it was him or his brother. The mage must have stayed behind after Magda’s warning, to ensure the young mages Transported. The flames had overtaken him.

  And that wasn’t all. A soldier was emerging behind him in heat-resistant armor. His head covered in a specialized helmet and carrying an oxygen mix tank on his backs, the soldier took aim at Jace, preparing to finish him off. But Carina’s weapon was already at her shoulder and spitting pulse rounds at the man. She didn’t release her trigger until he was down.

  Darius was fumbling with the lid of his elixir, tears streaming down his face.

  “There isn’t anything you can do,” Carina said. She didn’t know a Cast that would extinguish flames, and even if she did, Jace was already too burned to survive.

  “Yes, there is!” Darius shouted. “Please help me, Carina.”

  Still doubtful, Carina unscrewed Darius’ canister and held it to his lips. The small boy swallowed a mouthful of elixir.

  Too late. It was too late.

  Carina could not bear to imagine the agony Jace was in. Perhaps it would have been kinder to allow the soldier to shoot him. Perhaps it would be kinder to do it herself.

  She couldn’t watch. If Darius put out the flames, what would they do then?

  “I did it,” Darius announced.

  Carina looked. The man was on the ground. The flames had gone out. By some miracle, Carina’s brother had invented a new Cast to douse fire. Should she have let him? “Stay behind me,” she said. “And don’t look, okay?”

  Jace was still alive. His burned body moved slowly on charred grass as Carina approached him. Fuck. What had she done? He was dying. He deserved a quicker death.

  Darius peeked from behind Carina and gasped at what he saw. Nevertheless, he said, “I can Heal him.”

  “I told you not to look,” Carina said. “And, no you can’t. You can’t Heal a fatal condition. I think I’m going to have to….” She fingered the trigger of her weapon. How would she explain to Darius what she had to do?

  “You cannot Heal him, Darius,” Magda said, “but I can.” Carina swung around and saw the Spirit Mage. The old woman had Transported there, somehow knowing what had happened.

  The Spirit Mage knelt down next to Jace and gently touched his burned skin. She opened her flask and drank elixir before she began to Cast.

  Carina didn’t know if Magda would be successful, but she also had no time to find out. She had to find Bryce and get out of there.

  “Come with me,” she said to Darius.

  “But what about—”

  “Don’t argue.”

  Her little brother in tow, Carina fled from the grisly scene. They hadn’t gone more than twenty paces, however, before Carina saw figures approaching through the flames. Soldiers. They were walking steadily forward, scanning from side to side for mages.

  Carina halted. They hadn’t yet seen her or Darius. There were about ten of them. The minute she shot at them they would shoot back, endangering Darius. Should she try to get out of sight or Cast Transport? Any movement was bound to catch the soldiers’ attention.

  In the end, the decision was made for her. Darius had spotted the troops too. He gave a shriek, ripped his hand from Carina’s, and sprinted back toward Magda and Justin.

  Carina had no choice except to follow him. A pulse round grazed her shoulder. They’d been spotted. Carina began to run a haphazard zigzag, desperately trying to avoid the soldiers’ fire. Darius was running in a dead straight line. It was only a matter of time….

  He had reached Magda and Jace, but the scene was not at all what Carina had expected. Magda was lying on her side, one arm flailed outward. Jace remained on his back, but all his burned skin had disappeared. He was Healed. He was alive.

  Darius threw himself onto Magda. From the old woman’s staring eyes, Carina realized she was dead. The Spirit Mage had brought Jace back to life at the sacrifice of her own.

  A pulse round hit Carina square on her back. Unbearable agony spread from the wound. Carina’s legs collapsed under her, and she found herself falling forward. This was no stunning blow. The soldiers’ weapons were set to kill. This was the end.

  Distantly, Carina could hear Darius crying out, howling in pain and grief.

  “I will save you, Carina,” he said. “I will Heal you.”

  As her life ebbed away, Carina whispered, “No. No, don’t, Darius.”

  Not like that. Not like Magda had done.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  When Carina opened her eyes, she looked up into a smoky sky, red with the reflected flames of a fire. The air was filled with the fire’s roar and the tang of burning. Carina remembered she was on Ostillon, in the basement of a house, and the Sherrerrs were bombarding the city. She had to get everyone out, but her leg was broken.

  No, that wasn’t right. That had happened weeks ago. Where was she now? Suddenly, the memory of Pirine, the Matching, and everything that had happened flooded back.

  “No,” she shouted, trying to sit up. “No, Darius. Don’t do it!”

  “She’s alive,” exclaimed Parthenia. “Let’s go.”

  Carina felt a firm hand grasp her wrist. “No,” she repeated. “Stop him. Someone stop him.” Darius had been trying to Heal her like Magda had Healed Jace. Only the Spirit Mage had died in the attempt. Darius could not give his life for hers. She wouldn’t let him.

  “Stay still,” said Parthenia. The grip on Carina’s wrist tightened. She felt herself Transported. The noise and smell of the fire was gone, and the sky was the pale pink of a natural dawn. She was lying on prairie grass.

  Carina’s back ached where the pulse round had hit, but she was alive. She was alive, and her little brother had died to Heal her. She could not bear it. How could she go on living? Carina turned onto her side, too anguished even to cry.

  “Hey,” someone said. Carina recognized Bryce’s voice. She felt his hand on her shoulder. So he was okay. He’d escaped from the encampment with them. Carina was relieved, but she could not feel a flicker of happiness. She would never be happy again.

  “Carina,” said Bryce. “It’s all right. We’re going to be okay.”

  She closed her eyes, pressed her lips together, and shook her head. They were not…. The understanding that Parthenia and Bryce were acting far too calmly for the situation finally pierced her fears. Carina opened her eyes and sat up.

  They were out on the prairie, entirely alone, the sea of tall grass stretching out around them. Parthenia had brought them to the place Carina had suggested, along the horse trail into the city. A small body lay nearby, but Carina couldn’t bring herself to look at it. A terrible dread rose up in her when she tried.

 
Bryce was sitting next to her, his face and clothes blackened and smelling of smoke.

  “Is….” Carina paused and swallowed. “Is Darius alive?”

  “Yes,” Bryce replied. “Of course he is. Is that what was bothering you? He’s out of it, but he seems to be okay.”

  “Oh, thank the stars,” Carina breathed. Tears of relief poured from her eyes. She crawled over to her little brother. Like Bryce and everyone else, he bore the marks of the fire, but he was otherwise unharmed and he was breathing normally.

  How in the world…? Carina could not figure it out. “What happened? I only remember being shot.”

  “I don’t know what happened to you,” said Bryce. “Oriana and Ferne found me and told me we were all meeting at the Spirit Mage’s tent. When we arrived there, Parthenia and Nahla were waiting, but there was no sign of the mage or you two. We hung around, figuring you would turn up eventually. I think Ferne was about to Send to you. He was going to let you know we were all ready to go and only needed you to come back, when you and Darius appeared. Darius immediately passed out, and you looked to be half dead. But then you came around. Parthenia decided it was time to get out of there, and here we are.”

  Carina could only guess at most of what had happened, though there was no doubt in her mind that Darius had saved her life. And apparently at great cost to himself, though not enough to kill him. Perhaps the Healing Cast had been too much for the old woman, but Darius, being younger, had survived it. He must have Transported her and himself to the Spirit Mage’s tent before collapsing.

  But what she could not figure out was why the soldiers had not shot her brother. They had been coming up behind her, and Darius had been right there, clearly a mage and a target to be taken out. Yet they had not shot him. Perhaps they had not been able to bring themselves to kill a little boy.

  Perhaps there remained a smidgen of humanity at the heart of the most evil people.

  Carina thought of Castiel. Though he’d known Oriana had gone missing, he had said nothing to the soldiers who had come to Bridget’s house to take his family captive. She also thought of Reyes, who seemed to have finally comprehended the evilness of his clan.