Sunweaver

by Ryan W. Mueller

  After a brief silence, Rella said, "I'd like to see my chambers now."

  "Of course. Let me lead the way." Karik stepped out of the library and Rella followed him back into the stone-lined corridors, across floors of the richest wood she'd ever seen. They passed numerous people, some of whom greeted Karik, and Rella had to introduce herself many times. The more she said she was Atarin's niece, the more it bothered her.

  Fire Guards were everywhere. She had seen many in the city as well, enough for an entire army, and those were only the ones she'd seen. It was no wonder Atarin believed he could win a war with Tarileth. The Sun Guard's numbers were impressive, but not this impressive.

  Then, of course, there were many Firelords, people whose talent was equal to that of the Sunlord—or at least close. Tarileth had no hope in a direct confrontation. She didn't know how to feel about that. Perhaps they'd see sense and learn to coexist with Fireweavers, but she doubted it. Six hundred years of indoctrination couldn't be erased that quickly.

  At a junction of corridors stood two Fire Guards who were blocking the hall beyond. Rella looked past them but didn't see anything worth guarding.

  "What's down that corridor?" she asked.

  Karik's mask faltered a little. "You shouldn't worry about it. I like you, Rella, but I don't trust you completely just yet. When Atarin says it's all right, you can know."

  "I don't mean to sound skeptical about Atarin, but that's more than a little suspicious. Are you hiding something down there?"

  "It's not your concern," Karik said, his voice hard. "Leave it alone, Rella."

  "All right," she said, though she had no intention of ignoring her suspicions. She took one last glance at the mysterious corridor before they turned down the one to the left. Still, she saw nothing of interest—or at least nothing unusual.

  Her chambers were a couple of corridors away. Karik opened the door and led her into the most lavish room she'd ever seen. Her father had never been able to afford anything like this.

  The stones in here were a brighter color than those in the hallway. Warmer. More inviting. Rich, dark wood stretched from one end of the room to the other, and plush red carpets lay atop that wood. Sunlamps formed the perimeter of the chamber, basking her in warmth. The chamber itself was larger than her entire house back in Tarileth.

  Well, Atarin did treat family well.

  "I-I've never seen anything like this," Rella said.

  Karik smiled, and it looked genuine. "Atarin takes care of his own."

  "Perhaps I can see myself living here after all."

  "I'm glad to hear it," Karik said. He walked over to the wall behind the largest bed she'd ever seen and grabbed a golden chain hanging from the ceiling. "See this chain? If you pull on it, servants will bring you anything you need." He put a hand on her shoulder, and it felt good. "I'm glad I've met you, Rella. I'll be around if you want to talk."

  "Thank you," Rella said. "I might take that offer sometime."

  And she had the feeling she was telling the truth. Perhaps Karik was on the wrong side, but she felt drawn to him in a way she'd only ever felt for Tarell. Karik's long hair was a look she'd never appreciated before. The way he always seemed so calm made her feel comfortable around him—or at least as comfortable as she could feel around someone she didn't trust.

  Perhaps it was time to let her old life go. She didn't agree with everything Atarin believed, but what difference could she make?

  Karik left her chambers, and she settled down on a cushioned chair, her thoughts running in circles. She thought back to that guarded corridor, to the suspicions she'd formed back in the library, and she had the feeling she knew what they were guarding.

  Or rather, who they were guarding.

  Sunlord Zaren was down that corridor. He was the last remaining Sunlord, and the anniversary of Halarik's imprisonment was growing close. Why else would Karik have shown up now?

  But how could she confirm her suspicions?

  Chapter 27: The Escape Attempt

  Kadin sat in a secluded corner of the plantation, staring at the ground and trying to make his Yellow/Green Sunweaving work. A nighttime chill hung in the air, hinting at snow. He had made sure to sit as far from any Sunlamps as he could.

  Even so, he kept glancing back, expecting to see someone watching him. Whenever he shifted the rocks, there was a low rumble, a sound that seemed amplified in the silence.

  The rock in front of him remained in place. He wove Yellow and Green again and again, but he could shift the rock only a little. Even if there were weak spots in the stone fence, how could he gain the power to take advantage of that? He wished Marell could teach him more, wished he had known about his powers sooner.

  Rescuing Faina looked impossible.

  Still, he had a lot of energy left. All he had to do was focus. Marell had told him these powers wouldn't all feel easy or natural. Why couldn't his ability to move rock match his ability to produce fire? The more he sat here, shifting rock little by little, the more he wondered how long his escape attempt would take, and they couldn't draw suspicion like that.

  With another low rumble, the rock shifted. Kadin sat on the ground patiently, seeing how much he could move if he kept at it long enough. Every few seconds, he cast anxious glances around the dark plantation, but it seemed empty apart from him.

  He couldn't stay out much longer, though. It was almost curfew, and overseers would soon search the plantation for slaves.

  After a few minutes of working with the same section of rock, he created a hole large enough for him to stand in. It was about a foot deep. He'd have to do a lot better if they wanted to escape, and he had to learn quickly. Every day they spent here was another day that Faina lived with Andric's cruelty.

  Kadin returned to his cabin a few minutes before curfew. By now, Aren and Walin had stopped asking him questions. He wanted to tell them everything, but if his secret got out, that would destroy any chance he had to rescue Faina.

  Over the next few days, Kadin continued his attempts at developing his Yellow/Green Sunweaving. He got a little better every day, but it wasn't quick enough. After a week, he thought he might be able to do it, but it would still take time. Faina was suffering, growing more reclusive than ever. She wouldn't even meet Kadin's eyes whenever he saw her emerge from Andric's manor.

  One day, Kadin decided it was time. Maybe they'd get caught, but he couldn't allow another day to go by with Faina struggling like this.

  Marell seemed to notice his brighter spirits that day, as he watched Kadin more closely than usual. Did he suspect Kadin's plans? Kadin knew Marell wouldn't stop him, but he didn't want anyone to know they were leaving today.

  After dinner, he made his way to Faina's cabin. When she emerged, she couldn't meet his eyes. Tear tracks remained on her face. He wanted to put an arm around her and comfort her, but it wasn't the time. She needed to recover first.

  "Is it time?" she asked, her voice tight. "I'm ready."

  "Then you agree with me? You can't stay here anymore."

  "You're right. I can't. I have to do whatever I can to escape, however crazy." She chewed on her lower lip. "Andric knows I'm a Fireweaver. He's known the entire time. That's why I have to do whatever he wants." Her jaw quivered. "And I can't do it anymore."

  Kadin took a deep breath. "Don't worry. This will work. Trust me."

  She smiled, but it looked forced. "I do trust you, but that doesn't mean this will work."

  Kadin understand how she felt, but he had to push his doubts aside. "I've found a good spot. I don't know how strong the wall is there, but it's dark, and no one ever comes by there. We'll be out of here before you know it."

  He led her to the spot he'd chosen. Sunlamps glowed in the distance, but there was barely enough light to see. The stone fence had to stand at least as tall as eight people, and it was about as thick as two. This would be a slow process.

  "Can you help me with this?" he asked Faina.

  "I can do a little. I can add my e
nergy to yours. But I doubt it'll be much help."

  "Do what you can." Kadin stepped closer to the fence. "Let's get started."

  He wove Yellow and Green within him and focused on shifting the stone making up the fence. They needed only enough room to crawl through, and they were both skinny. The rocks shifted slowly, so slowly. He worried for a moment that he wouldn't be able to do anything.

  The rumble began—low at first, but then it grew louder and louder. Beside him, Faina grimaced. He had no idea if she was speeding up the process. They both glanced around every now and then, looking for overseers. Once, Kadin thought he saw shadowy movement, but when he investigated more closely, he saw nothing.

  This was taking too long. Kadin could feel his energy and light reserves draining. Faina had stopped altogether.

  "Kadin," she whispered. "I think I see someone. Stop."

  "But we're so close."

  However, he knew he had to stop. The low rumble of rocks shifting would attract attention if anyone was close enough to hear it. He peered toward the brightness of the Sunlamps, and his stomach lurched. Someone was there, rushing toward them.

  "We have to finish," Kadin said. "We've been spotted."

  But there wasn't enough time. Soon the person came into view—the last person Kadin wanted to see.

  Andric.

  Had he learned of their plan? Had he somehow coerced it out of Marell? Maybe Andric hadn't accepted their story of why Kadin and Marell had spent so much time together.

  Faina moved closer to Kadin, putting an arm around him. Had she not been trembling, he might have enjoyed the contact. He couldn't keep his own legs steady.

  "What should we do?" Faina whispered.

  "We'll have to fight him."

  "Are you sure we're powerful enough?"

  "No, but we don't have any choice."

  Kadin started a Red/Orange weave, hoping he could kill Andric with a surge of fire, but nothing happened. When he tried again, his heart sank. Andric was shielding him.

  He turned to Faina, his chest tight with panic. "Are you shielded too?"

  "I can't do anything."

  "But how can he shield two people at once?"

  Andric stepped closer with a gloating smile. "I guess Marell didn't teach you everything about Sunweaving. I might not normally have the power to do it, but Sunweavers can also gather power from Suncasters." He glanced back. "Did you think I came here alone?"

  From the closest crop row, eight overseers emerged.

  "I'm using their power to shield you," Andric said. "Did you actually think I accepted your story about why you and Marell were spending time together? If you're going to lie, you shouldn't come up with a lie so close to the truth. I've been watching you ever since, using loyal overseers, those who can cast purple and hide themselves in the shadows."

  Kadin's legs trembled more than ever. He should have known that Andric hadn't accepted his story. Maybe he'd been so focused on rescuing Faina that he'd refused to notice anything that might hinder that goal.

  "What about Marell?" Kadin asked. "What have you done with him?"

  "Nothing yet. I needed proof of his treachery first. Now I have it."

  Kadin felt a small flicker of hope. Could Marell be out there somewhere, able to get Kadin and Faina out of this?

  "Now we're going to go back to my home," Andric said. "And we're going to wait for the Sun Guard." He turned to Faina. "I had hoped you would obey me. I was willing to keep your secret. But now I see I have no choice. We can't have a Fireweaver go free." He looked at Kadin. "And, Sunweaver or not, you are aiding a Fireweaver. That's a crime."

  With swords drawn, four overseers grabbed Kadin and Faina. There was no point in fighting.

  Even as a Sunweaver, Kadin felt useless.

  "Why do you care so much?" Kadin asked, fighting against depression. He could feel himself going down all those old, familiar paths. Pathetic. Useless. A waste of sunlight.

  "I am a good citizen," Andric said. "I never should have agreed to hide her abilities. Now I can correct that. Then, of course, there's the fact that you're trying to escape. If there's one thing I can't tolerate, it's slaves trying to escape. Even slaves who aren't legally slaves."

  The overseers dragged Kadin and Faina toward the manor, paying no attention to their comfort. The closer they got, the more Kadin felt like he'd throw up. His legs didn't want to carry him. His mind ran nonstop, but only in useless circles. He couldn't think of anything.

  Beside him, Faina looked pale. Kadin didn't know the consequences for aiding a Fireweaver, but he knew she would die now. Instead of saving her, he had doomed her.

  Hot with anger, he turned to Andric. "You're disgusting."

  Andric said nothing.

  "If you're going to turn someone in as a Fireweaver," Kadin said, "you should just do it. Don't hold the threat over her so you can force her to have sex with you." His heart pounded in his ears. "You're like my father, the kind of person who preys on the weak."

  Andric remained silent, walking ahead of the overseers. They entered the house and stepped into the vast sitting room, where the overseers shoved Kadin and Faina into wooden chairs. The men stood watch, looking menacing with their swords. Kadin squirmed in the chair, a cold sweat coming over him. He looked to Faina, but she couldn't meet his eyes.

  When he tried to do another weave, he felt the strength of the shield. At the other side of the room, Andric picked up a large, smooth stone and closed his hands around it. Strange.

  "That stone is like a Blue/Purple weave," Faina whispered in Kadin's ear. "He's using it so he can keep the shield going while he contacts the Sun Guard."

  Kadin's stomach lurched. He had to act now. He couldn't evade the Sun Guard.

  But what could he do? With more training, he might have been able to break through this shield. With more luck, he might have avoided detection. He had neither.

  He tried weave after weave, but nothing worked. At last, Andric returned his gaze to them, smiling again. How could he enjoy sentencing Faina to death? Had he ever felt anything for her, or had he seen her only as someone he could dominate?

  If Kadin ever got the chance, he would kill Andric.

  "What happens to me for helping her?" Kadin asked, dreading the answer.

  Andric's smile became wider. "You'll be executed right with her."

  Kadin knew he was in trouble, but he hadn't expected that. Well, he had his potential to be a Sunlord. Maybe he could convince them to let him go if he revealed it, but would that be enough to free Faina?

  It felt like an oppressive weight had settled over him, crushing him He couldn't stand the thought that he'd been so close to victory, only to be denied. Putting his head in his hands, he fought against tears. Faina deserved a better hero.

  He wiped the tears away. He could not allow Andric and the overseers to see him cry. They were all facing him and Faina, waiting and watching. Through bleary eyes, Kadin looked beyond Andric, who stood at the back of the room, near a door hanging ajar. That door came slowly open, and Kadin's heart leapt. Was it Marell?

  None of the overseers were watching the door, so Kadin didn't stare at it too long. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Marell step through the door. Marell gave Kadin a quick nod and pointed a finger at Andric's back.

  Andric fell, screaming and writhing on the ground. As soon as the Orange casting hit him, Kadin felt the release of the shield. The overseers turned at the sound, rushing forward in Andric's defense. Kadin thought about manipulating the stone floor to trap them, but he'd used up his Yellow and Green reserves.

  "Red and orange," Kadin whispered to Faina. "We have to keep them from getting to Marell."

  They did the weave together. A wall of flames erupted in front of the overseers. A couple of the men grunted as they collided with it. They staggered backward, looking on with pale faces. A few turned toward Kadin and Faina, brandishing their swords.

  "Don't even think about it," Kadin said. "Move a step closer and
you'll burn." And he knew, with chilling certainty, that he meant it. It didn't matter that Andric had power over these people. They deserved to suffer for their abuses. What had Kadin and Faina ever done to them?

  To Kadin's surprise, the overseers darted out of the manor. It appeared their loyalty only stretched so far.

  "Let the weave go!" Marell said from the other side of the flames. "Andric's in no state to pursue us now, not with the pain I inflicted on him."

  Kadin felt Faina release her weave, but he didn't release his. He had the chance now to kill Andric, and he meant to do it. Before he could change his mind, he shifted the wall of flame a few more feet.

  "Marell, back away!" he said.

  "Don't do this, Kadin!" Marell said.

  But Kadin ignored him, sending the wall of flames to the spot where Andric lay writhing on the stone floor. When the flames hit Andric, he only moaned. Kadin held the flames there a long time, ignoring the protests from Faina and Marell.

  Didn't they realize Andric deserved this?

  At last, Andric made no more sound. Kadin let the weave go, and the flames vanished, leaving burn marks all across the floor. Marell stood on the other side, glaring with the sternest expression Kadin had ever seen.

  "You didn't need to kill him," Marell said.

  "You can't tell me he didn't deserve it."

  Marell opened his mouth to respond, shook his head, then gestured for Kadin and Faina to follow. "Let's not debate it right now. We need to escape."

  Kadin took one last look at Andric, now dead, then followed Marell and Faina out of the house. Beyond the door, in darkness broken only by Sunlamps, everything seemed peaceful. Where had the overseers gone?

  Faina grabbed Kadin's shoulder. "I can't believe you did that."

  "But he took advantage of you. What was I supposed to do?"

  Marell's gaze was sterner than ever. "I said there's no time for debate. Where were you two trying to break through the fence? It's our best chance to get out of here."

  "You're coming with us?" Kadin said, trying to calm his temper. He felt as though his blood were on fire. He felt capable of anything.