SpringFire

by Terie Garrison

  Eventually the storm calmed. I still clung to my brother in a way I hadn’t done for years, not since we were small. It felt good to be held in his strong arms, almost as good as it had felt to be held by Grey, although in a very different way.

  Grey! What was he going to think when he saw me next? Had I not spent all my tears, the image of him turning away from me in disgust would’ve set me off again.

  Exhausted, as one always is after an emotional release, I finally let go of Breyard and leaned back against my pillow. Using the end of his sleeve, he wiped first my right cheek and then my left. Was it my imagination, or did his hand falter as it touched the mark on my face? It might not burn anymore the way Rennirt had made it do, but it burned in my imagination all the same.

  “Go back to sleep,” Breyard said, his voice gentle and full of caring. “We’ll talk more later.”

  I saw now that curtains had been drawn over the windows, most of the lamps were out, and the other three patients all lay sleeping—or, if my outburst had awakened them, perhaps pretending to sleep. I nodded.

  “Want me to sit with you a bit longer?”

  I almost shook my head, not wanting to appear needy. But the truth was that, for now at least, I did need him. “Yes, please,” I whispered, then lay down. He pulled the light blanket up over me, stroked my hair, and sat back down.

  Once or twice before I fell asleep, I opened my eyes a crack, and he sat there, still as a statue, an inscrutable look on his face.

  If I dreamt the rest of the night, I didn’t remember it when I awoke. At which time I found Traz, wearing bright yellow pajamas, sitting where Breyard had been.

  The lamps no longer burned, and daylight set the still-closed curtains aglow. The other patients slept.

  Traz broke into a grin when he saw me looking at him. “You’re awake,” he whispered.

  “That’s what usually happens when the sun rises,” I said, then I yawned. “How long have you been here watching me?”

  “Not long,” he said, still speaking softly. “I snuck down because I want to tell you something privately. Breyard was here dozing, so I sent him off to sleep and said I’d look after you.” He rolled his eyes. “As if you need any looking after.”

  I sat up cross-legged in bed facing Traz, and we spoke in whispers.

  “I still don’t understand why you’re here. What happened at the way station? Last I knew, those guards had half-kicked you to death.”

  He shuddered. “Yeah. They tied me up like a trussed pig, then left me there to die. But Shandry, well, like I said before, she was on watch when it happened. She felt some sort of threat, you know, the way you sometimes do with the vibrations and all that. She went out to investigate, and when she saw Rennirt and the guards, she hid outside.

  “When they left with you in the morning, she rescued me, and we lit out for here as fast as we could.”

  “So Shandry turns out to be the hero in the end,” I said, trying not to let my voice sound as sour as I felt.

  Traz just said, “Yeah, she really is. She led one group of dragons to Xyla, and Breyard insisted on going with Botellin—that tall man you rode Kelben with, and he’s the leader here—to get you. The plan was to take you straight to Xyla, too, but it turned out that you were too sick, so they brought you back here.”

  “Sick? I’m not sick.”

  “Or whatever. I don’t know all this healing stuff. How are you feeling today, anyway?”

  “Better,” I replied. “But curious about another thing now. Why did you stay here? Why didn’t you go with Shandry and the others?” He adored Xyla, and I couldn’t imagine what would keep him here when he could go to her.

  His face lit up and he leaned closer to me. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Remember about the sittack and everything?”

  “The sittack? Oh, right. That legendary beast you caught.”

  “Yeah, well, it turns out that what Shandry said was right. I’m a sage! And I can danse.”

  It was true that he looked as if he were going to spring up from his seat and break into a jig of excitement. I couldn’t help but grin at his infectious enthusiasm.

  “You’re a sage! That’s brilliant news! How did you find out?”

  Just then a boy a little older than Traz walked in. He smiled at the two of us but didn’t say anything as he pulled back the curtains and opened the windows. Traz wriggled with impatience until the other boy left. The air quickly freshened with the morning breeze, and the occasional sound of a bird singing or people walking past floated in as we talked on.

  “It was amazing. When Shandry and I got here to Delaron, we found everyone gathered as if they knew we were coming. Which I thought was pretty weird. But they did know we were coming.”

  “How could they? Could Shandry, I don’t know, communicate with the dragons or something?”

  Traz shook his head, his face very serious now. “My staff.”

  “Huh?”

  “My staff. It turns out it’s an artifact of the danse. A powerful one. And the sages didn’t know who or what was coming, but they’d felt the power of it. They’d just gathered to discuss whether to have one of the dragons investigate when we arrived.”

  “I don’t understand. What is this danse you keep talking about? And how could you find something from Stychs in the middle of nowhere on Hedra?”

  “Well, the danse is a powerful form of magic here—like maejic is back home. But I haven’t had time to learn much more than that yet. That’s why I stayed here instead of going with Shandry. I want to study danse.

  “And the staff, well, no one knows for sure how it got to Hedra from here. There’s some old legend about a danse master and dragon who disappeared. The staff was his at the time. When the sages learned that we’d come from Hedra, they decided that that ancient master and dragon went there.”

  I nodded, trying to follow everything. “I guess that makes sense. They didn’t take it away from you, did they?”

  He chuckled as he reached down and picked it up. “No. I was afraid they might, too. Lini was pretty intense about the whole thing, examining it and testing it and all.”

  “Lini?” I prompted.

  “Oh, the danse master here. She’s taken me on as a student. I thought she wanted the staff for herself, but she explained that it always chooses its keeper.”

  I wished he’d slow down a bit and explain things so I could follow him. On the other hand, it was clear that he could hardly contain his enthusiasm. And knowing how badly he’d wanted to be maejic, I didn’t want to dampen his happiness.

  The others began to stir just then, and, as if on cue, Halla came in. She made a stern face at Traz, but her eyes twinkled. He returned a look of mock innocence that almost made me burst out laughing.

  The healer attended the others first. Traz said he was glad to see me looking so much better and that he’d be back later, then disappeared out the door. When Halla got to me, I was back under the covers but sitting propped up against my pillow.

  “Well,” she said with a smile, “your color has returned and you’ve a spark back in your eye. I daresay the worst of your shock is over, and perhaps a walk outside later can be allowed.”

  “So I can go to Xyla now?” My heart leapt at the thought of seeing her again, then promptly plunged again when I realized that Grey would be there, too—along with Shandry.

  Halla put a cool hand on my forehead. “Not quite yet,” she said. “Soon. Perhaps another day or two.”

  “But—”

  “I know you feel better now, but I want to make sure you have your strength back before you go traipsing off into the mountains. Is not an extra day here better than falling sick there?”

  Her eyes held mine until I nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” I said in a dull way that I hoped sounded more acquiescent tha
n I felt.

  She left the infirmary then. I chafed in frustration. Knowing Xyla needed help, how could I just stay here cooped up with nothing to do? Even talking to Breyard and Traz didn’t keep my mind entirely off Xyla. What if she died? Would we ever get home again?

  I loved Xyla. She was as dear to me as my best friend, as my own family. We’d been through so many things the past months, each helping the other. I couldn’t imagine life without her any more than I could imagine life without my sight. Nor did I want to.

  I picked at the threads in my blanket, noticing for the first time just how thin it was—scarcely more than a sheet. And I noticed, too, how warm it was in the room.

  Several loud trumpeting sounds came in through the windows, and, curious, I got out of bed and went across to the window opposite.

  The sky was a rich blue in which the sun rode clear of all but the wispiest high clouds. A rock garden stretched out before me, with different-colored patches of gravel used to create visual texture, rather than lawn and hedging as I was accustomed to. Spiky plants that looked completely alien to me were positioned here and there, soaking up the heat and sun, and giving only patchy shade.

  Beyond the rock garden was a strip of white roadway on which several groups of people traveled. They wore brightly colored clothing that stood out in sharp contrast to the pale colors of the land all around.

  Beyond the road was a stretch of brilliant, white sand, and beyond that, the lake I’d seen from the sky. And sporting in the blue water—the source of the trumpeting noises—were several red dragons, some diving deep and bursting out again while others just floated on the surface.

  I watched, entranced, for several minutes, until footsteps behind me distracted my attention. Four young people came into the room bearing trays of food. One was Jinna, another was the lad who’d opened the windows, and the other two lads were complete strangers. The three boys slowed down, eyeing me, until Jinna told them to get their sorry selves moving, the patients were hungry.

  I walked over to my bed, but sat in the chair next to it instead of getting back in, wishing I could be out in the warm sunshine instead of stuck in here with nothing to do.

  Breakfast consisted of cold grain softened with milk and leten, a bowl of berries and cut-up fruit I didn’t recognize, and chilled tea. Everything was strange and exotic, and it captured my interest for at least a little while. I made Jinna sit in the other chair by my bed and tell me the names of the different fruits and describe what they looked like in their natural state.

  Once I finished eating, she sat gossiping about people I didn’t even know. When she mentioned the name of one particular boy several times, bragging about how good he was at climbing the tall trees with no branches to get the fruit at the top, how good he was at fishing, how he was the best singer in Delaron, I began to get suspicious.

  Being coy, I asked, “Is this Nolon your brother?”

  As expected, Jinna spluttered her denial, and even though her skin was dark, she still blushed quite satisfactorily. I couldn’t help laughing, too, and soon we were giggling about the different boys in our lives.

  “Your brother isn’t bad,” she said.

  “Oh, please. You sound just like Loreen, one of my friends back home. She moons over him constantly, and her eyes go all gooey at the mere mention of his name.”

  “But you have to admit he’s handsome.”

  “I don’t have to admit any such thing.” The truth was that people always said we looked very much alike, except that he had hazel eyes while mine were dark brown. And while I didn’t think of myself as especially pretty, I definitely didn’t like to think of myself as handsome.

  But that made me think of what my face must look like now. The smile fell from my lips and I raised my hand to my cheek. Jinna immediately picked up on my sudden change of mood and stopped laughing.

  “What does it really look like?” I asked, not meeting her eyes.

  She reached up and moved my hand away, then stroked that side of my face lightly. The touch of her hand sent shivers through me, and I closed my eyes. She stopped and simply held the palm of her hand against my cheek. I tried not to cry.

  “I can’t tell you what you want to hear,” she said. “It won’t ever go away.”

  Next thing I knew, she kissed both cheeks and then my forehead. “It doesn’t make you any less a beautiful person.”

  The touch of her hands and of her lips went straight to my heart. Like a healing balm, they soothed the edges of my pain. I felt my spirit grow calm. When I opened my eyes, something inside me unclenched, and I burst into laughter.

  I hereby proclaim that the administration of Lake Delaron and its environs, as delineated on the map, reverse, be given over to the sage community, rent free, in perpetuity until such time as they choose to vacate it, at which point it shall revert to the Crown.

  This is done with reference to the application made by Master Sage Larissa, and as a reward for longtime service to the Crown performed by the aforesaid community.

  Thus have I decreed, thus shall it be, so say I.

  ~Morinda Queen Royal

  Jinna joined my laughter. The other patients looked over at us, and the older one rolled his eyes and shook his head, which served only to make me laugh harder.

  Once I got myself back under control and was wiping away the laugh-tears, Jinna took my breakfast things.

  “Try to rest some more,” she said, “and with luck, Halla will let you go for a walk later.”

  I just nodded. I didn’t feel like resting any more. Perhaps the promise of a change of scenery might make the boredom easier to bear.

  But it didn’t. Just about the time I got up the courage to go ask the man playing cards to teach me his game, I sensed a disturbance out in the passageway.

  A rush of power blew in through the open doorway like a gust of wind. It tickled my nose and made me feel like I was going to sneeze.

  “ … for a few more days.” Halla’s voice trickled in behind the wave of power.

  “I appreciate your concern,” replied a deep, musical voice. “But unless you have something concrete, I really must insist.”

  And with that, Botellin, the man who’d rescued me from Rennirt, strode into the room. He wore black trousers and boots and a shiny white sleeveless shirt that laced loosely up the front. His attire showed off his fit physique, and though he must be about the same age as my father, I couldn’t imagine Papa wearing clothes such as these. But what was most noticeable was the magic that swirled around him. Traz had mentioned he was the leader of the community here, and I could well believe it.

  He walked over to my bedside and smiled down at me from his great height. It felt awkward just sitting there in bed, and I wondered if I should stand up or something. Halla stood on the other side of the bed and placed a hand on my shoulder.

  Then Botellin spoke to me, and his voice commanded all my attention, heart, mind, and soul.

  “Welcome to Delaron, my child, though the words be spoken late. How do you feel?”

  His words cradled me within their strength. Botellin sat down, his dark eyes intent on mine. I felt as if I were the only person in the whole world other than him, as if I were someone important, someone meaningful.

  “I’m … I’m fine,” I stammered. “Much better than yesterday.”

  Botellin chuckled. “I daresay. I apologize for bungling your rescue.”

  “Bungling it? I don’t … I mean, thank you.” There might be no threat from this man, but his power and intensity scrambled my thoughts, leaving me tongue-tied and scarcely able to put a coherent sentence together.

  Halla’s hand squeezed my shoulder. “You’re frightening her, you lump of a man,” she said in a gentle voice.

  “No,” I said quickly, not wanting him to get that idea.

  Bote
llin closed his eyes. A moment later, the power swirling around us settled, calmed, then disappeared.

  “Forgive me,” he said. “I have come here anxious to meet you, forgetting to put on the demeanor appropriate to the sickroom.” He looked up at Halla, eyebrows raised.

  “Oh, you’re as impossible as ever, and well you know it,” she said, giving him a stern look that was belied by the smile in her eyes.

  He grinned and leaned closer to me. “And still the woman complains.”

  Baffled, I couldn’t think of anything to say.

  Botellin turned his attention back to the healer. “You don’t need to watch over our guest like a mother hen. I’m not going to eat her, interrogate her, or hurt her in any way.” Halla didn’t budge. “I promise.”

  Halla stood up slowly. “If he tires you, child, ring the bell. I will rescue you immediately.”

  When she’d gone, Botellin took my hand in his. I still didn’t know what to say, so I remained quiet, though it felt both awkward and comforting to sit there with my hand being held by such a powerful man.

  “Rescue,” he finally said. “I must apologize that mine was so late.”

  “But you couldn’t have known until—”

  He waved my words away. “I keep a watch on Rennirt. He wields his power indiscriminately and with abandon, and I have made it my duty to try to prevent his most egregious abuses. But some slip past.” He reached up and touched my left cheek. “I’m so, so sorry.”

  A lump rose in my throat at Botellin’s tenderness, but I swallowed past it, determined not to cry.

  “You are so brave, so strong,” he continued. “I would like to get to know you better before you must return.”

  “Then you know? But, of course, you must.” He would know about all of Xyla’s visits here. Plus, Breyard had been here for a few months. By now, Botellin would’ve spoken to Traz and must know the bones of my story, too. “I really want to go to Xyla now. I need to be with her until she’s better.”