Facing the Fire

by Carol Beth Anderson

  It was Ellea.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  We haven’t had mail service for months, so I haven’t written you. I won’t be able to send this letter, either. But I will write it and keep it in my pocket. If I don’t make it through the coming weeks, perhaps someone will deliver these words to you.

  Where to begin, love? I’ve missed you every moment. Nearly as much as I have missed you, I have missed Cormina—the Cormina that was. I am faithful to my king and queen, but I fear our nation has lost its soul. And I fear I am part of that.

  - Colonel Kav Stemming to Sharla Stemming, from Year One: Correspondence in the Corminian Kingdom

  Tavi pulled her eyes away, staring at the wooden stage in front of her, not wanting to draw anyone’s attention to her dear friend, who’d somehow come back to life.

  Ellea.

  “Are you refusing to watch because you do care about my gardener or because you don’t?” Konner asked, laughter in his voice.

  He was winning; Tavi knew that. But in that moment, something new occurred to her. It wasn’t quite a decision. It was a fact, one that hadn’t been there a moment before but which had already sprouted strong roots.

  I am no longer intimidated by Konner Burrell.

  Tavi brought her eyes up to meet his, and he grinned at her.

  “Do it!” he told the soldier next to him.

  The man pulled a match out of his box, and Tavi turned her head again. Not out of intimidation, but because she refused to witness such hateful violence. Her eyes sought Ellea. She needed to see the face of someone who cared about her.

  Ellea’s gaze was waiting for Tavi’s. The midwife lifted both hands, and her mouth curved into a small smile. Then her hands glowed, just for a moment.

  At the same time, the man Ellea was with turned and looked at Tavi. It was Rond, the magic-quencher. Somehow Ellea had convinced him to release his gift.

  The entire, wordless exchange had taken almost no time. Tavi’s head swiveled back toward Evitt and Konner. She ignored the burst of pain in her head and watched as the soldier next to Konner struggled to strike a match.

  “Do it, you imbecile,” Konner muttered.

  Time seemed to slow as options flew through Tavi’s mind, a dozen thoughts considered and discarded in the space of a breath.

  She could protect Evitt, but it would leave her powerless.

  Evitt wasn’t worth it.

  She had to save her magic, for herself and for Tullen.

  But no matter what Evitt had done, he didn’t deserve to die, not for her or for anyone.

  She hadn’t given Reba a second chance, but she could give Evitt one now.

  The soldier struck the match again, and it burst into flame. He reached out his hand, and Tavi reached into her desire to be more than she was, to share what Sava had given her. In a glorious, blinding burst of light, her all gift erupted from every pore of her skin, and she threw it onto Evitt.

  Konner’s body jolted back as his hand cannon recoiled, the sharp report echoing in the large room. Thick smoke clouded the air, and the entire scene was illuminated by impossibly bright magic emanating from Evitt.

  Plink. Tavi knew that sound. It was an iron pellet, stopped by magic, striking the wooden floor.

  Konner spun around, fury in every muscle, on every constricted plane of his face. He knew the source of that singular magic. He was squinting, temporarily blinded. But he managed to take three steps and face Tavi directly. “You fatuous virago,” he hissed, spit exiting his mouth along with the insult.

  Tavi didn’t even know what those words meant, but his rage sent a jolt of disgust into her so violent that her skin throbbed with it. She could feel tiny bits of his saliva on her cheek, and a wave of nausea hit her again. She drew her all gift back into herself, and Konner stepped away from her brightness.

  He turned toward the back of the stage and demanded, “I need four more armed soldiers! With your partners!” Four pairs of soldiers hurried from behind the captives to stand next to Konner. “Aim at all the rebels except the glowing girl!” he said.

  Tavi watched as the four soldiers aimed their hand cannons, positioning themselves at sharp angles so they wouldn’t hit their colleagues who held Ash, Tullen, Evitt, and Camalyn.

  Konner took a deep breath and lifted a hand in the air, but his mouth froze in the open position, his words halting in his throat.

  Evitt and his captor had disappeared.

  A laugh burst out of Tavi’s lips. But Konner’s consternation didn’t last long. “He’s still there!” he shouted. “I can hear him!” Tavi could too; sounds of a scuffle came from the place where Evitt and the soldier holding him had just been standing. Konner brought the butt of his hand cannon down hard several times, right where the noise was. Pained shouts and groans rose from the seemingly empty spot on the stage, and Evitt and his captor soon popped back into visibility. The soldier had a large knot above one eyebrow, and Evitt was unconscious, blood running from somewhere atop his head.

  “Drop the boy,” Konner instructed. “We’ll shoot him on the floor.” The soldier complied and stepped away, his hand rising to his swollen forehead.

  Seeing Evitt’s blood, Tavi felt even more nauseated. But she forced herself to focus. Her all gift was active, and she could only save one person with it. Perhaps two, if she was lucky with her timing. She threw her magic onto Tullen, who immediately cried, “No! Keep it!”

  Konner laughed and faced her again. “He’s smart. He knows you’re not safe. I won’t let them hurt you, but only because I’m saving that pleasure for myself.”

  Tavi yelped as Konner aimed his hand cannon, not at her head or chest, but downward, at her trembling knees. “Matches at the ready!” he cried. “We’ll all shoot at once.”

  Turning her head away, Tavi looked out at the crowd. They were frozen. Horror filled many of the faces; fascination colored others. Would someone not stop this? But they must have been instructed not to bring weapons; the only ones armed were the soldiers onstage.

  “Strike your matches!”

  At Konner’s command, the match-holding soldiers all began trying to strike them. One was immediately successful; the others continued their attempts until, several seconds later, they were all ready.

  “Fire!”

  Loud POPs filled the air, and Tavi cried out, expecting the pain in her head to be rendered inconsequential by the explosion of one of her knees, expecting all the captives but Tullen to slump in immediate death.

  But there was no pain. Her friends still stood.

  It took a moment for Tavi to discern why. When she did, she was at a loss to explain the sight. Every hand cannon on the stage had broken in half. Tavi’s nostrils filled with the earthy smell of black powder. It was scattered across the stage, along with broken metal tubes that rolled across the uneven wood. An iron pellet tumbled and bounced, stopping at Tavi’s foot.

  The room was silent. Tavi turned toward the soldiers in the crowd, and the glow of magic caught her eye. Narre stood, her hands bright golden, awe and joy radiating from her face.

  She’d finally thrown her magic.

  A sob exited Tavi’s throat. But she didn’t have time to revel in the momentary victory.

  “Give her to me!” Konner said. He grabbed Tavi away from the two people who held her. She bucked and twisted, but with her hands and feet bound, she could do nothing. Her back was to Konner, and he held her elbows tight.

  Snap. A sudden sense of release filled Tavi’s hands and feet. She glanced back at Narre, who was now grinning. Bless you, friend!

  Tavi wasted no time. She pulled her hands apart with every bit of strength she had, at the same time kicking backward with one of her feet. Her arms slipped out of Konner’s grasp, and her boot connected with his shin.

  She pulled away and spun around, every one of her limbs aching to fight dirty. She’d kick his groin and claw his eyes. She’d pull out his tongue, and if he got too close, she’d bite his flesh.

  But Ko
nner was a fighter, and he’d been practicing for decades longer than Tavi. She got in one kick, connecting with his thigh, before he grabbed her leg and pulled her down to the floor. Then he picked her up, his strong arms like vises around her hips and torso. She was facing the floor, her body horizontal, both her arms trapped in his severe grip. She kicked her legs but hit only air.

  Tavi twisted her head to see the others. Narre had freed them from their bonds, too, but strong hands still held them back. And for the first time since her capture, Tavi noticed the colonel standing on the side of the stage. His eyes were wide as he watched the scene before him.

  Tavi continued to twist in Konner’s arms, but the more she moved, the tighter he held her, until she knew she couldn’t get away.

  “Take your magic back!” Tullen cried.

  But Tavi knew it wouldn’t do any good. Her all gift protected her from attacks; it wouldn’t free her from Konner’s grip. Besides, the minute Tullen was defenseless, Konner might kill him, just as he’d threatened. She wouldn’t let that happen.

  Konner was talking to the crowd again. Still squirming, Tavi listened.

  “What you see here is a rebellious child!” Konner cried, his voice not even strained from the effort of holding Tavi. “Those of you who are parents know that her rebellion cannot be allowed to continue. It has consequences!”

  His words continued along that theme, but Tavi’s eyes were drawn to Ash. He still stood toward the back of the stage, perfectly relaxed, not fighting at all. A soldier stood behind him, holding both Ash’s arms. And Ash’s hands, held at his sides, glowed with the gray of a lightning-filled thundercloud.

  “General Talger, please stand before us,” Konner said.

  She approached, standing next to Tavi and Konner. He spoke to the crowd casually, like he was discussing their lunch menu. “General Talger is an excellent example of a selfless, sun-blessed woman,” Konner said. “She uses her gifts to serve you all: her people, her army. Now she will use her gifts to teach this rebel a lesson.”

  He turned to the general with a smile. “Direct your fire at her head. Be careful, however. I want her to keep all her senses. Focus on her cheeks. Her forehead. Even her scalp.”

  Tavi was crying again. Konner himself did not scare her. But the thought of fire eating away at her flesh filled her with a panic she hadn’t felt since that day in the Oren forest when she’d been unable to save her sister.

  Despite the pain she felt whenever she moved, Tavi twisted her head to look at Tullen, hoping to find comfort in his eyes. But she could barely see his face through the brilliance of her magic. “Take it back!” Tullen cried.

  “Oh, and Talger?” Konner said. “If she retrieves her magic, burn Tullen instead. I don’t care where you aim on him.”

  “No,” Tavi sobbed. “Please, no.” She was begging, and she hated herself for it. But oh, Sava, not this. Not this.

  Konner turned his body so General Talger could aim fire at Tavi without hitting him. Tavi twisted her body every way she could, pain still screaming in her head. But she couldn’t do anything to protect herself. Her wide eyes settled on Talger, whose lips had widened into a mocking smile.

  “Whenever you’re ready,” Konner said.

  As the general inhaled deeply, movement caught Tavi’s eyes. Ash was flexing his fingers.

  General Talger released her breath. Gray light swarmed into her hands and mouth. She raised her hands.

  Quick as a whirlwind, Ash thrust his hands and arms backward. His elbows connected with the man behind him. If the soldier was well-trained, any movement from Ash should have resulted in him tightening his grip. But Ash was far too fast; the pained soldier let go of his captive. Suddenly released, Ash threw himself between Tavi and General Talger, just as the general’s breath came out in a stream of orange flames.

  Tavi screamed. All she could see was Ash’s back as he tackled Talger. He took her to the ground, and in a moment, his glowing hands were on her throat.

  “Get him!” Konner cried. Two soldiers leapt into action.

  But before they reached Ash, Colonel Stemming cried, “Wait!”

  Hearing the voice of the man who’d spent months training them, the soldiers halted.

  Colonel Stemming turned to Ash. In a voice that brooked no argument, he commanded, “Hold her down, but take your hands off her throat.” Ash did as he was told.

  “Stop!” Konner yelled. Tavi squirmed, hoping to take advantage of his panic. But his hold on her was unbreakable. “Arrest the colonel!” Konner cried. “Say something!”

  Tavi didn’t know who Konner had directed that last plea to until she heard Relin’s voice. “Yes. Yes, arrest him—the colonel,” Relin stammered.

  “Restrain me if you’d like,” the colonel said. “But let me say my piece.”

  There was a pause, and then the injured soldier who’d been holding Evitt spoke up. “I want to hear what he has to say.”

  “He is not your leader!” Konner cried. “He is under arrest. You must listen to your king!”

  “You see who’s in charge here, and it isn’t the king!” Righteous anger filled Colonel Stemming’s words. “If Chief Minister Burrell is the leader you want, then by all means, arrest me!”

  Konner’s voice raised in pitch. “Men and women, brave soldiers, you heard him! Someone come up here and arrest him!”

  The room was silent.

  Konner ran across the stage, Tavi bouncing in his arms with every stride he took. She screamed and at last reclaimed her magic from Tullen. She didn’t need the blinding brightness of her all gift. Instead, she welcomed the golden warmth of the glorious magic that had encompassed her at birth. It filled every inch of her, a massive power ready for her to command.

  But she didn’t know how to use it to fight back. She wanted to shake the ground to stop Konner. But her feet had to be touching the floor for that to work. None of her gifts, alone or in pairs, would help her right now.

  Konner reached the stairs and stepped down. With a loud crack, his foot fell through the first stair. He cried out and dropped Tavi. She tumbled down the other two stairs.

  It hurt, but her head was already in so much pain, she barely noticed. Tavi brought herself to her feet and stood over Konner Burrell.

  Agony twisted his features. He was sitting on the edge of the stage, his leg still buried in the broken step. When he pulled it out halfway, Tavi saw his knee was bent at an unnatural angle. Konner looked at it and screamed. Panic filling his face, he tried to stand. But he fell and cried out again.

  Tavi looked away from him, disgusted. Her eyes found Narre, who was beaming with satisfaction. She’d broken the step; Tavi was sure of it.

  Tavi wanted to laugh, but her head was still replete with pain. She’d lost her magic when Konner had dropped her, but she brought it back into her hands and placed them on the right side of her pounding head. Blood caked her hair, and she mended the skin underneath. Then she sent her healing gift deeper, using her instincts to try to heal her brain. She couldn’t completely heal the injury. But much of the pain and nausea went away, and she sighed in relief, releasing her gift.

  Looking back up to the stage, Tavi saw Ash. He was still on top of General Talger. He’d pinned her down in such a way that her hands were beneath her. She couldn’t make fire. But in the brief instant her flames had been active, she’d burned Ash’s face. It was red and blistered. Ash didn’t even seem to notice.

  Soldiers, uncertainty shining from their faces, still held Tavi’s friends and Camalyn. King Relin, the man who’d chosen his position as a puppet over his family, watched over it all. Tavi’s eyes met his, and she hoped he saw how much she despised him.

  Relin—Aldin—looked at Camalyn. His regret was clear, and she thought he mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

  Then he turned and ran. But he didn’t go through the crowd of soldiers. His gifted feet carried him up the wall of the stage, then onto the ceiling. He sprinted across it, above his thousand soldiers.

&nb
sp; Every eye in the hall watched him, bodies turning in waves as he approached the rear of the room. When he arrived there, his feet took him down the wall directly above the doors. He crouched and climbed around the top of the doorframe like a spider. No one moved or said a word as their king left the building.

  Tavi checked to be sure Konner was still incapacitated. His face was pale and sweaty, and he looked like he might pass out. But he continued to attempt to pull himself to his feet, failing each time.

  Onstage, Colonel Stemming turned to the soldiers holding Camalyn and Tullen and said, “Release him, please. But not the queen.”

  “No!” General Talger cried. “Release your general!”

  The soldiers obeyed Colonel Stemming, letting Tullen go. Evitt was still on the floor, though Tavi was relieved to see he’d started to stir.

  “Colonel Stemming,” Tavi said, “it’s safe to release the queen and to remove her gag. We would not have succeeded today without her assistance.”

  The colonel gave Tavi a hesitant look, but then he turned to the man holding Camalyn. “Release her, and unbind her mouth,” he said. “If you see even the slightest glow of magic on her face, replace the gag.”

  Colonel Stemming then turned and addressed the crowd. “The time has come for a change. The people of Cormina must choose their leaders again. Consider what has happened in the last year since the coronation of our king and queen. In the city, people are murdering each other to get gray magic. You, our brave soldiers, are starving.” He gestured to Konner. “And a power-hungry man controls it all.”

  Holding his arms out to the men and women filling the room, Colonel Stemming continued, “You represent all of Cormina. The cities and the towns, every corner of our land. You’ve proven yourselves committed to our nation, though I’m afraid we’ve treated you poorly in return. Today, however, your responsibility has changed. You will make one choice, one that will affect the entire future of our land. No longer will one man determine who leads us. We will follow where you lead.