Ashes (The Firebird Trilogy Book 1)

by Stephanie Harbon

  For a brief moment I was suspended in midair, as if time had frozen, then too quickly I crashed into the cold hard tarmac. The impact was astonishing. I’d underestimated the speed in which we’d been travelling and I automatically pushed my hands out in front of me, unsuccessfully trying to protect my face. I felt my forehead blaze as it collided with the rough gravelled surface. My palms scraped across the ground, small sharp stones digging into my soft flesh like fragments of shattered glass. Then I was spinning, tumbling in a chaotic mess of my own limbs. The wind was blown from my lungs, but when I finally stopped, I was gasping frantically.

  I didn’t have time to recover; the car had nearly stopped, so I darted up, my body screaming agonised protests, and I started to run. I was slow, limping. Even then I knew I didn’t stand a chance of outrunning anyone. Still, I persevered on sheer determination, struggling to dash through the trees. I would have to hide. I stumbled, glancing back for a moment, seeing what I’d feared; a tall muscled man I didn’t recognise was gaining on me. He was right behind me.

  “Stop!” he yelled, “We won’t hurt you, we just want to talk.”

  Ignoring this, I ran faster, however fate was apparently against me as I tripped over an upraised root on the forest floor, landing face first into the mud. My aching muscles screeched as I attempted to stand, but the man had already reached me. The prominent biceps on his arms were stretched like thick cords as he grasped my shoulder with an inhuman strength and pinned me down.

  I was gasping, my lungs contracting frantically for oxygen, but he looked barely out of breath. He looked earnestly into my eyes; his were a soft milky brown with long curling lashes. His voice was low and unruffled when he uttered, “It’s okay Ruby.” His tone had the kind of calm that would reassure a frightened child.

  “My name is Nikolas. I won’t hurt you. I know you’ve been through a lot, but you need to listen to me.” It was only then when my brain clicked on; he was one of the men with Kieran at the pub.

  He seemed trustworthy; was it genuine or was he just a really good liar? He had an honest open face, handsome in a way Mum would have called ‘traditional’ with his crinkly eyes, sun-kissed skin and gentle mouth.

  “Why should I trust you?” I asked sceptically; my voice shaking.

  Nikolas smiled sadly, letting go of his tight restraint on my shoulder and said, “Because you’ll be in a lot more trouble if you don’t.”

  There was one thing I remembered specifically from last night, other than the transformation of Kieran and being stabbed like a cocktail sausage, and that was Kieran’s dooming words.

  “Is it true?” I wondered to this strangely sensitive man “Am I going to die?”

  Nikolas looked at me, then away before I could decipher his expression. “I’ll answer all your questions inside the car. Please. You need to listen to what we have to say.” He stood up slowly, offering a supportive hand.

  I stared at it suspiciously for a moment.

  “You need help,” he persevered, “You’re bleeding. Please Ruby, I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.”

  My head was swimming, my vision blurring. In the end I had no choice but to take the risk and reluctantly take his offered hand. He cupped his hand just under my elbow, carefully avoiding the pouring scrapes on my palms. I needed his help more than I’d anticipated; when I attempted to walk I staggered, my head whirling and he caught me quickly, sweeping me up into his arms in an effortless motion. I protested, but in vain, and Nikolas carried me back through the forest. When we reached the road I realised we weren’t alone.

  Kieran, his brother Adrian, and the two women I’d seen before were stood at the roadside. Kieran and his brother’s motorbikes were positioned just in front of the flashy expensive-looking car I’d been in and the younger of the two girls clutched a helmet in her hands; she must have ridden on the back of one of the bikes. I only noticed this for a second before my eyes settled on Kieran and a sudden fear lurched in me. I struggled in Nikolas’s arms, trying to wrench free.

  “What is it?” he uttered, purposefully being quiet so the others couldn’t hear.

  “Kieran, he’s…” I trailed off, grasping for an appropriate word. Surrendering, I settled with “A monster.”

  “We are all monsters Ruby,” Kieran’s eyes darted towards me, hearing what I said. “Every creature that holds a fragment of humanity in its heart is part monster; it’s just that not everyone has claws like mine.” He winked.

  “She jumped out of the car, Kieran,” Nikolas began.

  “I can see that,” he noted, looking out across the side of the road, “She’s painted the pavement a nice shade of red.”

  “The gash on her head seems pretty deep,” Nikolas continued. I could feel his chest rising and falling like ocean waves as he spoke. That motion was all I could concentrate on, my mind was spinning. I was losing consciousness as the blood persistently spilled from my forehead, leaving rivers through my eyebrows. “And there are cuts on her palms and elbows.”

  Kieran sighed bitterly, “Translation; fix her Kieran.”

  “You might as well,” snarled Adrian with a sudden maliciousness, “You’ve already broken the laws of the High Covenant by healing her once.”

  Kieran turned to his brother with a deep frown, “We’ve all broken the laws; of this world and ours. What’s the harm in breaking one more?”

  “She’ll die.” Adrian spat, his gaze sweeping over me like a cold breeze, I shivered. “And what if she never rises? Or worse, what if she does? Then what are you going to do? We’ll be trapped. We are free now where we are, I say we stay. What difference is it where she dies anyway? It’s inevitable.”

  “I will not allow that.” This time it was Nikolas who spoke, his tone held a softness that was subtly laced with poison. “Ruby is a Daughter of the Ashes.”

  “It’s not the same. She’s not even one of us. She’s of fire.” Adrian protested.

  “It’s worse than that,” Kieran admitted, “She’s a Swartette.”

  There was a sharp intake of breath by one of the women, the other looked shocked and while I was hanging there, still clutched in Nikolas’s arms, something finally registered in my agonised brain; Swartette. I knew that word.

  I tried to say something but my words tripped over my tongue. Nik noticed this and said to Kieran, “If you’re going to heal her do it now.”

  Kieran’s beautiful face transformed, becoming utterly devoid of emotion, his black pupils expanding across his iris. I followed the darkness, stretching my mind across the contours of the fathomless space; slipping into unconsciousness.

  “Ruby, Ruby…” somebody said abruptly, I looked up unfocusedly. All I saw was brown skin before the picture evaporated. “Ruby!” I opened my eyes – did I shut them? - And saw milky brown eyes mere inches from my face. I heard a quiet sigh of relief, “Kieran will…” the words slurred, and my vision blurred again…

  “Ruby, wake up,” Kieran demanded. Something mercilessly hard struck my cheek. My eyes opened in surprise. Kieran was glaring at me fiercely, “you need to stay strong.” He barked instructions, “Chara, check the skyline for people on the road. Nik, lower her down, but keep her upright. Briseis, fetch me some water and cloth. Adrian…” he paused. I opened my eyes, trying to prevent the lids from drooping disobediently. Kieran had a deadly serious expression as he glanced at his menacing brother and said, “Fetch me a Snickers bar.”

  I could see Adrian glower, making a deep rumbling noise in the back of his throat, almost like a growl of frustration as he and the others stomped off; obviously irritated by Kieran’s orders but in no position to refuse.

  I looked at Kieran then, sensing him before he lowered himself to his knees. A moment later I heard a girl’s voice confirm that the road would be clear for at least ten minutes. Kieran nodded, swiftly moving forwards. I flinched back instinctively, but then I noticed something that made me freeze in awed fascination.

  As I watched, strange dark patterns advanced over
Kieran’s hands, spreading rapidly up his forearms and disappearing underneath his shirt; they looked like intricate tribal tattoos materialising from under his skin.

  He lifted his hands towards me and I saw that the marks, although at first glance appeared black, were a rich green that seemed dusted in crushed emerald.

  Kieran leaned closer, delicately pressing his fingertips to my temples, rubbing soothing circles down my bleeding forehead. I winced initially as he touched the cut, then I relaxed almost immediately. The pain and dizziness washed away, extinguishing the blazing fire in my mind. Eventually my sight and hearing sharpened. Kieran moved to the scrapes on my palms, fluttering his fingertips over the tattered flesh. My body was tingling with a bizarre sensation.

  Kieran’s eyes were nearly black, his beautiful skin pulled taut across his strong features; its cinnamon colour dulled lifelessly. Kieran’s hands fell to the tarmac, supporting his heavy convulsing frame. His muscled arms were as tense as his clenched jaw. He shuddered then, his expression composed into bleak emptiness.

  His pupils shrunk and I could see the bright green of his iris again.

  A girl, the younger one, came forward carrying a wet cloth. I felt the arms withdraw from underneath me as I was lowered onto the ground. The girl helped me upright. I didn’t fall though my balance wavered slightly, and she smiled as she wiped the drying blood off my forehead. I noticed her hands were small, her fingers slender and her fingernails coated in green polish. When she finished with my forehead she poured more water onto the bloody cloth from a plastic bottle. Red water spilled from the cloth and she squeezed most of it out, then wiped at my hands. To my astonishment, underneath the crusting blood was scarred but otherwise flawless skin.

  I gaped in confusion, glancing up at Kieran, who was now wincing as he struggled to stand. “How did you do that?” I asked quietly.

  He looked at me and for the first time I think he actually saw me. His eyes were calm, the green of a placid tropical ocean, as they stared into mine with a deep, almost sad, intensity. “With much controversy,” Kieran answered.

  “Ruby,” Nikolas said suddenly, “You need to know our names. For a start you know my name’s Nikolas, this is my wife Chara,” he gestured towards the older girl, his eyes suddenly affectionate. Chara smiled at me, warmth building under necessary guardedness. Nikolas continued “This is Briseis…” He nodded to the younger girl, who grinned an unusually dazzlingly smile. “You’ve seen our always polite and lovely Adrian,” he gestured at the dark figure of Adrian, who glared accordingly. “And you obviously know Kierakai.” Nikolas finished.

  I frowned. “What?” I blurted unthinkingly. I hadn’t seen anyone else, unless he meant… I looked sharply at Kieran. “Your name’s not Kieran.” I stated angrily.

  He smirked. “No it’s not. My name’s Kierakai Ashaik.” He announced, as if I were stupid for not guessing. I scowled at him; but he was now scowling at Nikolas, “I really wish you would just call me Kieran like everybody else, Nik.” His eyes darted back to me, “I changed my name, so you can still call me Kieran. Nik just seems to forget that I’m not who I once was.”

  I stared at him hard, anger blazing behind my tired eyes. He winked at me, infuriatingly at ease, my emotions were everywhere. I wanted to cry and laugh hysterically; I didn’t know what was happening, where I was, who to trust…

  “Well, now that you know everyone…” Nikolas said awkwardly after a short silence, “Can you explain how you got here, Ruby? Can you remember?”

  I stared at him, “I remember being stabbed by men with knives and guns if that’s what you mean.”

  Nikolas shook his head, “No, that’s not what I meant,” he explained, “I meant do you remember how you got here from Kariak?”

  A vague flicker of recognition darted through the haze that clouded my mind. I managed to mumble, “I remember that word.”

  “Her memory’s gone,” Briseis said. “It must have been part of the curse.”

  “What are you talking about?” I said, even more confused.

  She nodded, as if expecting that. “You are one of us, Ruby.”

  “Well, technically you aren’t,” snapped Adrian bitingly, “You’re a Swartette.”

  I stared disbelievingly at Kieran, “I am not like you. What I saw last night isn’t normal…What even are you?” I demanded, half terrified of his response.

  “Surely you’ve heard of Phoenix before?” Adrian spat aggressively. Okay, I was really starting to get annoyed at his perpetual bitterness.

  “Phoenix that I’ve heard of are, you know, mythical,” I retorted.

  Kieran raised one eyebrow. “Do you want proof?” he asked invasively, “Proof I can give you.” Roughly he began to yank at his shirt, pulling it up.

  “Put it away, Kieran,” Nik huffed, rolling his eyes, “Honestly, you take any opportunity to take your clothes off.”

  “I don’t mind,” Briseis offered.

  Chara admitted, “Me neither.”

  “Chara,” Nikolas reminded her, “You are married. To me.”

  “See,” Kieran smirked, “you all want to see me naked.”

  “I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that I don’t want you to take anything off.” Adrian said absolutely.

  Kieran looked at his brother “You have no idea how glad I am that you said that.”

  “Were getting off track here,” Nik interrupted. “Look, we are Phoenix, there is no denying that. Do you really want proof?” It sounded like a challenge.

  I shook my head. “But I have never looked like you,” I pointed out. This was too much. Why were they saying all this? I am not a bird woman. I’m from England, I work in a pub and shop at Tesco; I am not a Phoenix. I’m normal…

  “Just for a moment,” Kieran said obnoxiously, “pretend you have an imagination and go along with it, because if you don’t you’ll never wake up.”

  I stared at him suspiciously, “What do you mean, wake up?”

  “Once the process of the Change has been triggered, a person –usually a young child of ten or eleven-will deteriorate physically in one or two days,” Kieran explained factually. “They’ll first get severe aches, fevers, and eventually will become crippled with fatigue and entirely lose co-ordination. A fire will ignite within them and boil their blood, charring their internal organs until nothing but Ashes remains. Then, if strong enough, they’ll rise from the Ashes, as a Phoenix.”

  My mouth dropped open in astonishment, “You’ve got to be joking.”

  “We’ve all been through it,” said Chara sadly, tucking the brown strands of choppy hair behind her ear. “We’ve all died once. It’s not that bad.”

  I shook my head, “Do you have any idea how crazy you sound? This is ridiculous. I am not going to die. I’ve just got a little fever.”

  “Nik, show her.” Kieran stated.

  Nik came closer slowly; I guessed so that he didn’t frighten me. He gestured towards my arm questioningly. I nodded, unsure how he was going to proceed as he tugged up my shirt sleeve to my elbow. My skin underneath the fabric was still splattered with patches of dried blood, but as he touched the bare skin, sweeping his fingers up along my forearm, there appeared strange black patterns. They were similar to Kieran’s except they glittered with gold dust rather than emerald and were more elaborately intertwining; more intricate and delicate like the curling whips of smoke from a blazing fire.

  “You are the lost Swartette, Ruby,” Nikolas said, as I stared up at him in shock and dawning terror. “We’ve all heard about you. You were taken away from our homeland when you were a child because you shared one of the most sacred and most terrible gifts given to our kind. Our gifts are passed down from a parent, and somehow you survived obtaining it from both of yours, but it was killing you, as it had killed your brothers and sister.

  “Your father wanted power, and he was prepared to use you to get it. When your mother realised this she took you to a very skilled healer who performed something called the Ultimate C
urse. This Curse stripped you of your natural affinities; your gifts, your ability to Change naturally, but it was precarious as you were only a fledgling; usually such a curse is performed on adult criminals. It also came at a price, ensuring your mother would slowly and sacrificially die.

  “No one knows how you left Kariak. You were the first to ever do it, but your mother took you for your own safety; from your father, from Kariak and,” he added finally, “most importantly; from yourself, in case the Change triggered.”

  “What would happen then?” I whispered, barely breathing.

  “Well here’s the thing,” Nikolas admitted, “We haven’t worked that out yet. The only way we can help you is by going back and hoping you’re strong enough to survive the Change and whatever happens after that.”

  “Going back?” I repeated incredulously. I can’t leave with these people.

  “You can’t stay here,” Chara explained. “You’re still cursed; you won’t be strong enough to Rise unless we find the Healer who cursed you initially.”

  This was too much. I couldn’t take it. A sticky film of perspiration had surreptitiously crept along my skin. I placed my hand to my temple; it throbbed hotly under my palm. A nauseating wave of pain was constantly bashing against my bones, my heart pumped erratically as I stared at where the weird interlacing marks had appeared earlier. I heard something then, the faint unmistakable sound of accelerating engines. I glanced up as the others exchanged a meaningful look.

  “Time to go,” Nik said. “They’ve caught up with us.”

  Chapter Six

  There was a quick exchange of glances between this strange, rather terrifying family, and then it was time for action. Kieran, of course, being the annoying dictator he was, started barking out orders which immediately everyone followed.

  “Nik, Chara, take the car following the east road then loop around the lake the way I showed you on the map.” Kieran instructed seriously.