Oona smirked. “Of course I did.” Then her face changed, adopting a scared, timid expression. “Help! Someone, help me!”
Mara stepped forward, intent on shutting Oona up. Rough hands wrenched her arms behind her back and wrestled the knife away. A savage kick to the back sent her to her knees. She wheezed.
The Magi strode over, eyes blazing. “What is going on here?”
“Sir, this dreg was about to attack Miss Oona with this dagger.” Geoff handed it over, hilt-first. Ethan took the knife in his hands, frowning. “I intervened before more citizens would be harmed.”
The vein in his forehead pulsed. Ethan took a menacing step towards Mara and bent until his face was inches from hers. Cinnamon and apple tickled her face as he spoke. “What were you thinking? This is your fault, Mara.” He stood and addressed his disciples. “Throw her in the other cage.”
“Ethan, wait!” She called as the disciples manhandled her to the cage. If he would just listen for one second… Her head connected with the iron bars as they shoved her in. She fell to the floor, door clanging behind her. She scrambled to her feet, disoriented. She gripped the bars and peered over the scattering crowd. Her mother stood weeping into her hands. Ansel watched her sadly, shoulders hunched, before he shook his head and walked away. She sagged to the floor of the cage, feeling the last of her hope trickle away with each footstep he took.
Chapter Six
Mara hugged her knees to her chest and rested her head on the bars of the cage. The sun had set hours ago, and the crowd had since departed. She tried to speak with Tobias, who crouched in his cell mere feet away. Despite her efforts, he still ignored her. Ignored everything, to be honest. He rocked in the corner, blissfully unaware of his surroundings. She paced around her cage, her back bent due to its restrictive nature. Longing to comfort him, she stretched her arm through the bars as far as they would reach, almost touching his foot. With a whimper, he flinched away.
“Tobias…” Her voice caught in her throat. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.” Ethan had gotten one thing right. This was her fault. She should have done more to keep Tobias safe.
Out of the corner of her eye, a few disciples gathered logs and brush, piling them in an impressive heap, leaving the Magi’s intentions unquestioned. At dawn, they would burn. So much for a fair trial. She shuddered and ground her teeth. If only Ethan would listen to her.
One of the disciples– she never bothered to learn his name– gave her a sinister smile as he tossed wood onto the pile. She cowered, imagining her flesh crackling and burning off. Ethan had sworn he wasn’t so cruel. Or had he? That day in his office was still a bit fuzzy. Maybe he was as vicious and despicable as the rest. She cursed, angry for letting her guard down. A Magi could never be trusted.
She squinted at the growing stack, trying to figure a way out of this mess. They hadn’t bothered shackling her to the cage, so she could fight her way out, theoretically. Though, without a weapon, she wouldn’t get far, not that she would leave Tobias in any case. And then they’d kill her anyway.
Eyes wary, she watched Ethan approach the cage. His stance appeared relaxed, but she could practically taste the tension revolving around his form. He waved the guards away with a flick of his wrist, then bent down to her level, holding up a finger. “I can offer you one chance, and one chance only.”
Her ears perked, and she leaned forward, eager to hear his terms. If there was a way to free both her and Tobias, she would take it, no matter the cost. Anything was better than burning to death, right?
He continued, leveling a weighted stare at her. “At dawn, you will admit your mistake in front of the town and beg for the mercy of the elders. In addition, you will hand over all personal weapons and vow to never use them again, not even for hunting or training.”
Never again? Training was her life. Without it, what would she do? She frowned. It would almost be worth it if... “And Tobias? He will go free as well?”
The Magi shook his head. “No, Tobias must die for his crime, Mara. This deal is only for you. Choose wisely.”
She clenched her teeth with an audible click and fought to urge to spit in his face. Did he really expect her to save her own skin by betraying her friend? Not a chance! She hissed, “I refuse.”
Ethan’s eyebrows went through his hairline. “Do you understand what you’re saying? Mara, take the deal!”
“No, I shouldn’t be in here to begin with, and neither should Tobias. Oona admitted to planting the dagger where he could find it. So, why isn’t she on trial?”
“Who told you that?”
“Oona herself, right before I was arrested.”
“And that’s when you attacked her?”
“Technically I didn’t attack her. Your handy little goon over there stopped me before I could get a chance.”
“That’s not exactly helping your cause.”
“Do you think I care about that right now?” Mara said, crossing her arms. “Oona admitted to setting up the whole thing and yet Tobias will still be executed in the morning while she struts around free as a bird.”
“The laws…”
“Spare me. The laws are not just! So, thanks, but no thanks.”
“You’re forcing me to kill you! The elders aren’t going to accept anything less in your situation. Won’t you at least consider the offer?”
“No.” Mara snorted, shaking her head slowly. “You know, you almost had me fooled…”
“What are you talking about?”
“I was beginning to trust you, too. Stupid me I guess.” Mara gestured to the growing heap of wood. “Now, you get to burn all your problems away with one tidy solution.”
Ethan’s face paled. “You think I’m going to burn you alive?”
“What else is that for?”
He stood abruptly and turned away, fists clenched. “Gods, Mara, I’m not a monster. You really believe…” he swallowed, running a hand through his long hair. “Think about what I said. Regardless of your grossly misguided beliefs, I don’t want to hurt you.”
He stormed away without giving her a chance to respond. Unbelievable. He didn’t want to hurt her? Then let her out of the cage! She sank to the hard metal floor and rested her head on her knees, wishing she could turn back time. If only she had protected Tobias better.
In a few hours, they would be executed. Ansel… where was Ansel? Oh, right. He would be heading to Merrowhaven in the morning. And her father... despair threatened to choke her. She wouldn’t even get to say goodbye.
***
The crowd trickled in just before sunrise. Mara blinked her eyes, shifting to kneel in the cramped cage. She scanned the crowd, hoping for a glimpse of her mother. Of Ansel. The faces that stared back ranged from repentant to openly hostile.
Ethan approached the cage, hands clasped behind his back and his expression guarded. “Last chance, Mara. Take the deal.”
She jutted her chin out defiantly and stared him straight in his dark eyes. “No. I’d rather die than abandon my friend like that.”
He cursed and snatched a torch from a disciple’s hand, tossing it onto the pile of wood. In seconds, the flames ate their way through the wood like a pack of ravenous dogs. She gulped, backing away as far as the bars would allow. It was easy to be brave when you weren’t staring your death in the face.
The Magi raised his hands, demanding complete silence from the crowd. He glanced over at her once and something like regret flashed on his face. Had she once thought of him as a friend? She was an idiot.
Elder Carry stepped forward, projecting his reedy voice above the crowd. “The dreg, Tobias has been found guilty of murder and is sentenced to die. The dreg, Mara, has been found guilty of attempted assault and gross insolence, and is sentenced to die. The Order will proceed with the execution. May justice be served.”
Four disciples unlocked the cage, pulling Tobias out and marching him to stand next to the Magi. White-knuckled, she grasped the bars, eyes locked onto th
e scene before her. This couldn’t be happening. But no matter how much she wanted to look away, she couldn’t. A faint scraping noise broke her concentration and she bit back a scream. She looked over her shoulder, preparing to fight any disciples that stood in her way. Oh, it was only Ansel. Wait… Ansel! Was he going to free her? She could have kissed him.
He lifted a finger in front of his lips, then motioned her forward. He whispered, “Come on. We can sneak away while they’re all distracted.”
She nodded and stepped out of the cage, but rather than scurrying away like a sane person, she peered around the side. She edged closer, determined to free Tobias as well. The Magi stood in front of Tobias, a silver dagger in his hand. Mara shifted to the balls of her feet and prepared to dash across the platform.
She was too late. Without another word, the Magi plunged the dagger straight into Tobias’s heart and her friend crumpled to the ground.
Mara’s rage grew into an uncontrollable inferno. Belatedly, she realized she was screaming and the disciples rushed forward to restrain her. They shouldn’t have bothered. She was unstoppable, and she would carry out her own justice, starting with killing the Magi. A life for a life. It was only fair. Her body thrummed with the promise of retribution. A foreign power, so thick she could choke on it, grew to an almost painful level. When she couldn’t contain it any longer, Mara flared her arms to the side and let the deep reservoir of power burst out.
The bonfire exploded in a savage flurry of sparks and embers that scattered over the Magi, the disciples and the now frantic crowd.
The Magi stared at her, mouth agape, his face a mix of anger and fear. He didn’t die in the blast. What a pity. No matter, she would finish the job. Mara stepped forward, resolving to strangle him with her bare hands as he batted out the flames that threatened to mar his perfect robes.
“Mara! We need to run!” Ansel grabbed her arm, frantically pulling her away from the building chaos. He shoved a bulging pack into her arms.
She shot the Magi a parting glare. A promise that one day, she would return and pay him back tenfold for the grief he’d caused. Then, they ran, slipping away from Stonehollow and into the dark refuge of the forest.
Chapter Seven
Mara woke up screaming.
The fact that Ansel didn’t react spoke volumes. He was used to her nightmares now. He sat on a rock near the edge of the clearing, squinting into the dark forest for signs of danger. In the three days since they became fugitives, they hadn’t seen a single Order disciple, but Ansel refused to let his guard down. Not even for a second.
“Same one?”
Mara jumped. After their narrow escape, Ansel had hardly spoken a word to her. She was beginning to wonder if he regretted it. If it weren’t for her, he’d be on his way to Merrowhaven to find a master. Mara tampered down her guilt. He’d thrown away his entire future for her.
Ansel watched her from the corner of his eyes, as though he expected her to combust at any second. How could she blame him? She was still coming to terms with what happened in Stonehollow. If it weren’t for Ansel’s worried gaze, she would have already chalked it up to her overactive imagination. A dreg shouldn’t have a Gift. It just wasn’t possible. And yet, she couldn’t explain the feeling of power and the resulting conflagration at the execution.
Instead of answering, she shrugged off her bedroll, sticky with sweat. She laid her head on her knees, trying to control her breathing as the images flashed through her mind. The nightmare was the same one she’d had every night― Ethan plunging his dagger into Tobias’s heart. Only this time, he didn't stop with Tobias. She could still feel the cold metal between her ribs.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Mara snorted. What was there to talk about? She didn’t need conversation, she needed vengeance. Revenge had become her mantra and it was the only thing that kept her going. One day, she would return to Stonehollow and get her revenge, watching the life drain out of the Magi’s soulless gray eyes. But for now, survival was their priority. She set her sights north, determined to find the safe haven her father had mentioned.
“I’ll take watch now. Go and get some rest,” she said, grabbing her bow and quiver. Thank the gods he’d remembered to pack them. Ansel opened his mouth to protest, but whatever he saw on her face made him reconsider. He grunted his thanks and dove onto his bedroll, still and snoring within seconds.
She leaned against a maple tree. The rough bark scratched her back as she slid down to sit on the spongy carpet of leaves and moss. Pale moonlight trickled through the dense vegetation and the cool night air wormed its way under her thin tunic, making her long for a fire. Maybe they could risk one soon, but right now, the smoke would draw the Order down on them in droves.
Mara pulled her pendant from her tunic and turned it over in her hands, feeling a calm energy flow through her. Since her father had given it to her, she felt a completeness she never realized was missing. She felt whole. Not for the first time, she wondered how her ancestors, a long line of simple craftsmen, could have afforded such a priceless piece.
The multi-colored gem glowed faintly, coaxing a soft smile to her downturned lips. She ran a gentle finger over the tiny etches in the corners of the pendant.
A rustle of leaves made her jolt and grab her bow, hands twitching. Mara’s breath caught in her throat and her heart hammered as the culprit scurried past the tree line, locking its beady eyes on her. A mouse. A tiny, insignificant mouse. She huffed, mentally berating herself for being so skittish. At least Ansel was asleep, otherwise he would have never let her live this down. She settled back against her tree, willing the night to go by.
***
Sunlight broke through the trees, illuminating their makeshift campsite. Ansel groaned and stretched, sounding like a bear waking from hibernation. Mara giggled at the thought. He sat up, hair sticking out in wild tufts, and threw a small smile her way.
“Hungry?”
“Great idea! I’ll take eggs with a side of bacon, fried nice and crispy. Oh, and some fresh biscuits and a large mug of apple cider,” he said, smacking his lips together. “Make that two mugs of cider.”
“Nice try,” she said, stomach rumbling at the thought of a decent meal. She missed her mother’s cooking more than anything. Maybe once they put enough distance between them and Stonehollow, they could stop at an inn for a real dinner. Mara made a show of rooting through their supplies. “You can have apples, apples or… oh wait! More apples.”
Ansel groaned, reached for the pack and fished an apple out for himself. He chucked one at her head and she ducked to avoid it. “I can’t maintain my muscle mass with nothing but fruit,” he grumbled.
“Stop complaining, princess. You’re the one who stole the food for our packs.”
“Stonehollow has food…”
“So? If you haven’t noticed by our glorious accommodations, we’re not in Stonehollow anymore,” she said, taking a bite of her apple. Stonehollow had many things, including one soon-to-be-dead, no good, dirty rotten Magi. No sense wishing for things they couldn’t have right now.
“We could go back.”
“Are you crazy?”
“All I’m saying is that you’re not a dreg anymore. Why shouldn’t we go back home?”
She froze with the apple in her mouth. Before now, she hadn’t considered the possibility of turning back and she thought it over, shaking her head slowly. “No, they would still kill me.”
“Maybe not. Look, you’d be considered a real citizen now and given a fair trial.”
“I tried to assassinate the Magi!” And still want to, she added silently.
“You were overcome with grief. You’d be surprised at what the elders would forgive to have an Ignis in Stonehollow again.”
“You think I’m a flame wielder?” Mara asked. She looked at her hands, shocked by the possibility. An Ignis was rare, even by Gifted standards. It had been decades since the last one had been born in Stonehollow.
“What el
se could you be? Look, you don’t have to decide now, but please think it over. Besides, if you came back, I wouldn’t have to marry Oona anymore.” He looked at Mara with hopeful eyes and it took her a second to realize what he meant.
“Wait, you want to marry me?” Her voice rose in pitch until she was practically screeching.
“Would that be so bad? We grew up together, Mara. I could see us having children and raising a family one day.”
“Umm… I kind of see you as a brother, Ansel,” she mumbled, refusing to look him in the eyes.
He coughed, choking on his apple as two splotches of pink blossomed on his cheeks. He stood abruptly, muttering something about needing to relieve himself before slipping through the trees and out of sight.
Well, geez. She hadn’t meant to embarrass him, but marriage? Really? The weight of what he said sank in. If she wasn’t a dreg anymore, she could get married and have a family. If not with Ansel, then someone. Anyone. Then again, how could she live with herself, even if everything worked out? Living near the monster who killed Tobias, pretending everything was fine… it would be torture.
A frantic shriek pierced the silence and she bolted, heart pounding, into the forest. Was it the Order? Had they caught Ansel? Her boots thudded on the path, all thought of staying hidden forgotten. She darted through the trees, branches whipping her arms and face. She spotted him writhing on the ground, being attacked by an unseen force. Gripping him by the shoulders, she shook him.
“Ansel! What’s wrong? What happened?” She crouched in a defensive position, alert for disciples. But apart from terrified wildlife fleeing Ansel’s panicked howling, there was nothing around for miles as far as she could tell.
“Get it off, get it off!” He yelled, clawing his face in terror.
“Get what off?”
“Spider web!” he cried, still rubbing frantically at his face and clothing. “Is it on me?”
Mara snapped backwards, indignant. All of this over a stupid spider? She marched over and punched him in the arm. “I thought the Order caught you, you idiot!” She pulled her arm back to hit him again. “Don’t! Ever! Do! To! Me! Again!” she shouted, punctuating each word with the slap of her fists on his bare arms.
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