He rushed to her, ignoring the cautious approach. “What of the king and queen?” Dmitri asked, then repeated his question in a yell. “Are they all right? Are they in danger?”
“The king is . . . is . . .” The Minya burst into tears. “He’s d—d—dead!”
“Dead?” Dmitri asked. Impossible. It couldn’t be! King Roylance? No!
The Minya nodded. “And the queen is very sick—very, very sick.”
Dmitri whirled to Kelson, whose face had blanched. “How? No one passed us! There’s no way the Lorkon got back to Maivoryl without us noticing!”
Kelson nodded. “We’d have seen or heard something.”
Arien’s Minya continued her message, bawling between sentences. “I talked to the queen . . . She doesn’t think she’ll live much longer. She was injured—the Lorkon tried to kill her too, but were unsuccessful. She said the crown has passed on to you, Dmitri. That you are now in charge of the kingdom. She will be gone soon.”
Dmitri sank to his knees in the tent, his heart and lungs clenching, refusing to operate. A stabbing pain hit him in the stomach, then spread across his body. King Roylance was dead. He’d been a father to Dmitri. Kind, gentle, patient. He’d believed in Dmitri. Had trusted him. Had taught him to be a prince where his own father had failed. And the queen—dear, sweet Queen Ara Liese. Patient as her husband, loving. Tender. She’d seen his potential long before he’d become a better man. How would he survive without them?
Then the thought hit him—Arien. Did she know already? Would the Lorkon torture her with the information? Oh, if only she were with him! He’d hold her, wipe the tears from her cheeks. Comfort her and be comforted in return.
Dmitri slipped into the blankets on his cot, barely recognizing that the Minya had left and Kelson had returned to his own bed. Aching, physical pain was the only thing he felt.
***
Dmitri hadn’t slept well since he and the others left to find the women, but the night after finding out about the king and queen was the worst yet. He relived the experience of learning about King Roylance’s death over and over again, and when he finally had drifted off to sleep, his dreams were emotionally charged and disturbing. The next morning, he did his best to put them from his mind as he packed up his things and saddled his horse.
Right as they were leaving camp, an unfamiliar Minya approached Dmitri, delivering a message from Brojan, the leader of the Makalo army, informing him that the Makalos had gathered an army in the valley just east of Gevkan. They were awaiting word to start the attack. Brojan fully expected a war to break out, and they wanted to be ready for it.
Kelson, as usual, rode next to Dmitri. He waited until the Minya had left, then glanced at his friend. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”
“I know. But I don’t plan to run this kingdom on hopes.” Dmitri fell silent for a moment. He put aside the thought that he was in fact leading the kingdom now. “What we need is to appoint a general. Who would be best suited to leading an army?”
“I’m not sure, but we could start with asking Brend.”
Dmitri nodded. He turned in his saddle and called for Brend to come forward.
When the man arrived, Dmitri asked, “You were on the king’s guard, correct?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Dmitri didn’t hesitate at the formal “Majesty” compared to the “Highness” of before. News of the king’s death had quickly reached the men, and all had started treating Dmitri differently—more respectfully. Less like a prince and more like a king.
“For how long?”
“Just two years.”
Dmitri shook his head. “Not long enough. Who has been in the guard the longest, and is loyal, knowledgeable, and hardworking?”
“Probably Lahs—he’s over fifty years of age, but the king trusted him with everything, and he’s still in excellent physical condition. The men respect him, and he’s a natural leader.”
Kelson made a sound of agreement. “I’ve heard a lot about him. If he’d been home when we left, he would’ve been right here with us.”
“Thank you,” Dmitri said, excusing Brend. He had Kelson seek out Arien’s Minya, asking her to inform Lahs that he’d been promoted to general and was to round up an army—gathering any and all who were willing to fight for the cause of freedom.
The Minya disappeared with a flash, then returned. “He wasn’t there, but I’ll probably let you know when I find him.”
“We’ll see how long that takes,” Dmitri said to Kelson when the Minya had left.
But Kelson was distracted by something. He pointed at the charred remains of a bush they were just passing. “Look at that.”
They started passing many other burned things—evidence that they were approaching Lasia, the third element.
Dmitri pulled out his journal. “I’ll make note of this, then we should backtrack to where it’s safe to discuss the situation.” After scribbling a quick message, he pulled his horse around and called for everyone to follow him to a section near the forest that hadn’t been burned. When the rest had gathered, he said, “Men, take care. We’re approaching the next element. From the looks of the land, this area will be safe, but we can’t be sure about that. Kelson and I are going forward. I want the rest of you to wait here until I give the go-ahead to proceed.”
He made sure they understood, then dismounted, handing the reins to Kenji. Kelson entrusted his horse to Brend, then the two friends started down the path on foot.
Kelson rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sure the Fat Lady knows what she’s talking about, but something as dangerous as a Fire Pulser makes me nervous.”
Dmitri nodded, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I know. I’ve thought over it quite a bit.”
“And you’re sure you should do it?”
Dmitri raised his eyebrow. “Of course.”
Kelson shook his head. “This isn’t like the last two elements—we know what’s coming, yes, but it’s very dangerous. Dmitri, think about it. The king has passed away. You’re the only thing these people have now, and if you don’t make—”
“I understand your concerns. Let’s hurry.”
Kelson smiled. “Yeah, I should’ve guessed trying to talk you out of it wouldn’t work.”
“If I’d been afraid to get hurt or die, I would’ve sent someone else to bring Arien back.”
Up ahead, the trail entered a small canyon made of huge rocks and boulders that had fallen from the mountains. It looked like fire had flared through the canyon and down the trail, burning things along the way.
Dmitri fingered the diamonds in his pocket, counting them over and over as they neared the canyon entrance.
Just then, Early flitted past Dmitri’s head. “Kenji sent me. What should I do?”
“There’s a Fire Pulser up here,” Kelson said. “Let us know when she’s going to send the next blast of flames.”
Early gave two thumbs up, then paused, concentrating. “She hasn’t caught wind of you yet, I don’t think.” She zipped ahead, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll let you know when she does.”
Dmitri and Kelson proceeded forward cautiously.
“Do we know how hot the fire burns?” Kelson asked in a whisper.
Dmitri shook his head. If they were hit by flames, they’d be scorched either way.
The two friends waited just outside the very narrow canyon in a section that hadn’t been touched by flames.
Early rushed back. “Fire coming! Take cover!”
Dmitri stepped farther away from the mouth, just to be sure, and Kelson followed.
The element blasted past them seconds later. Dmitri took several more steps back, holding his hands over his face to protect it. That was hot!
Once it stopped, the two friends continued forward, cautiously watching for signs of more blazes.
“Don’t touch the rock,” Dmitri said.
Kelson nodded. “Too hot.”
Not wanting to be stuck in the canyon when the
next burst came, they rushed through the winding rocks, being careful not to brush up against the walls on either side.
Before they’d reached the end, Early appeared next to Dmitri. “Run, sire, run! The next blast is about to happen!”
Dmitri frantically looked left and right—nowhere to hide. Early was correct. They had to run if they wanted to make it. Without regard for whether Lasia would see them or not, the two men raced forward and through the other side of the short canyon. They jumped behind a large boulder just as the flames blasted past them, licking the edges of the rock.
They stared at each other, shaking their heads. That had been way too close.
“We need a plan,” Dmitri yelled to Kelson over the roar. He had Early point out Lasia’s direction. “Let’s not run directly toward her. Instead, we’re going to head to the next shelter. We can zigzag our way like that until we’re close enough to place the diamonds.”
Kelson nodded. “Has she seen us?”
Early shook her head. “I think she can sense you coming, but she hasn’t spotted you yet.” She pointed. “The next rock is that way.”
The flames ended.
“Run!” Early called.
Dmitri and Kelson shot out from behind the boulder and dashed for the rock Early indicated. Just then, Dmitri saw Lasia at the same time she looked at him. They met eyes, and he nearly stumbled—her eyes were the color of fire, and she was well over six feet tall. Her hair was red and curly—singed and burning on the ends. It was a flaming mass around her head. Her anger seethed—practically like the flames she pulsed, and even though the land around him was exceptionally hot, Dmitri got the chills. He jumped behind the rock and looked at Kelson, who had also seen Lasia.
What caused such hatred in a creature?
Finally, after zigzagging for several moments, they were close enough to start placing the diamonds.
Dmitri sneaked a glance around the rock before the next onslaught and saw with relief that she’d been chained in place. But why was the metal holding? Shouldn’t she have been able to melt through it?
“Did you see how angry she was?” Kelson said. “It’s like she wants to rip me apart, burn through my flesh, and feed me to Molgs.”
“Yes, I felt it.”
The next burst of flame was longer than the previous, and Dmitri wondered if being closer gave her more energy. He didn’t have time to speculate, though.
He fished in his bag and pulled out the stakes, handing them to Kelson, then dug in his pocket, grabbing the diamonds. He and Kelson quickly tied each diamond to a stake. The next burst of flame came and went while they did so, and when they were finished, Dmitri took three of the stakes, leaving two in Kelson’s hands.
“I’ve been counting,” Kelson said. “She takes sixty seconds to recharge for her next blast. That only gives us a minute to put them in place.”
“Yes. We’ll have to be very precise, not only in our timing, but our placement of the diamonds. The Fat Lady said ten feet apart, with nothing obstructing their view of each other.”
“This means we’ll have to get close to Lasia.”
Dmitri nodded. Even with the diamonds being ten feet apart, Lasia was huge, and her hair and yellow robes billowed around her, filling the space the diamonds would need. Dmitri took a breath. He was sure it wouldn’t feel pleasant to touch even just her clothing. “You go that way,” he said to Kelson, pointing to the left. “I’ll go to the right.”
They waited for the next blast. It was much, much hotter, and Dmitri felt like he’d been thrown into an oven. Searing heat rushed across his entire body. He dropped the metal spikes—too hot to hold—and groaned in pain, watching as blisters formed on his arms and hands.
Kelson called out in agony, and Dmitri turned to his best friend. The expression on Kelson’s face showed he was doing his best to hide the pain, but oozing blisters had popped up all over his face and neck, making it appear like he’d been afflicted with a horrible disease. Dmitri was sure he looked the same.
It seemed like several minutes passed before the flames died. A rush of cool wind followed, and doing his best to ignore the burn, Dmitri grabbed the spikes.
“Go!” he called to Kelson.
They dashed out from behind the rock, parting ways. After four running leaps, Dmitri guessed he’d gone at least ten feet, fell to his knees, and plunged the first stake into the ground, making sure the diamond wasn’t blocked by any debris.
He rolled to the right, around a rock, then jumped up and ran to the next location, piercing the second stake through the dirt.
“Next blast coming!” Early hollered at him, waving her hands frantically. “Next blast! Hurry!”
Dmitri dashed the last couple of feet to the final place and shoved the stick into the ground. Then he raced to the nearest boulder, hoping it would be large enough.
The blast came—violent, red with fury—and Dmitri rolled into a ball, trying to protect his head. But then the fire stopped. Dmitri released his hold and waited a moment, then peered around the rock.
Lasia was staring at the diamond nearest her, an expression of shock on her face. White light flashed from diamond to diamond, connecting them, and Dmitri had to turn away from the brightness.
He peeked again and watched as a solid, glowing sphere formed around Lasia, connecting the diamonds, coming to a rounded top above her. The sphere was milky and glittered multiple colors in the sun, the surface shiny like water. It glowed brighter and brighter until he had to look away again.
The light dimmed, and when he was sure it was safe, Dmitri got to his feet, cautiously coming around the boulder. He waved to Kelson, who’d taken shelter behind a rock nearby.
Kelson laughed, and Dmitri could see why. Lasia pounded on the inside of a perfect diamond ball, apparently screaming, but no sound came through.
“Things didn’t go exactly how the Fat Lady thought they would,” Dmitri said, joining Kelson.
Kelson laughed. “Nope. And look who’s mad now?”
Lasia glared at them, and Dmitri recoiled, amazed at how inhuman she looked. The expression on her face was more intense than any he’d ever seen before. Complete hatred. Seething rage. It distorted her features, which might have been attractive otherwise. Red veins popped out all over her face, neck, and arms. Wings Dmitri hadn’t noticed earlier unfolded, beating against the sphere that contained her.
Her bright-red eyes flamed at the two friends.
Early flitted up alongside them. “She’s about to pulse again,” she said. “You might want to move.”
Dmitri looked at her. “You can tell, even through the diamond?”
“No, but I know that look on her face.”
“Right.”
The two men backed up, but Dmitri felt no fear—nothing was coming through that surface.
Then Lasia tensed her muscles—the veins on her face almost appearing to burst—and red-and-blue fire exploded from every pore of her body. It looked incredibly painful, but she obviously didn’t mind.
For a moment, she wasn’t visible because of all the flames. The diamond ball started glowing brightly, and Dmitri couldn’t watch for a moment.
Kelson grabbed Dmitri’s arm, yanking him away. “The dirt!”
Dmitri jumped back when he saw that the sphere was melting the ground around it. The hot section spread, liquefying the place where Dmitri and Kelson had just been standing. They moved even farther away.
The diamond ball sank a foot into the dirt. The flame from Lasia dissipated, and she was again visible inside, angrier than earlier, if that was possible.
“Did you see that?” Dmitri asked. “The thing went into the ground.”
Kelson nodded. “It melted the stuff around it. I can only imagine how hot it has to be to do that.” He turned to Dmitri. “What now?”
“We go back and get the others, I suppose. I think she’s being contained enough for us to safely pass.”
Kelson chuckled, motioning to her. “You’re definitely right
, and I think she knows it.”
Dmitri glanced at Lasia. She mouthed soundlessly at him, shaking a fist. He snorted, then yelled at her, “Not so tough now, are you?”
“You might not want to provoke her,” Kelson said. “Who knows how long she’ll remember this moment.”
“Oh, it’s fine.” Dmitri made a few childish faces at the Fire Pulser before turning back to Kelson. “You look terrible.”
Kelson reached up to touch his face, but dropped his hand. “I hurt. Everywhere.”
“Let’s go back and see if Kenji has an ointment for us.” A stinging on his arm where Kelson had grabbed him earlier reminded him of his own blisters, and he looked down. Several had popped and were oozing a clear liquid.
“I haven’t been burned this badly in years,” Kelson said.
Just then, Early gave the warning that Lasia was sending another burst of flame. They turned to watch.
The same thing as before happened—she looked like she was in a lot of pain right before fire burst out of her. The ground melted again, but this time, her diamond prison started to sink quickly. Deeper and deeper it went as the fire exploding from Lasia’s skin continued heating the ball.
Finally, it stopped.
“Wow,” Kelson said.
“Wow is right.” Dmitri stepped forward, cautiously testing the ground that had melted. His foot sank, and he pulled back. “I think not walking on this dirt would be a good idea.” He turned from the diamond ball. “Let’s get the others.”
They stepped away from Lasia and went through the canyon, joining the rest of the group several minutes later. The men cheered when they saw the two friends.
Dmitri went straight to Kenji. “You know how to heal burns, I hope.”
“Well, yes,” Kenji said, staring at the blisters covering Dmitri, “but unfortunately, I don’t have access to the ways we used to use as Makalos.”
“Which are?”
“Kaede trees, of course. I know there are some that dot this trail, but they’re likely to be hybrids, and not pure.” He came to Dmitri, inspecting the burst blisters. “The best thing we can do is cleanse and anoint these with cream, then have you loosely cover them to protect yourself from infection and further damage.”
Stolen Princess: A Kilenya Chronicles Story Page 5