Fireblood

by Elly Blake

  My heart sank, inching toward despair. What hope did we have that she’d let Arcus go? None. The Minax, grief-hungry, stirred in the back of my mind. I tried to ignore the feelings.

  Focus on each moment, I told myself. Make sure Arcus is safe and then rest.

  Master Dallr took in the scene, staring at the spot where the throne used to be. “The throne of Sud is gone. What treason is this?”

  The queen stared at the empty central area, her hand still braced against the wall. I was shocked to notice a tremor run through her. She was normally the embodiment of strength.

  “We did what we had to do,” I said shakily. “Prince Eiko wanted to protect the queen. The curse was gaining strength—corrupting the queen.”

  “The curse?” Queen Nalani frowned. “What is the girl speaking of, Dallr?”

  “Eiko had no right!” Master Dallr said harshly to me. “He had no right to destroy the throne that gives the queen her power.”

  The queen put a hand to her chest and rubbed, as if easing a pain there. Her keen gaze swept the room and landed on Master Dallr, fixing on him like an archer taking aim. “So you lied to me about the throne’s destruction. You hid the throne here. You hid it from me.”

  Dallr hung his head. “Yes, Your Majesty. But it was for your own protection, a necessity once we realized the curse was active. Had you known the throne was still on Sere, you would have insisted on using it. This way, you had the benefit of the throne’s power—but we kept the curse controlled.”

  “The danger of the curse outweighed the benefit of the throne!” I said.

  Dallr’s lip curled. “The throne was safely contained here where the curse could not affect the queen. Now look at her. She’s weak.”

  It was true. She leaned heavily against the wall, her expression haunted. Perhaps the absence of the throne caused a deep emotional rift, or maybe the separation was affecting her physically. She reminded me of Rasmus after the frost throne was destroyed—grieving for the Minax he thought he couldn’t live without. But Nalani hadn’t even known that the Minax was present. She was yearning for something she’d never known she’d had. She clearly felt the loss just the same.

  “You’re wrong.” I fought to sound calm, to not show the anger that swirled inside me. “It’s the removal of the curse that’s making her feel sick. She’ll get better now that it’s gone.”

  I could only hope that were true.

  Dallr ignored me. “You will have to answer for these crimes. All of you.” Without turning his head, he ordered, “Take the king back to the north tower.”

  The masters moved forward toward Arcus. Ignoring my exhaustion, I bent my knees, widened my stance, and raised my fists.

  Master Dallr barked a command and the masters halted. To me, he said with forced patience, “Be sensible, Princess Ruby. Don’t make this harder on yourself.”

  “Ruby,” said the queen, bringing my gaze to her. Her voice sounded faint; she looked tired and strained. “Where is my husband?” No one had answered her before.

  I swallowed and stepped closer. “Your Majesty—Queen Nalani—I’m sorry. Your husband is gone.”

  “He was here a moment ago.” She looked around as if expecting him to step out from behind a pillar. Her voice sounded thin, her face crumpling like a child’s as she searched the room with frightened eyes. “This is not the least bit amusing.”

  My breath came shorter, dread settling in my belly. This was going to crush her, especially now when she was feeling the absence of the Minax so acutely. “We… have much to tell you.”

  “Then tell me!” she demanded hoarsely.

  I pushed myself to recount the events of the last two days, including my search for the book, and my conversation with Prince Eiko, when he’d told me his suspicions about the throne’s influence. Then, haltingly, I described the destruction of the throne, Marella’s betrayal, and the portal that opened to the realm of the gods. I left out the revelation that I was a Nightblood, that I held the Minax now. I wasn’t sure what her reaction would be if she knew it was so near.

  I stumbled a little as I told her what happened to her husband. “Then Eurus… the… god of the east wind, entered through the portal and… and took over Prince Eiko’s body. He—”

  The queen held up a palm. She was shaking her head, her expression more haunted than ever. “You expect me to believe this, Ruby. Surely this can’t be true.”

  “You saw it yourself. I know you did.”

  “I saw a bright light.” She lifted her chin proudly. “It could have been… a reflection of fire.”

  “You want to deny it because you can’t make sense of it, but you saw it happen. Prince Kai can verify it.” I didn’t offer Arcus’s testimony, because I knew she wouldn’t accept his word on anything.

  “It’s true, Your Majesty,” Kai said, his voice still rough. “When I was searching the castle for Ruby after the initiation, Prince Eiko found me. He was frantic, saying that he’d been expelled from a secret throne room by a Frostblood woman, and that Ruby and the Frost King were in danger. I followed him back, and there we saw the god of the east wind…” Kai swallowed hard. “He took over Prince Eiko’s body. He blasted me with fire and I was knocked out. I woke as Eurus tried to take Ruby through the portal. We had no choice but to fight him. Then he used the Frostblood woman as a shield so we couldn’t attack. He left through the portal as… as you came in.”

  The queen’s eyes fluttered closed and she bent forward at the waist. Master Dallr held her up, his expression murderous.

  “I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Kai said softly, so much pain in his voice that my heart contracted. “I’ve failed you. I should have protected him.”

  I shook my head. There was nothing he could have done. But Kai wasn’t looking at me, he was staring at the floor, locked in self-recrimination.

  “Does he live?” the queen asked hoarsely. “Is he still alive somewhere?”

  “We don’t know for sure.” I couldn’t bear to tell her that Eurus had said that Prince Eiko was gone. Maybe there was some small chance of rescuing him. I wouldn’t take away her hope.

  “I feel weak,” she said plaintively. “I… I feel sick. I need… I need Eiko. I need… something. Something feels wrong.” Her voice rose. “The… the voice that calms me is gone.” She moaned, the sound echoing off the ceiling, multiplying her pain. The words were shredded, desperate, begging.

  I moved closer to her slowly, trying to block out Master Dallr’s hostility. I was careful not to touch the queen in case contact with my skin would alert her to the presence of the Minax inside me. “It was the curse in the throne,” I said softly. “The voice in your head was the Minax, urging you to… to war and acts of hatred.”

  “It eased my pain,” she cried, almost keening the words. “It made me strong.”

  We were all silent for a moment. I looked down, not wanting to see the naked vulnerability on the queen’s face. It seemed wrong there, somehow.

  “And where is the curse—the Minax—now?” she begged.

  I hesitated, looking at Arcus briefly for his opinion on what to tell her. He shook his head almost imperceptibly.

  “One of the Minax was destroyed,” I said. “Eurus plans to use the other to open the Gate of Light, and unleash the rest of the Minax trapped behind it.” Both statements were technically true, if misleading. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” I said again, not knowing what else to say. I didn’t even know if she was capable of understanding what I said.

  However, Master Dallr looked shocked. I stared hard at him. He couldn’t deny this was a threat to his queen and kingdom, something the masters should help us deal with instead of blocking our attempts. That was, if he chose to believe me.

  “You must go after Prince Eiko,” Queen Nalani said, quietly raising her eyes to Kai’s. Then she said more firmly, “You will go after him. And you must stop this… this monster.”

  “I will,” Kai said simply. “Immediately.”

  “I’ll
go, too,” I said.

  “And I,” said Arcus.

  Master Dallr looked at him with loathing. “You will go nowhere.”

  I glanced around the room. There were four masters in addition to the queen and Master Dallr. Kai was a master now, too, I realized with a shock. He would be obliged to fight against Arcus and me. And if we did fight, the Minax that lay dormant in my mind could wake and I could lose control. It was too great a risk.

  “You must allow it, Your Majesty,” I said urgently. “If we don’t stop Eurus, he’ll open the Gate of Light, and countless shadow creatures with the ability to control people will spill over the earth, possessing and killing people. And we’re the only ones who can stop it.”

  “Why?” she asked. “Why only you?”

  “I’m…” I glanced at Arcus and he nodded. “I’m what Eurus calls a Nightblood. I have some ability to control the Minax. But I need Arcus and Kai with me. If we have any hope of retrieving Prince Eiko, we have to use every weapon at our disposal.”

  The queen glanced at Arcus, as if struggling to understand how he—the enemy—had become vital to the rescue of her husband. At least, I hoped those were her thoughts.

  I turned to Master Dallr. “You must know how dangerous Eurus is, and that we need to act quickly.”

  “The masters have never lost our connection to ancient knowledge,” he replied. “It’s now a question of which steps to take to avert this disaster.”

  I sighed my relief. I’d been afraid that they’d continue to fight against us.

  “Have you considered that Eurus hopes you will follow him?” Master Dallr said. “He could be luring you into a trap.”

  “All the more reason for both the king and me to be there,” Kai jumped in. “Our combined power will give us the best chance of success. And we’ll both guard Ruby with our lives.”

  I looked at him with surprise. He was arguing on Arcus’s behalf?

  The queen looked down for a moment, touching her wedding band lightly before squaring her shoulders. When she spoke, her voice was still weak—but the old note of determination had returned. “I have been entrusted by birth with the responsibility of caring for an entire kingdom. When King Rasmus took the frost throne, I was helpless to stop the massacre of my people. We were caught unprepared. Not enough ships. Not enough weapons or soldiers. Unable to fight.”

  She stared at Arcus, and my heart lodged in my throat. She was going to throw him in prison, question him, kill him. She would do all the things she’d threatened and more, taking her rage and pain out on him. My whole body was filled with bated breath.

  “I will not be responsible for another massacre,” she said, a fierce light shining in her dark eyes. “I will not stand by as tragedy unfolds.” She turned to me. “If you, my niece, tell me that you must go, then I must place my trust in you… and you will go.”

  I let out the breath. “Thank you.”

  “You will all go, then. And you will take Master Dallr and a contingent of masters with you.”

  Arcus cleared his throat. “Respectfully, Your Majesty, even if my crew accepts the presence of Fireblood masters, the enmity between our people goes back too far. I’m afraid we have a long way to go before Sudesians adjust to a cordial relationship with Tempesians, and vice versa. Though, to be clear, I very much hope our kingdoms will be allies again.”

  “Allies or not, my masters are going,” she declared. “Rest assured they’ll behave with admirable self-control. See that your crew does the same.”

  “We could take two ships,” Kai suggested. “The Fireblood masters could travel on mine. As my ship is faster, I’ll take Ruby with me. The king and the Frostblood crew can follow in theirs.”

  Arcus made a quiet sound, a low growl deep in his throat. “Ruby will be with me. That is not negotiable.”

  The queen’s eyes narrowed. “You will do what is best for the mission.”

  “Then we’ll take one ship,” Kai conceded. “And we’ll combine our crews.”

  She gestured to the door. “Go, then. Take all the supplies you need.”

  My throat was tight. “Thank you for your faith in us.”

  She turned her gaze on Arcus. “I will hold you responsible if my husband and my niece are not safely returned.”

  “I would feel the same in your position, Your Majesty,” he replied. “I would tear the world apart if someone took Ruby from me.”

  She gave him a long, considering look. Their eyes held, some message passing between them.

  She leaned into Master Dallr and whispered into his ear. He nodded and led her carefully, step by step, to the doorway. She looked as if she’d aged by decades. The loss of the Minax had ripped something important from her.

  I wondered if she’d ever be herself again, or if some essential part was lost forever.

  A chill ran through me. Is that how I would look one day?

  What would be left of me once I finally found a way to destroy the Minax I held in my heart?

  TWENTY-NINE

  “YOU MIGHT AS WELL WRAP ME IN sailcloth and dump me over the side,” Jaro moaned, gesturing past the railing to endless rolling waves. “Those Frostbloods will be the death of me!”

  “All they want is to be given berths, same as the Sudesian sailors,” I said in a placating tone. A northeastern breeze grabbed my words and threw them back at me. Even the wind was arguing tonight. “Surely you can find room in the forecastle.”

  “But I’ll have to put them right next to each other,” he cried, oblivious to the attentive ears of the crew, keeping busy at their newly assigned tasks on the main deck. “They’ll kill each other!”

  I reached up and patted one of his hands, both of which were fisted in his already thin hair, one frustrated tug away from ripping out strands he could ill afford to lose. “You’ll find a way, Jaro. You always do.”

  His shoulders slumped as he dropped his arms. “The prince can pay me double my usual wage for this trip.”

  “I’m sure you can negotiate some extra pay with the captain.” I had no idea if that was true. I’d been telling everyone what they wanted to hear, walking on eggshells strewn over a tightrope for the past day. I was weak and hungry and could barely see straight, my eyes nearly crossing from exhaustion.

  After leaving the cavern, Kai and I had accompanied Arcus to his ship. Kai had inspected the vessel thoroughly and quickly declared it too old, too slow, and in need of several repairs. After a certain amount of bickering, bribing, begging, and grudging compromise, we’d all agreed to take Kai’s ship with a combined crew of Sudesian and Tempesian sailors, along with a half dozen Fireblood masters, as decreed by the queen. The Sudesian sailors had only agreed to crew a ship alongside Frostbloods after we’d informed them that Kai would captain the ship.

  Aver and Kaitryn already showed signs of becoming fast friends, leaping and scuttling along the lines like demented spiders. Jaro bellowed cautionary remarks at the ship’s girls, which earned him nothing but impish grins.

  The storm that had gusted in the day before had blown itself out just as quickly. The Errant Princess had been hastily crewed and outfitted and we’d left port at dawn. The jewel-green island had disappeared in a gray haze.

  Kai had set a course for Tempesia. We hoped Brother Thistle would be able to help us interpret the more cryptic passages of The Creation of the Thrones, which I’d retrieved from Prince Eiko’s observatory. Perhaps some hint, something hidden in the illuminations or in the symbols on some of the pages, would lead us to the Gate of Light.

  Spyglasses were currently fixed on the horizon, though even the last streaks of sunset were fading. I was eager to curl up in whatever hammock or pile of sailcloth would serve as my bed. More permanent accommodations could be sorted out tomorrow.

  “So, this is what perdition is like,” a low rumble said, followed by the sensation of cold. I shivered and turned to lean my back against the railing. Arcus and I hadn’t had a moment alone together in the rush to organize the voyage—no
t that we were alone now with the crew all over. Still, it was a relief to have a moment to soak up his presence.

  “Ocean cruise not to your liking?” I asked, shaking my head to surrender my tangled hair to the wind’s questing fingers. My braid had come undone hours ago and I hadn’t bothered to repair it.

  Arcus laid an arm along the railing and moved closer than what could be called, even by the most indifferent of observers, a polite distance. In his court, he’d been careful not to engage in physical displays unless we were alone. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was staking his claim on me.

  My eyes were drawn to Kai, who stood on the quarterdeck, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully, hair charmingly mussed by the wind. How did he feel being back at sea only a day after taking his vows as master? Relieved? Disappointed? Indifferent? It was hard to tell. Despite his open-book exterior, he hid much behind that charismatic mask.

  “Not when half the crew wants to kill the other half,” Arcus said, answering my earlier question.

  I turned back to him and smiled, suddenly filled with gratitude that he was safe. The queen had gone from planning to imprison, interrogate, and possibly kill him, to letting him go. That change of heart was proof, to my mind, that she had been under the influence of the Minax, and was no longer. Now the Minax was my burden to bear, but so far, I only felt its presence as a distant throb, like a toothache that comes and goes.

  I was also glad, I realized with a surprised jolt, not to have taken my vows as a master. I wasn’t sure until that moment how I really felt about it. I’d wanted the approval of the masters, the inclusion into their ranks, but I didn’t want the restrictions of pledging my life to the queen. It was good to know I still belonged to myself.

  No matter what happened, I had this journey to spend with Arcus and I would savor it. I would store up each memory like a treasured gem strung on a chain. I hoped the warmth of those remembrances would help me to master the Minax when it woke. And when the time came to use my newfound Nightblood powers.