Fiery Magic

by Caryn Moya Block

  “That should do it. Now the phoenix can perch without fear of wounding you.”

  Engyl flew down and sat easily on the pad.

  “Thank you, Andras, Enfys’s son.” The phoenix bowed to Andras.

  “Who is Enfys?” Candace asked the bird telepathically.

  “The King of the Northern Dragons.”

  “You must go now, or you won’t make the way station.” Andras reached for Zahrah’s arm and lead her to their mounts. Candace followed behind them. “Do you have enough food for the journey?” He lifted Zahrah into her saddle.

  “Yes, more than enough,” she answered.

  Andras turned to Candace. “Do you see this ridge plate on Tae’s leg? Use it to boost yourself into the saddle. Kick your heels against her side to make her go. Call out ‘ho’ to make her stop. She will follow Bo, so you shouldn’t have a problem.”

  Candace stepped to the side of Tae and swung into the saddle. She’d ridden horses as a child, and mounting wasn’t much different.

  “I will be returning to Zaltana in a month’s time. Be well, Jiya.” Andras patted Zahrah’s leg.

  “You as well, Andras.” Her hand rested for a moment over his before she nudged the lizard in the sides with her heels. The rogne quickly took off and Candace nudged Tae to follow.

  Engyl squawked and lifted his wings to balance himself. Once used to the movement, he settled down, his head moving quickly as he looked around.

  Chapter Four

  At first, the forest fascinated Candace. Zahrah pointed out different edible plants, including the extremely tall Suchi fruit trees that seemed to be a staple of their diet. She also explained about the many dangers besides the red ants.

  As the day went on, the heat increased. Candace quickly became bored and even watching the rogne flick out their tongues and capture a few red ants lost its appeal. The hat Andras provided made her head hot and sweaty. Her thoughts turned inward to home and Haytham. Each rock of the saddle dulled her mind as she followed behind Zahrah on the small path north, until she dozed.

  Midday, they entered a small glade. Zahrah stopped, rousing Candace. She urged Tae to walk up beside Bo.

  “Is everything okay?” Candace glanced around.

  “Yes. We’re making good time. Here is a food packet and water. Don’t drink too quickly.”

  Candace took the leather bottle and paper wrapped package. She opened it to find a brown square that looked like beef jerky and another spear of suchi fruit. She bit into the fruit first, already familiar with the taste.

  “What’s the brown stuff?”

  “Dried banhweh. I think Cressida said it is similar to your pig.”

  “How did you come to work for my mother?”

  “When your mother returned from Earth, she came to take over her parents’ treasure trove and seat on the council. I danced in the Virgin’s Dance that quarter and wasn’t chosen by the king. Because I was the tithe from the village, I was available to be taken as a servant or returned to my family. Your mother requested me as a servant and the king agreed. I am her chamberlain.”

  Candace didn’t want to talk about her mother leaving Earth. She’d abandoned her family, her children.

  “So you and Andras? Can a chamberlain marry the Captain of the Guard?”

  “No! Don’t even suggest such a thing. It is forbidden.” Zahrah looked around as if afraid someone might hear.

  “I don’t understand. You two love each other, right? You couldn’t keep your eyes off him, and he kept finding reasons to touch you.”

  “Please. You mustn’t say such things. It’s a death sentence. Only the king can agree to a wedding of servants and only of the same house. I am of Cressida and Andras is of Enfys. We cannot.”

  “I don’t understand. I thought Andras was Enfys’s son.”

  “He is, the king’s only son, except Andras cannot shift into a dragon and so cannot be the king’s heir. He is a servant like me. High ranking, but still a servant to our dragon masters.”

  “Okay, calm down. I won’t say anything, but if I can see your feelings, others can, too. You aren’t fooling anyone.”

  Zahrah stared into the jungle. “I’m sure you are mistaken. Andras is a kind man, however he has no feelings for me.”

  “Oh, sister, you’ve got that wrong. That man wants you, bad.”

  Zahrah shook her head and picked up her reins. Without another word, she started her mount forward.

  Candace couldn’t think what to say to make things better. She didn’t mean to upset Zahrah. Somewhere along the way, Candace began to think of her as a friend.

  Picking up the reins, Candace hurried to catch up. Hopefully, they would reach this way station soon. Her hips ached from being spread so wide on the saddle of the rogne. Her knees hurt from staying bent while her feet rested in the stirrup-like straps. She’d be lucky not to fall on her face when she slid off Tae’s back.

  Zahrah rode ahead in silence. Candace soon missed the little facts about the different flora and fauna. How would she make up with her guide?

  The rogne moved quickly down the path. As the sun began to lower, the trees began to thin out until they rode onto a grassy plain. A small mud hut sat a few feet from the tree line. Small circles of cleared earth and crushed grass showed where Andras and his men camped the night before.

  “We will sleep in the hut.” Zahrah rode up to the squat building and slid from Bo’s back. She stood a moment, stretching her legs.

  Candace followed suit. She didn’t feel so bad about her legs feeling unsteady after watching Zahrah adjust to standing again.

  “What do I need to unpack?” Candace asked, waving a hand at the saddlebags on the rear of the saddle.

  “Your sleeping roll. I have the food in my bags. We need to check the wood supply near the hut so we can make a fire to cook our dinner.”

  Candace retrieved the sleeping roll tied to the back of her saddle. It didn’t take long to set up camp inside the mud and grass hut. A hole in the middle of the roof let the smoke and heat escape from the fire Zahrah built and Candace used her magic to start. The fire would make the hut hotter, but Zahrah promised a good meal in return.

  She pulled a small metal pan from one of the saddlebags and added water and some of the jerky to the pot. Then she excused herself for a little while going off into the trees and came back with a white root and several different green plant sprigs, which she cut into small pieces and added to the boiling mixture. Engyl flew off to find his own dinner, and returned fairly quickly, settling on a crossbeam near the roof.

  Candace’s stomach began to growl when the delectable smell of their meal filled the hut. Zahrah produced two wooden bowls and filled each, but no silverware. Candace grabbed hers, suddenly starving. She picked the larger pieces of meat and root out with her fingers while drinking the rest from the bowl.

  “This is delicious! You can cook for me anytime.” Candace finished the last of her meal with a slurp.

  Zahrah didn’t say anything, but she looked pleased by the praise.

  “I’m sorry about what I said earlier,” Candace began tentatively. “I will keep your confidences. I’m your friend, Zahrah.”

  Zahrah looked up, surprised. “You claim me as friend?”

  “Well, sure. You saved my life more than once. I like you.”

  “I am honored.” Zahrah bowed slightly.

  “Don’t be so formal. On Earth, friends can tell each other anything. We look out for each other and love each other like sisters. Don’t you have any friends here?” Candace asked, puzzled.

  “Not since entering into your mother’s service, though Andras…”

  “Yeah. I don’t think I’m wrong about his interest.”

  “Do you think so?” Zahrah’s voice held a wistful note.

  “Do the dragons adhere to the Destined One mandate?”

  “Yes, but I have no magic, so it wouldn’t apply to me.”

  “Everyone has a little magic in them. I bet you have more than
you think. I can do a spell to call your magic tattoo to appear. I bet you’re an Earth witch.”

  “An Earth witch? Why would you think that?” Zahrah asked, her tone confused.

  “You have a way with the rogne and the plants and herbs you chose for dinner.”

  “That is nothing. A skill taught me by my grandmother. No one in my family has ever mated with the dragon. We have no magic.”

  Candace moved next to Zahrah and took her hand. “Let’s see, shall we? Blood to blood, and heart to heart, ties that bind bring family’s mark.”

  Zahrah gasped as blue fire ran up her fingers and the black outline of a small unicorn appeared on her wrist.

  “See? I told you,” Candace said. “The next time Andras touches you, I bet your unicorn takes on color. You two belong together.”

  “Unicorn. What a delicate creature.” Zahrah ran her finger over the tattoo and then sighed. “Andras won’t return to the city for a month.”

  “That’s okay, it will give us time to research the law and how to get you guys together. Does the palace have a library?”

  “Yes. Your mother has requested books for you to read on the dragon’s history. They should be waiting when we arrive at the city.”

  “Well, we’ll request some works on Destined One law and see what we can figure out.”

  “Oh, thank you!” Zahrah threw her arms around Candace and hugged her.

  “That’s what friends do.”

  It took two more days before the ground changed again becoming rocky and the foliage sparse. The small one-person trail turned into a dirt road wide enough for a wagon, and Candace moved up to ride beside Zahrah. Candace regaled her new friend with stories of cars and planes and other things of Earth. It all fascinated Zahrah, making it easy for Candace to expound.

  Farms began to appear along the road and occasionally a traveler would cross their path. Zahrah spoke to everyone they met, but the conversations seemed brief and most people went out of their way to avoid them. The road began to climb over rolling hills, and Candace could see a large mountain ahead of them.

  “Zaltana is built within the mountain,” Zahrah said. “Once long ago, the mountain spewed hot rock over the land, then it went quiet. When the First Dragon came to these lands, he built his home within. I have one last stop to make before we enter. Your mother requested I purchase a rare spice that is added to the suchi fruit juice to make wine. My family in the village has always traded in herbs and spices. So, we will stop at their shop. I will introduce you to my grandmother.”

  Candace looked forward to meeting Zahrah’s family. It had only been her and Aiden for so long, she’d forgotten how families worked. When midday came, Zahrah once more pulled food packages out of her pack.

  “These are the last ones. Perhaps my grandmother will make us her special tea. We’ll probably eat dinner within Zaltana.”

  Candace took a bite of the dried fruit and then gave the rest to Engyl. Tired of the same old food all the time, a burger and fries sounded perfect right about now. At least the last few evenings, Zahrah cooked up a stew with the jerky and what vegetables and herbs she could find.

  Small buildings made of stone and rock came into view. The road continued to climb to the base of the mountain. More and more buildings clustered together until they rode into a small square in the middle of the village. People waved at Zahrah and called out greetings, while others stared. Many seemed fascinated with Engyl and some peeked out of second-story windows at them.

  Zahrah turned down one of the lanes, and rode to the end, to a small stone building with the sign of a blooming tree on the front. Around the side of the shop and away from the village, plants and herbs grew in neat rows. Zahrah encouraged Bo to stand near a wooden railing before she slid off the rogne’s back.

  “We’ll tie the reins to the rail. We don’t want our mounts heading for home without us.” She patted Bo’s nose. “It won’t be long, Bo, and you will have a nice bed of straw and a hearty meal waiting for you.”

  Candace slid from Tae’s back and tied the reins like Zahrah showed her.

  “Is this where you grew up?”

  “Yes,” Zahrah said, smiling. “My family has always lived near the dragons. Come, we have arrived in time for tea. My grandmother will welcome us with open arms.”

  Engyl took that moment to fly up to the roof and settle. “Be good,” Candace called to her familiar as she followed Zahrah into the shop. Candace rolled her shoulders to remove any stiffness. After three days, she and the phoenix had created a good working relationship.

  An older man who possessed the same blond hair as Zahrah hugged her tightly before also sweeping Candace into a hug.

  “Welcome to Cydair Village on the Mountain. I am Kelton, Zahrah’s father and will get the herb for Zahrah’s mistress while she introduces you to my mother, her grandmother.”

  Following her instincts, Candace bowed slightly. “Thank you, that would be lovely.” She turned to Zahrah. “I thought this was Zaltana.”

  Zahrah laughed. “No. Zaltana is the city in the mountain, home of the dragons and their servants.”

  She took Candace’s hand and led her around the counter and through a curtained door. A short hallway led to a small room. Sitting in a padded chair next to the fireplace, an old woman waited with a tea tray on the table next to her. She smiled regally and motioned for the two to pull chairs close.

  “Sit, sit. I knew you would visit today. So this is the daughter of Cressida. Much change rides on your back, but I see your heart is true. Here, try my rhyfberi tea. I think you will like it.”

  The old woman handed her a plain clay cup of the warm liquid. She offered Zahrah some and then grabbed Zahrah’s wrist, taking note of the unicorn tattoo that now graced her granddaughter’s wrist.

  “Hmm, that will need to be covered. Here.” She pulled a brown ribbon from her gray hair and tied it around Zahrah’s wrist. “Be careful, Jiya. There are some who would harm you for such a marking.” The old woman patted Zahrah’s hand.

  “Why? Who would want to harm a person marked with a witch house tattoo?”

  Grandmother stared hard at Candace, almost as if she searched her soul. Candace shivered.

  “There are some who covet power like others covet gold. It is hard to subjugate a witch. Did you call the tattoo to mark my granddaughter?”

  Candace nodded and gulped.

  “I know you tried to help. Next time, don’t take action until you have researched the situation. It is true that being so marked could lead to great things, but it also could put a price on my granddaughter’s head. Not everyone wishes the world to know his or her full potential.”

  Candace nodded. “I’m sorry.”

  “My friend only tried to help, neina.” Zahrah leapt to Candace’s defense.

  The old woman nodded and then smiled. “It is done. Now we will see what is reaped.”

  The rest of the visit turned to talk of the village and people Zahrah knew from her childhood. Candace sat quietly nursing her tea as she tried to understand what just happened.

  When Candace called her ability to see auras and looked at Zahrah’s grandmother, the woman appeared to be a powerful witch in her own right. Yet no tattoo graced her wrist, though, like her granddaughter, Candace figured the old woman as an earth witch.

  Candace sighed. She’d only been trying to help and still planned to learn the laws in this land. Still, Zahrah’s grandmother made a good point. Candace should have done her research before acting. She’d learned that lesson while working with the magical items in the depository. When dealing with magic, and dragons it seemed, knowledge was power.

  Candace took the last sip of tea in her cup when Zahrah rose from her chair.

  “We must be going if we are to attend Cressida at dinner. I’m sure Dad gathered my herbs long ago. It is good to see you doing so well, neina.” She kissed her grandmother’s cheek.

  “You as well, Jiya. Take care and walk carefully.” She squeezed Zahrah�
��s hand.

  Candace rose and said her goodbyes. Zahrah led them to the front of the shop, where she paid for the small package of herbs and made her goodbyes to her father, before she hurried them back to their mounts.

  “Hey, why the rush?” Candace asked, swinging into Tae’s saddle. Engyl called loudly and landed on her shoulder. She reached up to rub the feathers on his breast.

  “I’m afraid we will be late to dinner. I let my delight at being with my family distract me from the time. We must hurry, Cressida hates being interrupted during a meal.” Zahrah turned Bo down the road at a brisk pace.

  Candace followed. She would soon see her mother again, the mother who left while she was a little girl. True, her brother occasionally received messages from her mother through the fireplace after her father died, but no one ever explained why she chose to return to this dimension, abandoning her family on earth.

  A part of Candace returned to that little girl so long ago, the one who needed her mother and wanted nothing more than to run into her mother’s arms and sob out her heartache. Except, Candace wasn’t that little girl anymore. She’d grown up, learning to deal with first losing her mother and then her father. Candace had made a life for herself working for the Fire House Magical Museum and Depository. Engyl rubbed his head against her cheek as if feeling her distress.

  She didn’t really know her mother at all, though she remembered her as being a loving parent. Still, doing her research before taking action seemed like a good course, at this point. Zahrah’s grandmother was a wise woman.

  The sun lowered in the sky and when they finally reached the huge tunnel that led into the base of the mountain, large torches lined its length. A guard wearing a helmet sporting a dragon’s head on top and dark plates of armor over his leather tunic stopped them briefly at the entrance. He quickly recognized Zahrah and motioned them both forward after staring in awe at Engyl. The farther into the tunnel they went, the darker it became.