Heirs of War, Crown of Flames

by Mara Valderran

  “What do you—” he caught himself, flexing his jaw before carefully rephrasing his statement. “I don't understand your question.”

  “You seek my aid, do you not? To help your young friend?” She paused to allow him to answer. His response came in a reluctant nod. “Then will you do as I ask of you? What are you willing to do in order to save her life?”

  He turned back to Ariana fearfully. “She is in danger of dying, then.” He was careful to keep his voice flat so that his words were only a statement that she could correct. He felt like his heart might burst out of his chest while he awaited her response.

  “The fever has a hold of her. Without the proper herbs or someone skilled in the art of healing, her life hangs in the balance. She might pull through.” She lifted her brows into her wrinkled forehead as she continued. “Or she might not. The question is: Are you willing to risk it?”

  “No,” he answered through gritted teeth.

  She hobbled forward so that they were face to face. “Then tell me, Alec. What are you willing to do to make sure she lives to see the Prophecy through?”

  “Anything. I would give my life to ensure hers will continue.”

  She gave a nod of satisfaction. “That is not what I require of you. I require you to make a promise that you will keep no matter what obstacles might be presented to block your path, no matter who requires that you break your vow to me. Do you understand?”

  “Yes. As long as you help her, I will give you whatever promise you wish.” Alec turned his head to look at Ariana over his shoulder. She was still pale and covered in sweat and let out a light moan as he gazed upon her with worried eyes. Those same eyes turned back to Luna. “Please, just help her.”

  She gestured for him to kneel before her, which he did. “You must promise me that you will never leave Ariana. Where she goes, you will follow without question or hesitation. You will never stray far from her side. Is this a promise you are willing to keep no matter what the cost?”

  “If I disobey the Duillaine Banair, they will execute me. If they do not plan to do so for the laws I have already broken.”

  “They do not know of your . . . misconduct.”

  “They will send me away when I return to Anscombe,” he pressed. “All Cynewards must undergo training.”

  “Do they?” she asked in a perplexedly knowing way. “You cannot leave Ariana. That is the promise you must make me.”

  He thought this over, wondering if somehow the Babiaga knew things he didn't. Perhaps there was reason to hope that Ariana could save him from his fate as a Cyneward after all. “Ariana thinks she can save me from becoming a Cyneward. That she can stop them from blackening my heart.”

  “Do you believe her?”

  “I want to,” he whispered, lowering his head. “The promise you ask of me gives me more hope than I can bear. I have so many questions I wish to ask . . . ”

  The Babiaga patted his cheek. “I cannot give you answers. I will tell you that the only person who can save your heart from darkening is you, young Cyneward. But your vow should not depend on her ability to keep her promises. Only yours.” She turned away, tending the fire she had begun. “You will find a way. Are you not willing to give your life for hers? Or were those merely empty words?”

  “No,” he answered. “I would give my life a thousand times over for Ariana's. You have my vow. I will do as you ask at all costs.” He glared impatiently at the back of her head when she made no move from the hearth, only placed her hands over the flames to warm them. “I have given you what you require. Now save her. Unless your words were empty.”

  “I have already begun to save her, young Cyneward. She will need to rest for a few days, but she will recover,” she said casually. “You should allow yourself some rest as well. You will need it for the journey ahead.”

  He didn’t like the way she spoke like she already knew what was in store for them. He knew better than to push the issue or risk asking any questions. Instead, he settled himself on the floor next to Ariana. He placed a hand on her forehead, shocked to find it had cooled significantly. He stroked her skin affectionately, and she stirred under his touch. Then he rested his head on the cot next to her arm and closed his eyes, the exhaustion and worry finally taking its toll on him as he drifted off into a restless sleep.

  ***

  Ariana could hear Alec's voice speaking to someone else when she awoke. She cracked her eyes open, taking in the new setting she found herself in. She was lying on a cot in a small house. The only door was open, letting in the darkness and the cool night air. There was a fire going in the hearth across from her. Alec sat in front of it eating a meal with an old woman who looked both frail and stern. Neither of them took notice as she sat up.

  “What's cooking?” she asked over her catlike stretch. She expected Alec to leap up, relieved that she had fully recovered since he had been so worried before. Instead, he ignored her. She kicked her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, hands on her hips. “Hello? Starving sick girl here. Did you leave any for me?”

  “She's awake,” a female voice said from behind her. “I told you I shouldn't have gone anywhere.”

  Ariana whipped around to see two young women standing in front of the wall by the cot. One had dark blonde hair and a serious air about her, one of authority and intelligence. The other woman had ginger-red hair and a heart shaped face accented with an angular chin.

  “You had to check on your other patients,” the redhead said.

  The blonde woman stared at Ariana with round, green eyes and waved her friend off. “Isauria . . . why does it seem like she is looking right at us?”

  Ariana's hands were still planted on her hips. “Probably because I am staring straight at you. Hey Alec, you're kinda slacking off here.” She turned around to address him directly, but he still didn't seem to notice her. “Alec?” she asked, fear rising in her voice. Slowly, she turned back to the bed she had come from. Her body remained in bed, tucked under the covers peacefully and still as can be. “Oh my god! Am I . . . am I dead?”

  Isauria stepped forward in a comforting manner. She reached out, but Ariana quickly stepped away from her. “You aren't dead. I think you can just do what I can.”

  “What's that? And who are you?” Ariana demanded, her suspicious gaze darting back and forth between the two of them.

  “My name is Bianca,” the blonde answered soothingly. “I am the paion in Anscombe. This is your sister, Isauria.”

  Ariana leaned her head back knowingly. “You're the one Kellen's daughter was talking about. The one who can do the same thing she can.”

  Bianca crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes, apparently the gift of seeing is more popular than we thought since you can also do it.”

  “So I'm not dead then?”

  Isauria shook her head. “No. I thought the same thing when I first found out about what I could do.”

  Ariana flopped back down on the bed. “My visions . . . they were real. My twin! Oh no . . . Kellen has her.”

  Isauria placed a calming hand on her shoulder and sat down beside her. “I saw all of that, but Zelene's fine. Honestly, everyone we know is fine but you. I don't know who she has. Do you have any idea where you are?”

  Ariana shrugged. “Somewhere on Cahira, I think.” She gave a worried glance back to her body. “Or dead. I still haven't ruled that out completely.”

  Isauria gave her an annoyed look. “You aren't dead. But you aren't on Cahira either. We're not exactly sure where you are…we're still working on that,” she said and exchanged glances with Bianca, “but the geography that Alec described to you is definitely not Cahira. There are no mountains in that world at all.”

  “And that was definitely more than a hill that we climbed. Have you been watching us this entire time?”

  Isauria immediately jumped to the defensive. “Yes, but I had to! I promise that I haven't been like watching-watching you. I've just been . . . keeping an eye out. To see if I can find any c
lues as to where you are. That's all.”

  Ariana smiled at the nervous look on her older sister's face. “I'm not upset. So you're my sister, huh? Alec filled me in as much as he could, but there are still a lot of gaps. Hey, is my father there? I mean, not my biological father. But Alec thought that the man I know as my father might be my Cyneward.”

  “I don't believe Varrick posed as your father in Dhara since he had both you and Zelene to look after,” Bianca answered, “but Varrick is here.”

  “Varrick is my Cyneward?” Ariana folded her arms and shook her head. “Gah, that explains so much! He was always way more involved in my discipline than I thought he should be. Whenever I wanted to do something, my Dad would actually check with him when he thought I wasn't listening. Well, I guess that's because he wasn't my real father,” she said sadly to herself. She glanced back up at her visitors. “What's the deal with our real Dad? Is he still around?”

  “Yes,” Isauria answered in a quiet voice and glanced worriedly to Bianca. A silent exchange passed between them before Isauria turned back to her sister. “And you know about our mother.”

  A shiver ran up Ariana's spine, remembering the corpse Kellen had introduced her to. “Yeah. I got the visual on that one.”

  “I know,” Isauria said, her face pale and haunted. “I was there.”

  “You really have been watching. Why don't you guys know where I am yet? I mean, Alec laid out the world for you. And aren't the Duillaine Banair supposed to be all-powerful or some crap? Meaning they should know these things?”

  Bianca blew out a breath as she and Isauria silently debated over who would answer the question. “It's a bit complicated. There's been a lot going on since the attacks in Dhara. I believe they are working on it.”

  “We are definitely working on it,” Isauria added. “There's this guy Tate who seems to think he can find the world if we give him more information. Then we're going to come rescue you.”

  Ariana blinked at the two young women. “Did you say 'Tate'? As in big lips, bright eyes, and a smile that could stop a girl’s heart?”

  Bianca opened her mouth and then settled for lifting her shoulders, seeing the ire building in the girl. “I suppose that could be a fairly accurate description. He's a treior. It was his job to help keep an eye on you while you were in Dhara by inserting himself into your life—”

  “Look, there's a lot we could explain but first we need you to try to figure out where you are,” Isauria interrupted. “We need to find you before Kellen does and right now she really has a killer head start. Sorry,” she said quickly, “bad choice of words! But you get what I mean. If we can find you, we can come get you and take you home.”

  Ariana was still stuck on the idea of Tate inserting himself into her life. She wondered if anyone she had known had really cared about her or if they were all just pretending to keep her safe and ignorant. She blinked rapidly, trying to avoid shedding tears in front of them. “Home?” she said with a scoff. “And where exactly is that? This big city that I've never been to that's full of people who obviously aren't trying their best to find me?”

  Isauria looked wounded by this. “I am doing my best to find you. So are Rhaya and Zelene and Tate and Bianca . . .”

  Ariana inhaled slowly. “Funny that you haven't mentioned the Duillaine Banair in all that. Clearly people don't care so much about rescuing me as you're letting on.”

  “That isn't fair,” Bianca said heatedly, jumping to Isauria's aid. “Isauria has risked her life to ensure that she is here every minute of every day watching for clues, Zelene and Rhaya are working tirelessly to learn their abilities so that they can rescue you, I'm risking my position as well as my neck. The Duillaine Banair might be stalling for whatever reason, but your sister and your cousins are not. Do not underestimate their will to save you.”

  “Sorry. It's just a lot to take in.” Ariana sighed and watched Alec come over to check on her, moved by how he tenderly touched her face and wiped away the tears that fell from her physical body's eyes. She might be able to keep her emotions in check in this odd spirit world, but clearly what she felt was bleeding over into the physical world. She blushed, remembering that Bianca and Isauria were still watching. “What do you need me to do?”

  ***

  Bianca left Isauria's room and noticed Liam across the hall. She gestured discretely for him to follow her, and then ducked into an empty room a few doors down from Isauria. Liam burst in, anything but discrete, and gripped her arms.

  “What's wrong? Is it Izzy? Is she unwell?”

  Bianca shook him off. “Izzy is fine. I need you to summon Varrick immediately. And discretely,” she added with a disapproving look.

  He threw a confused glance in the direction of Isauria's room. “Is something wrong?”

  “Ariana shares Isauria's gift, though it isn't as strong,” Bianca explained bluntly. She walked over to the water basin at the dressing table and rinsed her hands in it, then proceeded to fix the hair falling out of her bun. “Isauria and I were able to communicate with her. I believe Varrick would like to know. Wouldn't you?”

  “And you aren't reporting this to Banair Sylvanna first?”

  She threw frustrated hands in the air. “I'm not sure what I should report and what I shouldn't anymore. Between the secrets you have me keeping and then the girls with their plans…I fear that if I tell the Duillaine Banair too little, they will never find Ariana. But if I tell them too much, they might sit idly by with the information or it might raise suspicions with the plans the Duillaine Ainnir have . . . ” She raised her chin, trying to pull herself together. “I'm not sure what to do.”

  He crossed the room and placed a heavy palm on her shoulder. “I know this is tough. It's a hard situation for all of us. The Prophecy never said anything about it being easy.”

  “I know,” she rubbed one temple and then dropped her hand. “I am not used to situations like the ones I have found myself in since their arrival. I am the paion of Anscombe,” she said with pride. “I was chosen because when presented with a problem, I am able to solve it quicker and more efficiently than others. I'm not used to all this indecision and all of these secrets. I'm not accustomed with the idea of not knowing what the right thing to do is.”

  “You will figure it out. You didn't get to where you are because of your decision making skills, Bianca. You got here because you are an extremely intelligent and gifted young woman. Speak to Zelene. I don't believe this is information they will think you need to keep from Sylvanna, but it can't hurt to discuss it first. Enough weight is on your shoulders right now. Allow them to ease the burden.”

  She looked up at him skeptically. “You're awfully wise for a warrior.”

  He shrugged. “I have my moments. I'll go get Varrick for you. He'll kill me if he knows I stalled at all.”

  “Liam?” she called after him when he started to turn around. “Thank you. I never thought I would see the day that I would say this about an Athucrean, let alone a Cyneward, but it helps having you here. I'm glad Isauria has helped me to see that.”

  “Well, I'm not just here for Isauria. I'm here for you, too.” He shook his head as she opened her mouth to protest. “Izzy didn't come by friends easily. I told you that. The fact that she's taken to you the way that she has…that means you're under my protection now. Because what hurts you will hurt her. And I won't let anything hurt my Izzy.”

  The corner of her mouth lifted, moved by the sentiment. It made her miss her own father more than she had in quite some time. She had grown used to the absence of the familial warmth that came from a father's love but now as Liam leant some of it her way, it caused a pang of heartache from old scars. “She's lucky to have you.”

  “Likewise,” he said with a wink.

  Bianca busied herself with work in the leigheas while she waited for Liam to return. Tasks such as taking inventory were usually left to the galenas, but the paion couldn’t stand the idea of sitting still. Especially not when her nerves were
already on edge. Varrick burst into the room, startling her. Liam followed, giving Bianca an apologetic look before shutting the door.

  “For warriors that move in the shadows, you two demonstrate very little in the art of stealth today,” she fussed. “Are you looking to get me removed from my position?”

  Varrick ignored her. “You talked to her,” he said it as if it were a statement that only needed confirmation.

  Looking at him, Bianca couldn't understand why people thought the Cynewards to be heartless warriors. True, Varrick was a big and intimidating man built mostly of muscle and dark hair. But his eyes held a desperation and vulnerability that showed much more depth to his heart than people assumed. She nodded.

  “How is she? Is she still sick? What did she say? Where is she? How did you talk to her?” He fired his questions one after another, with no pauses for answers between.

  Bianca held up her hand to halt his interrogation and gestured for him to take the seat across from her, waiting as Varrick sat down like a sullen child. “She is still sick, but I believe she is getting better. I believe it is her fever that allowed us to communicate with her. I haven't had time to give it much thought, but I would gather that since Ariana represents Spirit, which is supposed to be touched by all elements, that she has a touch of the gifts of each. She did have an easy enough time calling fire, which is much like Nandalia. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a slightly better hold on healing than the commoner and maybe even a touch of empathy.”

  “Makes sense,” he said in a quiet and even tone, but his bouncing knee conveyed his anxiety. “She was always taking people under her wing at school.”

  “She and Alec are currently taking shelter in an elderly woman's home. I believe she has been healing Ariana of her sickness. She knows who they are. She even knows that Alec is a Cyneward.”

  “Does Ariana know?” Liam asked.