“Suren. Find Frea,” Boa said. “Tell her to work with Averin and Trystaen to ward Angharad. Then she must get the word out. I want every fae in Ocea to know that we’ve taken Angharad.”
“I heard my name.” Averin strode in. Bloodied and dirty, he walked with a swagger that breathed success. Whoever had done this to Klaus had paid the ultimate price.
Stasha opened her mouth to thank him just as Boa touched her and Klaus. Averin and the room vanished in a blur of color and light. They were headed to the healers. She had no idea what Averin would say when he caught up with her, and right now, she didn’t care.
Keeping Klaus alive was the only thing that mattered.
Stasha clung to Boa and Klaus as they spirited right into the heart of the temple in Ocea. Still holding Klaus in her arms, Boa stumbled and fell to her knees next to the tree. “Stasha, take him,” she rasped, clearly spent from spiriting so far.
Klaus writhed and moaned, awake and in agony. Stasha laid him on the marble floor under the glowing tree’s gentle light.
A serene-looking female fae she didn’t recognize glided over to them. Eyes as green as grass assessed Klaus. Her lips pursed worryingly.
“Can you help him?” Stasha demanded, hardly daring to believe it was possible.
Without saying a word, the fae laid her hands right into the center of Klaus’s burns. He flinched, whimpering.
“You’re hurting him.”
Green light spread from the fae’s hands and covered the left side of Klaus’s body. “To heal, we first have to ache. I’m not a restorer, so expect scarring.” The healer’s eyes drifted to the tree. “It helps that we have set up this animus here.”
“Animus?” she breathed, watching in wonder as Klaus’s blackened flesh softened and glowed.
“Place of healing.” The healer lifted her hands, and the green light extinguished.
“Why have you stopped? It was going so well.”
“He’s human, not fae. He does not have the life force to support more work. Now he must rest.” The healer ran her fingers over Klaus’s eyelids. His head lolled in sleep. She stood. “Follow him to his bed. I will visit with him later.”
Flat on his back, Klaus levitated and floated slowly across the temple, past rows of beds to a pallet covered with crisp white linen. He sank down until his back settled on the sheet and his head rested on a pillow.
Stasha sat next to him on the floor and took his hand. She didn’t mean to sleep, but she must have drifted off. A gentle touch on her shoulder woke her.
“You abandoned me, pit princess.”
She jerked upright. “Averin.” She blushed, conscious of the enormity of the secret she now kept from him. Secrets, she silently corrected, seeing as she had yet to tell him about the deal she’d made with the Tiyanak.
She clambered to her feet. Klaus was still sleeping, and she didn’t want to wake him, so she whispered, “Klaus was burned, and I needed to—”
Averin brushed her face with a long finger. “You don’t have to explain. I was never in any doubt about where your first loyalty lay.” He knelt next to the bed. “How’s he doing?”
“The healer did something with green light. I’m not sure what. He hasn’t woken. I’m not even sure how long he’s slept.”
“At least five hours.”
No wonder she was so refreshed, even if her legs protested the lack of blood supply as she knelt next to Averin.
She bit her lip. New, pink skin had covered Klaus’s blackened body while they’d slept. As the healer had warned, it was as rippled as a pond in a gale. He would carry those scars all his life—unless he came with her to Zephyr. Maybe someone there could help him.
“Did I hear you mention green light?” Trystaen sauntered over and knelt on the opposite side of the bed. “Then he’s in the very best of care.” He swept his hand across Klaus’s chest, trailing the identical green light.
“You’re a healer? I wondered why everyone looked at you when discussing my multiple injuries.”
Trystaen smiled. “From a long line of them. On my mother’s side. Atria is famous for its healers.” He smiled wryly. “I chose a different path, but I can still patch skin and mend bones if I have to. And talking of which, Averin brought your other human friends here.”
“At least the ones we could find,” Averin said grimly. “There were a lot of bodies.”
She winced. “It has to end. This war.”
“It will,” Averin said. “Do you want me to take you to them?”
Torn between seeing who had survived and staying with Klaus, she hesitated.
Trystaen nudged her. “Go. I’ve got this. Feral Fox asked for you.”
She allowed Averin to pull her to her feet. She hadn’t taken more than two steps when a hoarse voice said, “I sailed in a boat, Stasha. A real one. Across the sea.”
Her heart soared. She burst into joyous laughter and pirouetted around. “You’re awake.”
Klaus smiled up at her. There was a lightness in his tawny eyes she’d never seen before. “Last I knew, I was beating some fae with a pickaxe.” He grimaced. “It didn’t end well.”
“Of course it didn’t, you clumsy brute.”
Klaus grimaced a smile.
Trystaen leaned in. “Are you still in pain? I’m Trystaen, one of Stasha’s friends.”
“Um.…” Klaus sighed. “The truth? A little bit.”
“Then sleep is what you need.” Trystaen lifted a hand glowing with green light. “May I?”
“I don’t know.” Klaus grabbed her arm. “Should he?”
She kissed his cheek. “He should.” She pulled away, awed with Klaus’s trust as he lay back and let Trystaen brush him into a deep slumber.
Averin offered her his hand. “I’m sure your four other friends would like to see you.”
“Is that all that’s left?” She curled her fingers around his and walked with him to the section of the temple with the wall of prayers. Through the crowds of healers, rebels, and survivors, she spotted Suren talking with Boa. At least they’d formed an accord. The three children they’d saved from the prison wagon sat in a circle with other youngsters, slurping bowls of food. She’d visit with them after seeing Feral Fox.
“Most of the people we freed didn’t get involved in the fighting,” Averin said. “Or so Feral Fox told me. They waited in that tunnel where we found them. The Pyreack cut them down.”
So much blood. So much waste.
She pulled Averin to a stop. “I know I have to go to Zephyr with you, but—”
“You make it sound like a hardship, pit princess.” Averin smiled, clearly keeping things light.
Not willing to play along, she grabbed his tunic with both hands. “I know this wasn’t part of the deal, but Klaus comes with me. If that’s what he chooses.”
Averin shrugged. “I think I figured that when we struck the deal, Stasha. You’d hardly rescue him and leave him behind.”
“Will he be welcomed?”
“As my guest? Of course he will.”
Would she be welcomed too? The question hung in the air. “And me? Why do you want me so much?”
Averin canted his head. “Chemistry, I think.” His laughter bubbled as he pulled her across the room. “And a handful of compatibility thrown in for good measure.” Her stomach swooped. Was he falling for her, just as she was falling for him?
Enjoying the touch of his skin and the smell of snow, sun-ripened oranges, and chai spices that summed up Averin, she let him drag her with him. There would be time enough to discover Zephyr’s secrets when she arrived at the palace in Ilyseryph. Right now, she just wanted to enjoy being with him.
Ivan was the first of the four to spot them coming. He sat up on his bed and grinned. “Still got those awful ears, I see.” He tossed a pillow at Goul, asleep on the bed next to him. Goul stirred and groaned. “Wake up. Stasha’s here.”
“Let him sleep,” Feral Fox said sharply from his bed. Dried blood coated his bare chest.
His hazel human eyes bored into her.
She smiled at him. “We never actually met, but I won two silver coins off your first fight.”
“Won!” Averin snorted. “Stole, more like it.”
She smiled pertly at him. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
Averin leaned in close and whispered, “Not even if we both live for two billion years.”
A burning need to kiss him overwhelmed her. She was about to give into the compulsion when someone called, “Anyone hungry? We’ve set up a table behind the tree. Come help yourselves”
Stasha’s stomach roared at her. “They don’t have to ask me twice.” She yanked Averin’s hand and started walking. “Let’s go.”
Averin didn’t move, and she jerked to a stop. “You and food.”
“Yes, me and food. What are we waiting for?”
Averin gestured to Vlad and the others with his head. “An invitation maybe, pit princess?”
She gawped at her human friends. Hungry eyes watched her. Even Goul was awake and sitting at the edge of his bed.
She scoffed. “You’re all orphans! Since when are you backward in coming forward when free food’s on offer?”
Feral Fox looked around pointedly. “This isn’t like any orphanage or fighting pit I’ve ever seen.”
The others nodded, all looking equally as uncomfortable.
Feral Fox’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “And fae food.…” He grimaced. “Is it—”
“Edible by humans,” Goul snapped. “And what exactly will we be eating?”
A soft smile claimed her face. They were as unsure of themselves here as she had been in Radomir’s tent.
At least they were amongst friends.
“The Martka and Kňazer lied about a lot of things. Salt doesn’t keep fae away. And they don’t eat—”
“Humans,” Averin interrupted. He made a gagging sound, then swept his free hand out with a flourish. “Please, be Stasha and my guests at the meal.” For a prince, Blue Eyes certainly knew how to make others feel welcome.
Vlad was the first on his feet. The others weren’t far behind him. They followed her and Averin as they picked their way through the crowd of healers and fae.
They reached Klaus. He was fast asleep. When she hesitated, Averin said, “Let him sleep. We can rustle up food for him when he awakes.”
She let Averin pull her along and almost fell over her feet when something small and warm barreled into her. Little arms encircled her hips. The fae youngling and his two sisters beamed up at her. Their brown Pyreack fae eyes were bright as sunbeams. All physical traces of their hardship had gone. She tousled each of their heads in turn. “Good to see you all.”
“And you,” the boy answered. His eyes flitted across the cavern to where a group of fae youngsters played. He squeezed her legs, and he and his sister bolted.
“The resilience of youth,” Averin said, head canted to watch them.
“What will happen with them?” She had to know.
Averin shrugged. “Boa will take them in. She always does. In time, they’ll be bearing rebel weapons and fighting their own kind.”
Her jaw hardened. “Then the sooner we win this war, the better.”
Averin leaned in to whisper, “Perhaps you haven’t noticed, my pit princess, but we’ve already scored a major victory.” He jerked his thumb at the youngsters. “They were all slaves just a few hours ago.”
Warmth that had nothing to do with magic blossomed in her chest. “Let’s eat and drink to that.” Still holding his hand, she skipped to a trestle table on the far side of the tree.
Her mouth watered at the mounds of sliced bread, butter and honey, platters of steaming meat, and bowls of spiced vegetables that covered it from end-to-end. Earthenware jugs were jammed between the platters. Wine, she guessed.
“Darkness be damned!” Feral Fox whistled. “To think I’ve lived to see that much food in one place at one time.” His eyes rolled back in his head. “Now I can die in peace.”
Ivan shoved an elbow into Feral Fox’s side. “Before eating some of it? That sounds pretty dumb to me.”
“For once, Ivan is right. As astonishing as that may seem.” She smiled and winked at Ivan to remove any sting. He had fought like a champion in the mine and would forever hold a special place in her heart.
Averin waved their four human friends to the table. “Dive in. Plenty more where this came from.”
She stood to one side with Averin, smiling with joy as Vlad, Goul, Ivan, and Feral Fox loaded piles of food onto their plates. Only when they’d sat with their back against the cavern wall did she grab plates for Averin and herself. She tossed a pile of honeyed-bread on one side of her plate and meat and vegetables on the other.
Averin laughed. “Sure you won’t still be hungry after that, my pit princess?” Her load of food was at least four inches higher than his.
“I’m just doing what you asked—putting some flesh on my bones so a stiff breeze doesn’t blow me away once I get to Zephyr.”
Instead of laughing with her, Averin’s face clouded. “I think a stiff breeze is almost guaranteed.” His face cleared. “But don’t worry, I’ll always be there to catch you.” He joined their friends and sat, patting the space next to him. “Pit princess, sit.”
Why did he have to make that comment? She didn’t want to think about what life in Zephyr would bring. She sat, her knees brushing his—much to the delight of her stupid nerve endings, which zinged and danced. Once they eventually settled down and behaved themselves, she munched almost mechanically, while everyone else shared banter and jokes.
So much to think about. So many unknowns ahead of her. What would happen with Feral Fox and the others? There was nothing for them back in Askavol. Could they also join Boa’s army? Or did humans need their own army? If so, could the four of them be the core? Would they want that? And who would they fight?
Fae?
No. That was crazy.
But perhaps they could be glamoured to look like fae for intelligence gathering.
And Klaus? What would he want?
The click of Boa’s boots on the floor reached her. She put her half-eaten plate down and looked up at Boa.
“Averin, can I have Stasha for a moment?”
Averin’s brow creased. “If you must.” But he grabbed Stasha’s hand.
Boa wouldn’t have sought her out for no reason. She prized his fingers open and pulled her hand way. “I’ll be back.”
“You better be.”
She waved at Averin over her shoulder and followed Boa. The princess led her across the temple, through the tunnel entrance, and out onto the side of the mountain. She drew in a shuddering breath of icy air. A thick layer of snow had frosted everything white. “Does Averin’s legendary hearing have anything to do with this choice of venue?” Her breath clouded in the freezing air.
“You’re learning.” Boa sighed. “Averin. He and I are … complex.”
“I’ve gathered that.” Turned out that she and Averin were also complex. Very. She waited expectantly for Boa to speak.
The princess was silent for a long while, watching her. Finally, she said, “We need to figure out why you have fire and water magic. It’s impossible. Not even younglings born from a mixed sealing have two powers.”
“I have to go with Averin.”
“I know. But.…” Boa huffed. “Will you permit me to do some research?”
“Of course. But I’ll have to tell Averin at some point.”
“Give me time, Stasha,” Boa pleaded. “Say nothing until I make contact with you. It will be safer for you that way.”
She rubbed her arms. “Are you saying I’ll be in danger in Zephyr?” Hadn’t Averin implied something similar although he’d told her she would be welcome.
“I’m saying you’ll be in danger anywhere your powers are known.”
“I can
defend myself, you know.”
The living tattoos threaded around Boa’s steepled fingers. “I don’t doubt that. The question is … will you? After Angharad.”
Boa knew of her guilt and grief and pain at what she’d done to that fae. Boa hadn’t been in the control tower, yet she knew. Had Suren told her? He must have.
She looked out over the snowy cliff. Even the waterfalls spewing from the mouths of the carved gods had frozen.
It reflected her mood.
She said dully, “I’ll consider what you’re saying. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone.”
Boa nodded curtly and turned on her heel. She stopped and said over her shoulder, “I’m sending Suren with you to Ilyseryph.”
Stasha frowned. “As a bodyguard?”
“No. As a friend. Someone you can trust. Someone who has pledged his loyalty to you and to me. A fae outsider, like you’ll be in Zephyr.”
She clawed at her leggings. “Will Averin’s family accept him?”
“Probably not. But I can’t see that worrying you, or Suren. He’s already agreed.”
“Can they refuse him entry?”
“Right now, our blue-eyed prince will do anything for you. Insist on it while he’s in a giving mood.” Boa snorted. “Averin can be as stubborn as a brick wall when it serves him. Don’t let him pull rank and push you around.”
“He’s never tried any stunts like that.”
“Good.” Boa smiled thinly. “Freeze his leggings with him in them if he does.”
Stasha sighed. This skullduggery and distrust only served to widen the chasm between her and Averin.
But it couldn’t hurt to have someone on her and Klaus’s side in Zephyr. She nodded. “Okay. Now please give me a few minutes by myself to think about … things.”
Boa’s boots crunched in the snow as she made her back to the tunnel.
Stasha tossed her head back to look at the stars. Peaceful and calm, they sparkled in the blackness. Brightest of all was the Sword. Would she ever know that kind of peace and tranquility, or would she spend the rest of her life fighting and running, merely existing and surviving, unable to really trust anyone?
The Fire Thief Page 26