The Avatar's Flames (Through the Fire Book 1)

by Benjamin Medrano

  The Avatar’s Flames

  Benjamin Medrano

  Contents

  Regional Map

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Queen of Ice

  The Avatar’s Flames by Benjamin Medrano

  © 2018 Benjamin Medrano. All rights reserved.

  Contact the author at BenjaminPMedrano@gmail.com

  Visit the author’s website at benjaminmedrano.com

  Sign up for the author’s mailing list at http://eepurl.com/cGPT-b

  Cover Art by June Jenssen

  Editing by Picky Cat Proofreading and Copyediting

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Jessica, thank you for setting me on the right path when I got off-track

  Joe, thank you for sharing your experiences.

  I couldn’t have done this without either of you.

  Regional Map

  Prologue

  “What are you doing in here?”

  Ruethwyn cringed at the voice’s sharp tone, her fingers only inches from the book she’d been staring at. She froze in place, then hesitantly retracted her hand and turned to face the speaker, feeling unsteady on the stool as she swallowed hard.

  The speaker turned out to be the librarian, and Sinera looked very unhappy. Ruethwyn had only ever heard her father and mother speak respectfully about the black-haired, elderly mage, but the librarian had always scared Ruethwyn slightly.

  Sinera’s blue eyes narrowed and she spoke again, her voice frosty. “Children aren’t allowed in the library. Where’re your parents, girl?”

  “B-Busy…” Ruethwyn stuttered, swallowing hard and taking a breath before continuing, looking up at the librarian in trepidation. “Mom… mom’s out hunting. Dad’s weaving.”

  “Oh? You must be Beran and Mareth’s child, then,” Sinera said, her tone softening ever so slightly, but still staring at Ruethwyn. “If they’re busy, what are you doing here, girl? You should be out playing with the other children.”

  “They don’t like me. They say I’m boring, ’cause I’d rather read,” Ruethwyn mumbled, looking down at the ground unhappily, trying to suppress the tears welling up in her eyes as she remembered what the other children had said. “I’m not allowed to touch Mom and Dad’s spellbooks, so I’m out of books at home. I just… just wanted to read. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re out of books? I thought that Beran had at least, oh… a half-dozen books. You’re telling me you finished them?” Sinera asked, her tone gentler now, but Ruethwyn’s distress was intense enough that she didn’t really notice that. Instead, she climbed down from the stool as she nodded.

  “Yes. I like… like reading about other lands. Other places, and the stories of their heroes. It’s… it’s interesting. I wish I could see the same thing someday,” Ruethwyn said miserably, her shoulder’s slumping slightly. “I’m sorry, I’ll… I’ll leave.”

  “One moment,” Sinera said, almost surprising herself as she stared at the child, her curiosity roused. “What’s your name? How old are you?”

  The young girl raised her head, a couple of tears trickling down her face. She had dark brown hair pulled back in a ponytail to keep it clear of her pointed ears, fair skin, and eyes that were such a deep blue as to almost be black. The girl’s dress was nicer than that of most of the other children Sinera had seen, which should have been a clue that she was Beran’s daughter, but more interesting was how spotless the dress was. Most children Sinera knew would have soiled the light blue cloth by this point, but the dress was in near-pristine condition, rather than being well-worn.

  “I’m… I’m Ruethwyn. I’ll be eight in Copper Skies,” the girl said, and Sinera’s eyebrows rose still more.

  The books she was talking about weren’t likely complicated, but for an eight-year-old elven girl they were impressive, especially if she’d finished all of them. If Sinera remembered right, Beran and Mareth were both minor magi, which was why they had more books than most of Mellesyn’s inhabitants. With Ruethwyn’s age, she couldn’t really be tested for magical talent for several years, but as inquisitive as the girl seemed… if nothing else, that was worth supporting. Someone had to take care of the library once Sinera passed on, after all.

  “You don’t need to leave, but you can’t be in here unaccompanied,” Sinera said, her words causing Ruethwyn’s eyes to widen in surprise.

  “Really? I… I thought you’d be mad,” Ruethwyn mumbled, her hands clutching her dress tightly.

  “Really. I don’t like having children in the library because they don’t follow the rules most of the time. Do you know what the rules are, Ruethwyn?” Sinera asked, leaning down to look the young girl in the eyes.

  “Um, no…” Ruethwyn said, her gaze lowering. “I didn’t know.”

  “Let’s fix that, then. Look me in the eyes, Ruethwyn,” Sinera said, trying to keep her voice patient. She’d never had children and hadn’t been interested in a family, so she wasn’t entirely certain how to deal with the girl.

  Ruethwyn looked up slowly, flushing as she did so, and Sinera smiled.

  “Alright. The first rule is that until you’re twenty, you aren’t allowed to enter the library without being accompanied by an adult. That means your parents or me. The second rule is that you have to wipe your feet at the door and not track in dirt or mud. The third rule is one of the two most important ones. You cannot bring a candle or other flame into the library,” Sinera explained, seeing just enough comprehension in Ruethwyn’s gaze to be sure she understood what Sinera was saying. “Fourth, no running or yelling in the library. And last, if you damage a book permanently without extremely good reasons, you’ll never be allowed into the library again. Do you understand me?”

  “Um, yes, but…” Ruethwyn hesitated for a moment, then asked, “What if Mom came in and fell? They once told me to call for help if they got hurt.”

  “I see. In that case, you could run for help or yell for someone, but only in an emergency,” Sinera said, resisting the urge to smile. While it was a small thing, the girl’s question showed another spark of intelligence. “Do you agree to the rules, Ruethwyn?”

  “Y-yes, Lady Sinera,” Ruethwyn replied quickly, standing up straight as she did so, looking oddly solemn. “I… I just want to read more.”

  “Very good.
In that case, I think the books here are a little complex for you, Ruethwyn,” Sinera said, straightening and offering her hand. “Tell me, have you heard of the Sea of Mists?”

  “Um, I think so. The sea with the crystal desert on the other side?” Ruethwyn said, her eyes lighting up after a moment.

  “Yes, that’s it. It’s rather far to our south, but I have a book that I think would be good for you regarding it. If you do well, we’ll see about letting you read a few other books,” Sinera said, making a beckoning gesture. “Does that sound good to you?”

  “Yes! Thank you!” Ruethwyn said enthusiastically, and she reached out to take Sinera’s hand.

  Smiling at the girl’s excitement, Sinera began leading the way to the book in question, and away from the heavy history tomes which she imagined would have crushed Ruethwyn’s enthusiasm. It was a better way to encourage the young girl’s interest in knowledge.

  Still, how small and warm Ruethwyn’s hand was in her own was surprising to Sinera, as was how comforting it was to her.

  Chapter 1

  “Lady Sinera?” The man’s voice wasn’t too loud, but Sinera paused, blinking at the man who’d poked his head into her office.

  Beran Sylaris wasn’t very remarkable, Sinera knew, at least not compared to most people. His hair was similar to his daughter’s, a dark brown wave that he kept cut at about shoulder-length and otherwise relatively plain, though handsome enough with his warm brown eyes lighting up his face. Sinera mostly knew him because Beran was one of a relative handful of practitioners of the magical sphere of cloth, and she’d done some research once she’d found that out. It wasn’t a remarkable sphere, but it was certainly useful for the tailor.

  “This is a surprise, Beran. You don’t come to the library often, let alone come looking for me,” Sinera said, straightening from where she’d been going through a box of books that’d been brought in the previous day. It was a surprise, because most of the townsfolk viewed her with nervous awe. Despite how far Sinera had fallen, her magic was still far greater than that of any other mage in Mellesyn.

  “I don’t, no, but I felt that I needed to come in and speak with you. Mareth said I should, and she’s been too busy to come in,” Beran admitted, looking a little uncomfortable as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.

  “Why might that be?” Sinera asked, resisting the urge to sigh at his reaction. She suspected she knew why he was there, though.

  It’d been four years since she’d found Ruethwyn in the library without permission, and Sinera had found herself growing oddly fond of the girl. Most of the children in town were the type to run about, laughing and playing as they explored the forest around the town, but Ruethwyn was different. The girl was quieter and more thoughtful than most of the others Sinera had seen, and though Ruethwyn was prone to abrupt emotional changes and sudden delight, Sinera had begun taking a certain joy in guiding the young girl. It was far more surprising that it’d taken this long for Ruethwyn’s parents to come speak with her than the fact that they had.

  “It’s about Ruethwyn,” Beran said, hesitating before he asked, “May I come in?”

  “Of course. Take a seat if you’d like,” Sinera said and paused as the man approached the chair, looking uncomfortable. As he eased into it, she asked, “Now, what’s this about Ruethwyn?”

  “Well, it came to our attention some time ago that she’s been visiting the library a lot, and since you didn’t seem to object we haven’t paid it any mind. Rue has often been a curious child, and she loves reading,” Beran said, hesitation in his voice as he continued. “But… a couple days ago she brought a book home. She said you lent it to her, but I thought that we’d best be certain. Rue isn’t causing problems, is she, or being a bother?”

  “A bother? Of course not. Ruethwyn is an inquisitive, considerate young girl, especially for her age. It’s been fascinating to watch her develop,” Sinera said, shaking her head slightly as she added, “Oh, I’ve been a bit concerned that she spends so much time here, but it’s her choice. I should add that I did allow her to take the book home to study.”

  “Wonderful!” Beran said, relief obvious on his face as he relaxed. “I was just concerned, and… well, I was also curious what your intentions for her are.”

  “That’s an excellent question, and I don’t know the answer yet. At the moment, I’m guiding her, but you know as well as I do that just because a child shows an interest in knowledge at this age doesn’t mean they’ll retain that desire for their entire life,” Sinera said, and Beran nodded in agreement.

  “Yes. I trained as a forester for nearly a decade before finding that I loved weaving and making clothing more,” the man said. “You’re meaning something like that, yes?”

  “Precisely. If she keeps her interest, I could easily see her becoming my assistant and taking over as Mellesyn’s librarian when I decide to move on,” Sinera said, deliberately ignoring the aspect that moving on would likely involve her death. “However, there’s another possibility as well. You and Mareth are both minor magi, which means that Ruethwyn could have a decent talent for magic of her own. It’ll be a couple more years before I’d care to test her for such, but it’s a possibility.”

  “Really? Well, of course, I suppose I can understand that,” Beran said, running a hand through his hair. “I just didn’t think about it much. Having a love of knowledge would certainly help. Do you think she might be capable of going to an academy or the like in one of the larger villages? Assuming she has a talent for magic, I mean.”

  “I think you’re misunderstanding, Beran,” Sinera said, her tone mild as she smiled ever so slightly. “If Ruethwyn doesn’t change for the worse and has at least a modest talent, I’m considering taking her as an apprentice.”

  “You… I…” Beran’s eyes went wide as he stared at her, obviously in shock.

  “Still, that’s a question for the future. Don’t talk to her about it, since it wouldn’t do to get her hopes up,” Sinera said firmly, pulling out one of the books and setting it on her desk. “Now, is that everything? I have some new books to sort and examine for damage.”

  “I… of course, Lady Sinera. Thank you for your time,” Beran conceded, standing and bowing his head. “I’ll talk to Mareth. You gave me a great deal to think about.”

  “Good,” Sinera said, and as he left, she went back to her books.

  Ruethwyn headed toward the center of town nervously. Earlier, her mother had made a soft but pointed comment about how much she was staying inside. After how upset her parents had been after she brought home the book Sinera had lent her, Ruethwyn thought that maybe going to play with the other children would make them happier.

  That wasn’t to say that it didn’t make her nervous, though. She didn’t play with the others often, and they didn’t read much. As Ruethwyn reached the center of town, she saw a half-dozen children gathered near the town elder’s home, along with a couple others scattered in between her and the group, who looked like they were preparing for target practice based on the bows they had out.

  Swallowing hard, Ruethwyn started across the clearing toward the largest group, her heart pounding as she did so. It was so bright out, and she was used to the dimmer light of the library.

  As she passed a pair of others, Carlen and Jayla, she heard Carlen speak, his voice startled. “Is that Rue? What’s she doing out here?”

  His tone was… unpleasant, and Ruethwyn slowed slightly as she heard Jayla reply.

  “It is, isn’t it? Weird… I mean, I know that her parents are Sylvan, but she’d be better off with the Karakar, with how much she’s in the library,” Jayla said, her voice just barely audible. “Mother says that while all elves should learn what they can, she spends too much time there. It just isn’t natural to spend that much time reading.”

  “Yeah,” Carlen replied, and Ruethwyn quickly moved out of earshot before he could continue, her cheeks and ears burning with embarrassment.

  A hot sensation was prickling at her e
yes, and Ruethwyn took a moment to force back the tears trying to well up before looking at the cluster of elves with the bows.

  As she watched, one of the girls drew the bow with practiced ease, an ease which Ruethwyn wouldn’t be able to manage herself. If she tried, all she’d be doing was inviting more ridicule. It just… wasn’t worth that. Ruethwyn would rather be home with her book, which wouldn’t criticize her for anything.

  So, Ruethwyn changed course and headed past the tree and started circling the long way back home. She didn’t want to pass Carlen and Jayla again.

  Chapter 2

  The sound of Anara’s voice caused Ruethwyn to pause halfway to the library, looking for the slightly older elven girl. Ruethwyn found the source of the wordless song in the middle of the town square, and as she did, Ruethwyn held back a sigh of… she wasn’t certain how to view it. Envy and resignation at the same time, perhaps.

  Anara was everything that Ruethwyn envied and wanted to be. The young woman was only five years older than Ruethwyn, and Anara was beloved of all Mellesyn. With a lithe but full figure, hair like spun gold, and crystal blue eyes that sparkled in the sun, Anara was the very image of Sylvan beauty, and she was surrounded by her friends and family even now.