Ignited

by A. M. Deese

  Kindle’s expression was hard and ready. Though she often looked amused, she was always deadly serious in the arena.

  “Don’t worry. He’s not better than Kindle.”

  Kay’s eyes sparkled in recognition of her friend’s name.

  “That’s right. She may be little but she’s fast as lightning and she really knows her stuff. It’s Kindle’s fifth year in the arena. That’s rare for most Dancers, but especially a woman. Something to be proud of for sure. She’s had some close calls but she always seems to make it out all right. Speaking of close calls, she had one just a few weeks ago. A dragon’s tail caught her good. Knocked her right out.”

  Ash wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but Kay seemed worried by his words. He hurried to explain. “Don’t worry. She’s healed up all right. She’s making another appearance in the arena this week’s end, so that just proves that she’s got a clean bill of health. The arena council doesn’t let weak Dancers compete.”

  Kay yawned. He must be boring her. He continued anyway. “The arena council is different from the Thirteen. The Thirteen is our government, but the arena council is just five people. Not one of them are a member of the Thirteen. But here, those people are the ones that matter. They make all the decisions regarding life in the arena.”

  He frowned. If he was curious, he could easily petition the council for information on where arena dragons came from. Since there wasn’t a book describing it in the arena library, maybe he could write one up. The thought amused him. Ash the great Fire Dancer deduced to nothing more than a library historian. Most likely, the arena council would be frustrated he’d petitioned for something so trivial.

  “Okay, good. She’s all limbered up. See how she holds her assegai. It’s loose in her hand. You can’t have a stiff wrist because you have to be prepared for movement. The assegai is an extension of the Dancer itself. A stiff wrist means a stiff Dancer, and you have to be fluid if you want to win. Also, you have to be prepared to thrust or throw the assegai, and you can’t do that if you’re holding on too tightly.”

  Flint and Kindle began to circle one another, testing each other with simple thrusts and twirls as they made their way around the arena.

  Flint attacked, rushing forward and twirling his assegai over his head and then slashing it down toward Kindle’s side. She parried the blow easily, knocking his assegai off course with her own and thrusting her’s back toward Flint.

  Kay grabbed Ash’s hand in concern.

  “It’s okay. It’s just practice. Remember what I said about their blades being covered? Kindle’s way better than him, anyway.”

  “Unfortunately for Flint, you’re telling the truth.”

  Burn that man. For someone so large, Timber had an easy way of sneaking up on him. Kay snuggled closer to Ash.

  “Timber, I would say it’s nice to see you.”

  “I’m amazed you can still see. Don’t most people your age wear spectacles?”

  “You’re hilarious. It’s a wonder that I’m ever bored in your presence. And yet, here we are.” He turned his attention back toward the fight.

  Kindle was gaining on her opponent, eating up the ground between them with confident steps and a twirling assegai. In a last ditch effort, Flint leapt toward her, assegai pointed downward. Kindle stepped into the attack, deflecting the blow with an armored arm and hitting Flint sharply on the back with her assegai. He fell to the ground and she pointed it at his neck in a mock kill blow.

  Kay smiled and Ash shouted out congratulations. He tried to ignore the slow mocking clap of Timber beside him.

  “Excellent showing, Kindle. Now that you’re warmed up, perhaps you’d like some real competition. That is, if you’re not too tired?” Timber drawled out, wrapping the leather cover over his own assegai.

  Kindle helped Flint to his feet and frowned over in their direction, chest heaving.

  “You want to spar?” she called out between breaths.

  Timber sauntered toward her. “That’s what I was aiming for, yes.”

  Ash noticed that Kay had begun to tremble beside him.

  “Don’t worry, little one. It’s still just practice.” But he felt his heart rate quicken as Timber got ever closer.

  Not waiting for the two to tap weapons, Timber launched into his attack, setting Kindle on immediate defense as she struggled to parry his flurry of blows.

  “Ash,” a familiar voice called out across the field.

  Perfect. This day keeps getting better. Annoyed, Ash pasted on a smile and waved at the councilman. Beshar waddled over, picking his way delicately across the sands and fanning at his face.

  “I’ve had a dreadful morning,” he said once he got closer. “Thought a trip to the arena would brighten my day.” He patted Kay on her head and spoke to her in Drakori. She smiled back up at him.

  “How’s my new cadet?”

  “Well, we haven’t had too much time in the practice fields,” Ash said carefully, distracted by the movements of Kindle and Timber. Didn’t Timber realize this was practice? Why’s he attacking so fiercely?

  “So, you thought to have her watch two Dancers practice?”

  Ash swallowed. “Well, I thought—”

  “Excellent idea,” Beshar interrupted, wiping at his brow. “Timber is the best there is, and Kindle is a fine example of what a female Dancer can do.”

  Timber pulled a flame from one of the torches that bordered the practice field and sent it straight toward Kindle. Kindle caught the flame, awkwardly rolling it in her arms before shooting it up toward the sky.

  “She’s certainly got an eye for the flame,” Beshar commented.

  “Yes,” Ash frowned. Most sparring matches didn’t include flame throwing unless it was planned ahead. “Kindle is really something.”

  “I was referring to our young cadet.”

  Ash looked down at Kay who stood mesmerized as Timber threw yet another flame at Kindle. This time Kindle was ready and caught it, twirling it around her body before shooting it back toward Timber. Kay watched the movement of the flame with hungry blue eyes. Beshar was right. She did have an eye for the flame.

  If only she was gifted.

  Beshar spoke again in Drakori to Kay, and she looked up at Ash in confusion before mumbling her reply.

  Beshar stood up slowly. His face was deadly serious as he turned toward Ash. “Do you want to explain this to me before I lose my temper? And I must warn you, I’ve already had a very bad morning.”

  Ash swallowed. “Explain what? My lord Tenth—”

  “It’s Ninth actually. And I think you know exactly what I need explained. I’ve asked our newly acquired, very expensive I might add, cadet here if she was excited to show me her skills at Fire Dancing. Imagine my surprise when she responded that she has no such skills. So, I will ask again, and think carefully on your answer, why do I have a cadet who can’t manipulate fire?”

  Chapter Forty-One

  JURA

  They made their way through empty halls back to the First Tower. She wondered at their emptiness and then remembered that everyone was probably at Amira’s luncheon.

  “They’re all at Amira’s,” she stated.

  Tylak frowned down at her. The two had been traveling in silence, and Tylak was probably wondering at her sudden outburst.

  “The council. Everyone.” She felt numb inside. Have I really just killed people? Really and truly killed them? “She’s having a luncheon. Maybe I should go.”

  “Like hell you will,” Tylak’s voice was a low growl.

  “Excuse you?”

  “You heard me. Someone just tried to have you killed. The person responsible is probably at the flaming luncheon now, gloating as we speak. I’m taking you back to your room. You’re going to stay in there, surrounded by your Arbe. Then I’m going to the luncheon to see what I can learn. Alone. Also, I need to find Beshar. He won’t be happy with me after I stood him up, but we need one of his men, the kind that can detect when someone’s bending firel
ight. I’m keeping you safe.”

  She wanted to argue with him, but it felt nice to have someone on her side. Instead, she snuggled close beside him. They walked the rest of the way without saying another word.

  He stopped, hesitating in front of her chamber door. “Where are your men?”

  “Inside I guess.” She pushed open the door to her room, but Tylak slid in front of her to enter the room before she did.

  The room was empty.

  “This is strange, right?” He circled the room, slashing his dagger at the air wildly. He did this around the perimeter of the room. He must be searching for Shadow Dancers, Jura realized, though he looked ridiculous.

  “It’s more than strange,” she answered, carefully stepping in behind him. “My men should be here. All four of them. Amira said she would send the rest of my Arbe back before the luncheon.”

  “Amira? Who’s that?”

  “My friend, she’s the daughter of the Third.”

  “Why does she have your men?” Tylak pressed his lips together in a firm thin line. He stuffed his dagger back into its sheath.

  “Hers have all disappeared. Murdered we suppose. After the night her family was poisoned. That’s what Dahr was imprisoned for. Amira felt unsafe, so I gave her two of my men.”

  “When there are assassins coming after you?”

  “Well, to be fair, I didn’t know I had assassins coming after me then. But we did know that someone had tried to kill Amira.” He was right of course. She had been acting First Interim and there had already been at least one attempt at her life. It was foolish to grant Amira the use of half her Arbe, but that’s what friendship was all about. She refused to feel bad for helping Amira. She lifted her chin. “She was frightened. I was only trying to help.”

  “You…You gave away half of your men? Dragon’s breath, woman! You should thank the Everflame you’ve managed to stay alive this long. You’re defenseless without them.”

  “Thanks.” She rolled her eyes. “Do you think something awful has happened to them?”

  “Well, I don’t think they’re off having a tea party.”

  She sighed. “Right. So, what do we do now?”

  “I’m taking you to Beshar’s apartments. You can wait there.”

  “Can’t I just go to Amira’s?”

  He stared at her as if she’d grown another head.

  “What?” she asked, biting her bottom lip.

  “Don’t do that,” he snapped. “It’s distracting.” His thumb pulled down at the skin beneath her bottom lip, releasing it. “And I mean this in the nicest way possible Jura, but you’re an idiot.”

  She jerked away from him.

  “That was unnecessarily rude.” She pouted. Just when she was really starting to like the man…

  “Stop acting like a child and I’ll explain.”

  “And I’m not an idiot.” She stuck her bottom lip out further and then realized she was behaving exactly as a child and sucked it back in, narrowing her eyes up at him.

  “Let’s think about what we know. Your friend asks for two of your men. Someone tried to have you killed. They’re one of the Thirteen. Now all of your men are missing after said friend promised to return them. Meanwhile, all of the Thirteen are also at friend’s house. A perfect alibi. Do you see a pattern here?”

  “You think Amira is responsible for all this? That’s insane. She can be petty but she would never… I refuse to believe it.”

  Tylak shrugged. “Suit yourself, but I’m not taking you to her house.”

  “Ahmar. Her father. I never would have thought it possible, but he travels frequently, more so even than Beshar. He would have had access to Kitoi, assuming he got the blood chain from there. And he and my father are close. He would have had plenty of opportunities to put the blood chain on him.”

  “Great, so they’re both suspect. I’ll say it again. I’m taking you to Beshar’s. End of story.”

  “But that still doesn’t explain who attacked their house. Or who’s behind the start of this war.”

  “No, it doesn’t. But it does reiterate the fact that you people are all crazy, and I was right to stay away from your kind.”

  “You think I’m crazy?”

  He laughed. “More than you know.” He kissed the tip of her nose.

  The contact of his lips on her skin sent shivers down her spine, and she stared up at him in wonder. “Why did you do that?” She couldn’t take her eyes off his lips. She licked her own. Kissing him would probably be nothing like her kiss with Beshar.

  “Dragon fire, woman. You really are a child. Come on. I’m taking you to Beshar and then I’m going to see what I can learn.”

  “We’ll have to pass by the halls of the Third on our way to Beshar, assuming he hasn’t moved into the Ninth tower yet, which I highly doubt.”

  “Good thing we’ll be invisible, huh?”

  She frowned. “If we’ll both be invisible, why can’t I just go with you to the luncheon?”

  “Damnation woman. I’m trying to keep you safe!” He raked a hand through his long hair.

  She liked it when it was pushed back from his face. Although when it fell in front of his eyes, that was nice too. She shook her head.

  “I appreciate it, you wanting to keep me safe. But as you saw back in the dungeons, I’m perfectly capable of looking out for myself,” she sniffed.

  “You can’t explain what happened back there. How can you be so sure you’ll be able to do it again?”

  “How can you be sure that I won’t?”

  He sighed loudly. She smiled. She knew she was wearing him down.

  “I’ll stay right beside you, quiet as a desert rat. We’ll poke around a bit and see what we can learn. It will be easy.”

  He smiled. “Oh no, you don’t. I’m a fast learner, and I’ve come to learn that nothing’s ever easy with you.”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  KAY

  The practice field was actually really neat. Kay still thought the deserted and barren sands were a funny way to describe a field, but she liked to watch the cadets practice with their sticks. She was excited to see Kindle practice like the boys. She’d spent the last two days learning as much of their language as she could, but Ash’s words were hard to form and they didn’t roll off her tongue as easily as they should. Still, she felt that she was learning quickly and could pick up one in every few words that he said.

  Ash reminded her of her daddy. He was big and strong, and his eyes always had a smile in them when he looked at her. Though she didn’t understand much of what he said, his voice was always soft and comforting. And Kindle was nice too. She was nothing like her mama. Mama was small and soft and smelled like freshly baked bread. Kindle was tall and lean with spiky hair and rough hands, but her face wore an easy smile. Kay liked that. She liked both of them, but still she resolved to get home.

  I don’t belong here, she thought sullenly, standing beside Ash in the hot sun. There was no breeze here, no flowers. She missed her cat and the silly clucking chickens. She missed Rumble. As always, the thought of him and her parents hurt her belly. She Breathed in the heat around her until the feeling passed. She Breathed often. Though she never produced a flame, she liked to know that she could still Breathe. It made her feel safe. She touched a hand to her earrings, the only thing she had from home, and let out her breath, feeling calm once again. Daddy had given her the earrings two years before for her fifth birthday. They looked like rubies, the kind of stones that Daddy said were the color of Rumble but really weren’t. Daddy had made the earrings out of a stone he wore around his neck, he said that wearing them meant that she was wearing a part of her family. The earrings reminded her that she had been loved. They reminded her of home. This isn’t permanent, she reminded herself. I will get home.

  Ash spoke to her as he often did. He didn’t seem to care that she couldn’t understand anything he said. Kay didn’t mind. She liked the low rumble of his voice. It reminded her of Daddy whenever he explained
the proper care of dragons, and she was content to stand beside him. She was strong again. She no longer felt aches in her muscles or a stabbing hunger in her belly. The water here was yucky, but she was never thirsty. Maybe other little girls would be happy here, but not her. I still need to go home. She hoped the dragons had all been able to find food. Most of them had imprinted to Daddy. With no one there to feed them, would they stay?

  Kindle started fighting. She tried not to worry that Kindle would get hurt. She noticed that they had covered the blades of their weapons. And though the blows they sent toward each other looked serious, none of them looked like they were really hurting her. Kay was glad. She didn’t want anything bad to happen to Kindle.

  Ash seemed to enjoy their fight. He kept talking, but his voice had taken on an excited edge instead of the patient explanatory one he’d used before. Ash liked fighting. She wondered why he no longer fought if he liked it so much. Maybe it was because he had hurt his knees. She noticed that he would rub them sometimes, much the same way that Daddy rubbed at his lower back. After long days in the barn, Daddy would ask Kay to walk on his back. She delighted in doing so. It was fun, and Daddy always promised that her feet made his back feel better. She should offer to walk across Ash’s knees. Maybe her feet could make him feel better too.

  The fight finished. Kay was pretty sure that Kindle had won because she had her stick pointed at the bad guy’s throat. Kay cheered loudly. She liked when the good guys won. Kindle was one of the good guys because she was so nice. She felt Ash stiffen beside her and frowned as she watched the tall man approach. He was special too. She had seen him moving fire with the boys, but he wasn’t as special as her or Daddy. Kay didn’t like him. He was a bad guy. She could tell that Ash didn’t like him either. If he tried anything, she’d burn off his eyebrows. He didn’t look at her, and she smiled to herself, grateful that she was so small.

  It’s good to be small. Maybe no one will notice when I run away, she thought to herself. The bad guy stomped toward Kindle He wanted a fight and Kay felt her tummy twist in circles. She didn’t want Kindle to fight another bad guy. She didn’t like to watch her fight, even though she was really good at it.