Burn

by Keri Arthur

  My connection with the drakkons had returned.

  And that wasn’t all—my fires once again burned unrestricted through my bloodstream, their force so fierce it felt as if I’d erupt into flame at any moment.

  I took a deep breath and gently eased the heat down to a more sustainable level, even as Oma said, Happy you awake. Missed talking.

  So had I—it was truly amazing how quickly she’d stepped into the breach made by Emri’s absence. Are you and Kiva all right?

  Yes, came Kiva’s comment. Ready to burn.

  I couldn’t help smiling. You’ll get plenty of chances soon enough, but our immediate priority is freeing as many drakkons as we can.

  Agree with this, Oma said, even as Kiva added, They can help burn. Cause chaos. Chaos good.

  In this case, it certainly would be. Where are you both?

  At claw, near boats, Oma said.

  Protect them, came Kiva’s comment. If attacked.

  Isn’t that dangerous? Won’t the Mareritt see you and order their drakkons to attack?

  Ineke will warn.

  Is she in the aerie?

  Yes.

  How many others are with her?

  Ten.

  Which meant, if we did free them, we’d have taken half of Mareritt’s drakkon force. And if the jammers worked as expected, then they’d be unable to control their remaining drakkons over a large portion of Arleeon. As Kaiden had said, that was a very good start.

  Did she see where the ice tanks were taken?

  Yes. She gave me a description and then added, Twenty Mareritt in aerie now. Numbers boosted after we freed.

  Meaning they’d probably send in even more troops once they’d realized I’d escaped. How many of the drakkons are likely to report our presence in the aerie?

  Another pause. If remain leashed, two. Male drakkons not smart.

  It was said with such contempt that I couldn’t help but smile. Will they help us if we manage to free them?

  Yes.

  The certainty in her voice had my eyebrows rising even as I hoped she was right. The more drakkons we had on our side, the better it would be for this attack. Is it night out there yet?

  Sun sets, Kiva said. When attack happen?

  Obviously her flame runs at Esan had done nothing to ease her desire for revenge. Soon. We first need to plant the devices that will jam the signal to the control bands.

  I help after, Oma said. Can command drakkons to obey.

  That had my eyebrows rising all over again. While it did explain her certainty, it was rather odd, as drakkon generally didn’t have an overall queen. Or hadn’t, in my time.

  Last born but first free, Oma said. They respect and obey.

  I second, Kiva said. Also obeyed.

  Suggesting the Mareritt drakkons had developed some sort of hierarchy system. I wondered if it had somehow been forced on them, or if it had developed naturally out of the military ranking of each drakkon’s handler—the higher the ranking, the more esteem in which that drakkon was held.

  Both, Oma said.

  Will the drakkons currently in charge challenge your rule?

  No, Oma said. First free. Chosen by Kaieke. Will obey.

  So while Esan blamed the actions of the kin for everything that was currently wrong in their world—and with justification—the drakkons—who’d lost just as much—had chosen to do the opposite. It was an interesting divergence.

  I opened my eyes and looked for Kaiden. With the flashlights off, the utter darkness had returned, but I nevertheless sensed he was standing close to the stalagmites I’d hidden behind. I pushed to my feet, wincing a little as the still-healing cuts in my back protested. Before I could move any farther, a light came on, its glow muted, providing just enough light to guide me across to Kaiden.

  “You all right?” He lightly brushed the hair from my eyes, his fingers cool against my skin—yet another sign that my inner fires had returned full force.

  I nodded. “I’m back in contact with the drakkons.”

  “And your flames?”

  I raised a hand and let fire dance lightly across my fingertips. “All present and accounted for.”

  “Excellent.” His gaze returned to mine. “How are you feeling?”

  “My back’s stiff, but other than that, fine.” I gave him the directions Ineke had passed on and then added, “There’s also twenty new guards stationed within the aerie.”

  “Which may or may not be a problem.” He studied me for a minute. “What’s troubling you?”

  I hesitated, then softly told him everything the Mareritt had said in the cell, and everything I feared. When I finished, he didn’t immediately reply, and the silence felt sharp and filled with uncertainty.

  Then, finally, he took my hands in his and spoke. “We’ll never know if you were the key to that trap. No one but you survived, and your memories of that day remain unreliable. The best we can take out of what was said in that cell is the fact that the mage couldn’t find any remnant of Mareritt orders or control in your mind.”

  “But the magic—”

  “Comes from the coruscation. He said that, you believe that, I believe that. If it turns out we’re wrong, I will make good the promise I made in Renton.”

  “Killing me won’t help if it’s done too late.”

  A smile touched his lips. “You forget our link, Nara. It might not be mind-to-mind, but it is soul-to-soul, and strengthening fast. I see no evil or evidence of interference within you.”

  Would he, though? I didn’t know enough about Dhrukita to answer that question, but I hoped with all my heart that he was right. That even if I was responsible for the first catastrophe, I wouldn’t be responsible for a second.

  He squeezed my hands and then glanced past me as Harrod walked up.

  “Just got word from Jeanie—who’s the earth mage leading the second underground assault party,” Harrod added, glancing at me. “She’s about an hour from her designated position.”

  “Then wake the others. We might as well get moving, just in case we hit problems getting into the aerie.”

  He nodded and moved away. Kaiden’s gaze returned to me. “Will you be able to control the drakkons once the bands are rendered inert?”

  “Oma can. While I can speak to individual drakkons, I’m not entirely sure I can blanket broadcast.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Don’t you speak to both Oma and Kiva at the same time?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know why.” I hesitated. “I suspect it has something to do with Emri’s loss, and the fact that Oma stepped into the breach and pulled me from grief’s death spiral. And Kiva is her egg sister.”

  “Ah.” He caught the edges of the coat, tugged me close, and kissed me. It was an all too brief promise of a future still too far away. “We do have one major problem, however—and that’s you running around barefoot in a coat that swims on your tall frame. It’s not a look that’ll avoid notice.”

  A smile twisted my lips. “At least I look half Mareritt. None of you do.”

  The sound of steps had me glancing over my shoulder. Randal handed me a rifle and an ammo loop. “Just in case there’s certain areas in which you can’t use your flames.”

  “Thanks.”

  “And you’d better have one of these.” Loretta handed me one of the Q-shaped comms devices. “Just tap it once to connect and talk to any of us, twice to disconnect.”

  I nodded and slipped the device on, my inner ear tingling when I inserted the tail. It was a rather weird sensation, but at least there was no discomfort.

  “Right,” Kaiden said, “Randal, lead position. Harrod, warn us if you sense any movement. Loretta, rear guard.”

  As everyone moved out, Kaiden handed me my knife and its sheath. I strapped it on and felt oddly comforted by its weight—which was insane given a knife wouldn’t be of much use against armed Mareritt. Still, this knife had helped me free both Oma and Kiva and may yet save others.

  We made good time through the
stalagmite maze and the tunnel beyond. Eventually, Harrod said, “We’re approaching a tunnel junction. I need to head right. The earth is saying the quickest route into Zephrine lies to the left. Just follow the water—it’ll get you into what she thinks is an ancient bathing area. From there, you’ll be able to access the newer sections of Zephrine. Our drakkon rider should be able to get you to the aerie from there.”

  “Thanks, Harrod,” Kaiden said. “And good luck.”

  His grin flashed. “It’s not me that needs the luck. I’m surrounded by all the lovely power of the earth; you’re the ones that’ll be out in the open with only the weapons on your backs.”

  “Set that device up right,” Randal said, “and our weapons will be the least of the Mareritt’s problems.”

  “Amen to that, brother,” Harrod said cheerfully.

  He peeled off into the tunnel on the right and quickly disappeared. In single file, with Kaiden taking over the lead and me right behind him, we headed into the smaller tunnel, following the trickling stream into the sloping darkness. Despite the water, the walls and floor were free of the moss strings that had plagued my progress in the other tunnel, and the stirring air felt fresher.

  We’d been moving for almost an hour when we hit a junction with three exits. The little stream split into two, heading into the tunnels on the left and the right.

  Kaiden stopped and swept the light across the three entrances. “Best guess, anyone?”

  “Harrod said to follow the water, but that ain’t of much use when there’s two options.”

  “No.” Kaiden glanced at me. “Anything look familiar to you?”

  My gaze was drawn to the middle one. It was the smallest of the three, but there was something about the keystone—and the barely visible engravings on it—that stirred a memory. I’d been here before and had chosen that tunnel; every instinct suggested we needed to do so again.

  “Contrary to Harrod’s advice,” I said, “I’m going to suggest the tunnel directly ahead.”

  “So we either listen to the advice of an earth mage,” Loretta said, amusement evident, “or a Zephrine native. Hard choice.”

  “Given we could very easily choose the wrong stream,” Randal said, “I vote we follow the native.”

  Kaiden handed me the flashlight and motioned me on. I shone the light on the keystone as I neared the entrance. Though the symbols on it were even harder to see now than they had been before, I could still make out the odd-shaped jug sitting above three slashes and the bulbous-bottomed cross sitting to the left of this. Following a tunnel similarly marked had led me into a large room in which ale barrels had been stored.

  The gentle slope of the tunnel flattened out, and the scent of malt began to touch the air. Relief rose; it was the same tunnel.

  “Is it my imagination,” Randal said, “or is that ale I’m smelling?”

  “The room we’re heading toward was an ale storeroom when I was a kid. Looks like the Mareritt are still using it as such.”

  “Ha,” he said. “Shame we haven’t got more time. I wouldn’t have minded a tankard or two—ale is one of the few things the Mareritt do better than us.”

  “You can drink as much of it as you want once we free Zephrine from the Mareritt’s grip.” Kaiden’s voice was dry. “For now, let’s concentrate on getting out of this tunnel and into the aerie. We’ve less than an hour before the attack happens.”

  Which might not be enough time, given the layout of this place would have vastly changed since I’d last been here.

  The tunnel came to another junction. I followed my nose and my memories to the left. Within a couple of minutes, we came to an ancient-looking door covered in a thick sheet of rust. I flicked off the flashlight, then gripped the doorknob. Despite the rust, the door didn’t even creak. They’d built things to last in that ancient civilization.

  When no one challenged our entry, Kaiden uncovered one of the flashlights and swept it around. The room beyond was narrow, high, and dark. The wall to our right was lined with barrels of various sizes and age, but on the left, there was nothing more than lifting machinery. A large double door was situated halfway down the room; it was currently closed, and I was too far away to see if it was also locked.

  The air was cool but filled with a rich riot of scents—while I couldn’t make them all out, the aromas of sweet gale, ginger, and cinnamon were the strongest. My stomach rumbled in response; it seemed the stew hadn’t really filled the hole.

  The only sound to be heard was the soft scurry of rodents. There were no guards here, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any in the hall beyond.

  Kaiden motioned Loretta and Randal toward the barrel side of the room and me to follow him. We moved across to the left wall, our footsteps echoing softly in the vast silence. While there were no cameras or listening devices here, I had no doubt they’d make an appearance once we neared the sections of Zephrine that had been rebuilt or repurposed by the Mareritt.

  As we neared the double doors, the side closest to us opened, forcing Kaiden to quickly switch off the flashlight and jump silently back to avoid being smacked in the face. My breath caught in my throat even as Kaiden reached for his handgun.

  A Mareritt soldier stepped into the room, a light in his right hand. The bright beam swept through the shadows, briefly pinning Loretta and Randal before moving on.

  Then it jerked back, and the soldier made a surprised noise.

  He had no chance to say or do anything else. Kaiden stepped up and smashed the butt of his gun against the soldier’s head. The blow was hard enough—precise enough—that if he weren’t already dead, he soon would be.

  Kaiden dragged him behind the door. No other soldiers followed him into the room, and no sound came from the hallway beyond. He’d obviously been doing a solo patrol. Relief stirred. Túxn remained on our side.

  Kaiden motioned the other two across to the opposite side of the door and then stripped the uniform from the soldier and handed it to me.

  I wrinkled my nose at the scent emanating from the material, but nevertheless took off Kaiden’s coat and pulled on the uniform. The man’s shoes were tight—he had tiny feet for someone his size—but they were still a better option than walking around barefoot. A half-breed in a Mareritt uniform at least had some chance of being overlooked; a semi-naked, barefoot one in an Arleeon military coat did not.

  I picked up the guard’s fallen gun and then took the lead. The stone corridor beyond the storeroom was silent and empty. I hesitated, looking right and left, trying to remember where we were. After a moment, I turned and headed left. The shadows drew close again, and the chill of night hung in the air. I brushed my fingers against the cool stone of the wall; if memory served me right, there was a semi-concealed doorway up here somewhere—one that led into an old stairwell that curled up the length of the mountain to the aerie.

  “How much longer?” Kaiden asked softly. “Control’s just given the fifteen-minute warning.”

  “Honestly? I don’t know. We rarely used the entrance in this area, so I’m working on—” I stopped as my fingers hit an indent in the wall. After following the shallow indentation up, I found the lever and hauled it down. With a harsh rumble, a section of stone slid aside just wide enough to slip through.

  I flicked on the flashlight and directed its muted light into the darkness; the small room beyond held little more than cobwebs, dust, and an old stone staircase that curled around a central core. “From here, we’re looking at least at twenty minutes, if we run. But these old stairwells tend to be echo chambers, so running might give us away.”

  “It’d be better to arrive late anyway,” Loretta commented. “The other attacks will hopefully pull the guards out of the aerie.”

  “I wouldn’t bank on that, especially once the Mareritt discover I’ve escaped. They’ll surely guess my first port of call will be the drakkons.” I slipped into the small room.

  Kaiden followed, then Loretta.

  In the hall behind us, Randa
l swore—a soft sound immediately overrun by the rattle of gunfire.

  The Mareritt had found us.

  Twelve

  Even as I spun around, Loretta dropped low and used the doorframe for cover as she returned fire. Bullets pinged off the walls around her, spraying sparks and chips of stone into the air. Randal lay on the ground in the hall beyond, firing left-handed. Blood poured from a wound on his cheek, and his right arm was a broken and bloody mess.

  I couldn’t see the Mareritt from where I stood, but I didn’t need to. I called to my flames and flung them around the corner, fanning them high and wide once they were past Loretta and Randal. The screaming began a heartbeat later.

  Loretta scrambled to her feet and ran out to help Randal. Kaiden stepped into her position, his gun trained on the opposite end of the hall to my fire. I didn’t move; I just pushed my flames farther along in an effort to erase any Mareritt who’d survived the initial assault.

  Loretta hauled Randal upright and helped him into the stair room. As Kaiden backed into the room, gunfire erupted, this time coming from the left. I flung my firewall from the right to the left.

  More screams followed.

  Kaiden shoved his weight against the door and slammed it shut. As the sound echoed, I thrust the lever home and then shot it to ensure it couldn’t be used. It probably wouldn’t stop them for very long, but even a few minutes could make the difference now.

  We had to get to the aerie. We might not be any safer there, but we’d at least have the drakkons.

  If the jammers worked, that is.

  As Loretta tended Randal’s shattered arm, I followed Kaiden across to the stairs and shone the light up. There wasn’t much to see; the steps were unevenly spaced and wound up into the darkness.

  “It’s not going to be an easy climb,” Kaiden muttered.

  “They weren’t designed to be. This is one of the remnants from the old civilization, and their escape routes were designed to make it difficult for attackers to climb and fight.”

  “I understand their thinking, but I can’t imagine it’d be any easier for defenders—” He cut the rest off as a siren sounded.