Risen (The Firebird Trilogy Book 2)

by Stephanie Harbon

  Risen

  By Stephanie Harbon

  This book is dedicated to my Mum.

  Thank you for all of your love and support; particularly over the last few years. Without you I would have never had the confidence, perseverance or motivation to finish this book. I couldn’t have done it alone.

  I’d also like to thank those who enjoyed Ashes and who continued to encourage me to write even at my lowest. Your nagging worked! (Sorry it took so long).

  I hope it was worth the wait!

  Lots of love,

  Steph

  Chapter One

  The sun beat down on my covered face, nipping at my cheekbones with almost a blistering edge. Its presence seemed everlasting; a timeless energy scratching at me with flaming fingertips. I didn’t dare to move into shadow; to revolt against its brightness. No, I realised, I couldn’t move into the shade.

  I was trapped. My hands were bound in shackles at my back; sparks of pain shot up my shoulders. Agony pounded in my head too, mingling with the beads of sweat already residing there. Despite my eyes being open I was completely blind. The ground felt unbearably hot against my skin and bizarrely…mobile. It took a moment for me to realize that I was lying on sand.

  Heavy material was wrapped over my face, tasting metallic when I attempted to identify it with my tongue. It had a bitter and rusty flavour, as if saturated with sweat or blood. My throat was so dry I knew my voice would only escape as a rasping whisper. A disorientating nausea distracted my mind from any fear or panic. I tried to sit up but a hand forced me down.

  “She’s awake,” I heard somebody say. The female voice was clear and bright and carried with it an obvious intelligence. “Zac take off those handcuffs but hold her still.” I listened to that familiar voice.

  Roughly hands hauled me up onto my knees. My mouth snapped open to protest but no sound released. Sweaty fingers slipped down my naked spine to where my hands were cuffed together. Pain splintered in my wrists as Zac unlocked the shackles with a snap.

  My shoulders ached tremendously as I stretched my resistant muscles; hearing twangs of protest. I winced. I was fully human, still wearing my ridiculous party outfit from the previous night.

  “Let her see, Zac,” that voice spoke up again, “but make sure she can’t speak. We don’t want her injuring her pretty voice before we even get there.”

  Get where? I thought anxiously.

  Memories from the night before suddenly flashed across my vision; Lynk and his plans, the Daemons, the dead Elders and the Winter Palace cascading down on my friends in an icy blue avalanche. I gasped.

  I wanted to know where I was but it was too painful to speak. My chapped lips felt like paper under my parched tongue.

  Prying fingers tugged at my hair and the material that snared my eyes. I blinked furiously when the blindfold slipped from my face, then coughed as it was shoved in my mouth as a disgusting gag. It was yanked into a knot at the back of my head. I coughed again, trying not to choke.

  As my eyes slowly adjusted I realised I was surrounded by looming sand dunes. The sun bathed the desert world in a surreal yellow light. No tufts of dry greenery were visible and the sky was painted a startlingly clear blue. I stretched my vision towards the distant horizon, but the sand seemed to go on perpetually. My heart dropped as I saw who had spoken.

  Briseis stood beside me like a black shadow. She was dressed head to toe in Gear –that flexible, durable leather stuff Phoenix clothe themselves in when contemplating violence. Her flowing brown hair was tied back in a leather band, making her beautiful face seem pointed; sharpening her usual, deceitfully innocent, features.

  “Afternoon, Ruby,” she smiled.

  I just glared at her.

  “Don’t look at me like that, chick,” she frowned, not unhappily.

  My glower intensified and she just shrugged; guessing my thoughts. “I have no regrets. The Ashaiks will get over it.”

  I shook my head, frustrated that I couldn’t speak.

  “Stand up then,” Briseis ordered. “You aren’t much use to us on the ground.” I touched my fingers to my blistering throat. Briseis understood; “If you do what we say, then we’ll give you water and let you speak.”

  Grudgingly I struggled to my feet, looking around. Briseis wasn’t alone. Behind her stood a tall Waterbird with a short spray of electric blue hair, and a broad but shorter Airbird with eyes as clear as crystal.

  “Zac here,” Briseis nodded towards the Waterbird. “Is our only source of water. If you misbehave, chick, he won’t give you anything to drink. And if you really misbehave,” she laughed sadistically. “Well let’s just say that he has a nasty habit of liking to flood lungs and watch people drown internally.”

  He sounds nice, I thought sarcastically, noticing the curved Gaborah blade strapped to his waist.

  “Come on then,” Briseis smiled. “Let’s get walking.”

  Walking? I thought furiously. I was nudged onwards by the tip of a blade and eventually surrendered. The next hour was spent trudging through the desert. My throat burned with lack of hydration. Nobody spoke and since I couldn’t physically ask questions, I was forced to follow in an angry silence; stumbling and tripping occasionally.

  Finally I began to see what looked like a mirage on the horizon. By now the sun was dipping low in the sky and a few stars twinkled in the rapidly falling night. As we drew closer I slowly began to realise it was a city.

  We’re in Trigate, I realised. That must be Ephizon; the Fire City.

  After another half an hour, as the dunes gradually sloped into dusty ground, I could see the striking Tower of Ephizon. Its walls were structured entirely from ruby which gleamed in the setting sun. We were about a mile from the city when the last sliver of sunlight faded into darkness.

  It was at this point Briseis stopped us.

  “Zac,” She smiled brightly. “Give Ruby some water, please.”

  The frightening man nodded. After a moment he came closer, roughly pulling the material out of my mouth. I spat it out, revolted, and Zac passed me a bag made of animal skin and filled with water. Carelessly I snatched it off him, gulping down the liquid with thirsty mouthfuls. My mouth moistened, the fresh water trickling down my throat. I swallowed automatically; coughing almost immediately. When the coughing fit subsided I licked my chapped lips and glowered at Briseis.

  “Why are we in Ephizon?” I snapped, coughing more than speaking.

  She arched her dark brows, “You know where we are?”

  “This desert is called Trigate.” I said. I pointed to the glorious city, to its sprawling buildings made of a fluorescent white stone, then turned back to Briseis with a stern look. “That must be Ephizon; hence the tower.”

  “You’re smarter than you look,” Briseis observed.

  “Did you just say I look stupid?” I demanded.

  She seemed to ignore my outburst, “You look unafraid.”

  “I’m not scared of you,” I lied loudly.

  “You should be scared,” Briseis smiled, and for the first time I saw the slightly manic edge towards it. “Because if you get caught doing what you’ll be doing, you’ll certainly die.”

  “I won’t do anything for you,” I sounded braver than I felt.

  “Oh yes you will,” she said confidently.

  “What makes you so sure?” I queried.

  “Because you don’t want to die,” she stated simply.

  I cringed uncontrollably at the tightness of her expression.

  “How did we get here?” I demanded. “The last thing I remember-“

  “-Like we’re just going to tell you,” Zac interrupted, laughing at me. “Until you start doing what we
say, you won’t know anything.”

  “What do you want me to do?” I narrowed my eyes sceptically, contemplating how far I could run before being caught. Probably not very.

  “First of all, put these on,” Briseis reached into her wing brace, adjusted across her wide shoulders, and threw some of its contents at me. Clumsily I missed, my reflexes slow with fatigue; dropping clothes onto the ground. I might have refused, but thought better of it, carefully shrugging myself into the dark clothes that were ridiculously tight.

  “Right, now what we want you to do,” began Briseis. “Is follow us into the tower and take control of the guards while we steal the Eternal Light.”

  “And why exactly do you think I’ll help you steal Eternal Light?” I wondered. They were mad if they thought I’d help them. The Eternal Light was supposedly the pure element of fire encased in diamond -apparently with no other use than to blind people who are stupid enough to stare at it.

  “Because,” Briseis huffed. “If you don’t use your gift we’ll just kill everybody to get through. Really I’m being extremely kind, I’m saving lives and exercising that lovely voice of yours.”

  I thought for a moment, then spoke warily, “Why do you even want the Eternal Light? Nobody knows what it does.”

  She smiled brightly, “And nobody ever will unless we start doing little experiments on it.”

  “I remember Lynks little experiments,” I said bitterly. “I was one of his little experiments. But you know what,” I leaned forwards, hoping I looked stern and serious. “One day his experiments will turn on him.”

  “Well until that day,” Briseis grinned. “You’ll help us. I know you Ruby. You’re stubborn, but you won’t let innocent people die when you can help it. Chara and Nik and even Adrian knew that.”

  “I don’t know how you dare mention his name after what you did to him.” I spat viciously.

  She just shrugged, “He’ll get over it.”

  “Why though?” I demanded, my anger flaring. “Why do this?”

  I paused momentarily, remembering one night when Briseis had admitted that she had once loved Kieran and that he had broken her heart. Was that story a cover-up or was it actually the truth? If it was, would she really do all this out of spite? Playing games with Adrian’s feelings too?

  She ignored my question anyway; briskly walking a few feet away and staring ominously at the ancient city. In the end I had no choice but to do what she said. If I tried to leave I’d be murdered and Briseis and her friends would go on a killing rampage through the city…

  I shuddered.

  So finally, reluctantly, I said: “What do I do?”

  She turned back to me; acknowledging my grudging surrender with a smug twist of her lips. She then turned to the Airbird, “We probably have about three minutes once we break into the city-“

  “We have to break into the city?” I interrupted. “Can’t we just walk in through the gates like everybody else?”

  “In case you haven’t noticed,” Briseis said coldly, “we are from four different Tribes. If we just stroll in there together they’ll be suspicious of our intentions and probably send warriors after us. We might as well have a little fun as we enter the city.”

  “Yeah,” agreed Zac, his voice deep. He whipped out the blade that hung from his belt, flicking it around his fingers expertly. “My kind of fun.”

  “Oh hell no,” I snapped, glaring at him with a surprising amount of confidence and authority. “You can put that away otherwise I will not be helping you at all and you might as well kill me now.”

  “She’s quite bossy for a hostage, isn’t she?” Zac commented to the Airbird; who I still didn’t know the name of. He didn’t seem to respond.

  “Alright Ruby, if you think you can convince them to let us in unguarded, then we’ll do it your way.” Briseis looked meaningfully at Zac, who nodded casually and replaced the Gaborah blade.

  “Okay,” I agreed.

  “Let’s go,” she looked back over her shoulder as she began walking away. “And Ruby, if you do try anything, I can assure you you’ll regret it.”

  I gulped at the menacing threat in her hazel eyes, but nodded and followed her. It took five minutes of brisk walking until we reached the main gate. Up close the fortress seemed glorious. Great white columns were erected around the entire city, with a solid roof-like structure running along the top; connecting each column together. I wasn’t an idiot; I knew that you couldn’t just walk underneath the continuous arches, marked with swirling red symbols. If I tried I’d probably just end up electrocuted or something from the dangerous energy of the wards.

  The night’s sky was pitch black now, though I couldn’t see the stars because of the overwhelming light pollution emitting from Ephizon’s burning bonfires, torches and flaming displays. Atop of the main gate, which was actually a giant stone arch inscribed with foreign words, stood a beautiful Firebird with outstretched wings; made entirely of fire. Warriors lined up against the walls, some waiting atop the high pillars. I swallowed, trying to stop measuring my steps as we approached.

  A lone man stood between us and the city, but from the moment he caught my eye I knew he was not to be underestimated.

  “Names,” he ordered, his expression authoritative and impersonal.

  I glanced at Briseis. Fortunately she spoke, “My name is Tarah. This is Hircurio, Juerlin and Ruby.”

  My eyes widened considerably; she’d used my real name.

  The guard looked at me with a renewed interest. “Swartette?”

  I nodded, just about recovering.

  His face seemed ever so slightly strained, “I am Louree; your cousin.”

  My heart thudded unevenly. The guy was tall, pale, with golden freckles and a spiked up twist of crimson hair. He looked young, I realised, too young to be down here and definitely too young to be intentionally subjected to my Siren’s voice. I could feel tension building constantly in the surrounding air.

  I tried not to be too penetrative with my voice.

  My almost-unique gift was devoutly hated by myself. I didn’t want to influence or control people with it. I didn’t want to bear the burden of my own heritage. But I didn’t have a choice; I can’t change my own blood.

  Despite this, I forced my voice into that specific tone. The note between the keys that could be terribly persuasive, “You will let us in now, Louree.” I told him softly; capturing his attention immediately and inescapably.

  His golden eyes seemed to glaze over momentarily. He cast his vision towards a guy watching from the shadows under the arch; the person who really allowed us in. Louree nodded sharply. The man’s sceptical, partly-hooded features seemed to hesitate. Then finally, we were gestured forwards.

  I tucked my fingers into my sleeves, hiding their tremors from the watching eyes. I forced my legs forwards, feeling awkward and obvious. Briseis, Zac and the Airbird quickly fell into step behind me. A silence fell on us as we walked purposefully towards the Ephizon Tower. I could feel eyes burrowing into my back, but heard no stalking footsteps.

  Once we were out of sight of the main gate Briseis stopped and we ducked into an empty alleyway. I shivered, remembering being trapped in a dark alley before with a knife at my throat; it wasn’t a pleasant experience then and I didn’t appreciate being in a similar situation now.

  “Not bad, Ruby.” Briseis nudged me, smiling meanly.

  “Thanks,” I glared.

  “Right, here’s the plan,” Briseis said. “We won’t be allowed anywhere near the Tower,” she said to the men. “So Ruby will slip in first and take out all the downstairs guards. We’ll follow her in once she gives us the signal.”

  “You want me to go in there alone!” I demanded, horrified.

  “You’re perfectly capable of taking out a few guards,” she rolled her eyes.

  “And how exactly do you want me to ‘take them out’?” I quoted bitterly.

  Why me? Why couldn’t Lynk do all this; he had the same gift as me.
r />   In fact, where was Lynk?

  “Don’t play stupid with me,” Briseis smiled coolly. “Lynk knew it was you spying on him before with that little boyfriend of yours.”

  My heart actually stopped beating. She knew about Kieran?!

  She continued relentlessly, “We knew that that blonde kid wasn’t capable of drugging guards like ours when you stumbled upon our alliance meeting. We knew you used your voice. We know what you are capable of.”

  Blonde? Then I understood. She meant Jayson. She thought it was Jayson and me who’d entered Lynk’s forbidden quarters and accidentally discovered a ‘meeting’ of mutilated half-breeds –part Daemon and part Phoenix- who’d brutally murdered an innocent woman. Really I had been with Kierakai Ashaik –the one guy who I really shouldn’t have been with.

  “Why can’t Lynk do all this?” I snapped; secretly relieved.

  “You don’t need to know the answer to that,” she said, turning in the darkness and whispering in a hushed tone to the others. “I want us in and out in five minutes and no more.” She glanced back at me. “Once you handle the guards, shine this against the gemstone wall. We’ll see it from the other side.”

  She offered me a clear cylindered object that glowed iridescently from within. As soon as I took it my fingers felt irresistibly drawn to its warmth; it was lovely compared to the plummeting temperature. I held it close.

  “Wrap it in this,” Zac handed me a long sheet of black fabric, similar in size to a scarf. Reluctantly I obeyed and concealed the light.

  “Okay,” Briseis grinned madly. “Off you go then, Ruby.”

  I made as if to move out of the alleyway but stopped abruptly, half illuminated by silver moonlight and half camouflaged by shadow. I didn’t turn, but I spoke with an unanticipated calm, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do, Briseis, by using my real name. I know you’re trying to make the whole of Ephizon think I’m one of you.”

  I could hear the amusement in her voice as she pointed out, “But Ruby, you are one of us. I mean, look at what you’re about to do.”