Order of the Fire Box Set

by P. E. Padilla

  Kate grabbed Koren’s arm and Peiros crowded him on the other side, clasping his shoulder.

  “No, Koren,” the Salornumese whispered. “Not at this time, not like this. Perhaps not at any time. Calm yourself. It is but another storm to weather. We will prevail.”

  “That no good, slimy, son of a—”

  “It wasn’t him,” Kate said hurriedly. “It couldn’t have been. He doesn’t have the authority to disband the Black. Even the Supreme Commander may not have that power. It would have to be a vote of the Guiding Council.”

  Koren blinked at her several times. His upper lip quivered and his body shook. Then he blew out a breath and seemed to deflate.

  “Yeah, you’re right,” he said. “He couldn’t have done it on his own, though he could be the one that caused Phrixus to be discharged. He was so happy when he gave us the announcement, so smug. I’d like to—”

  “Very well,” Peiros said, nodding toward the group of guards standing nearby with their hands on the hilts of their swords. “We can discuss this another time. For now, we must do as ordered. I feel that if we give them cause to punish us, they will do so.”

  The other Black eyed Koren, but they did so as they moved toward the sergeant to get their assignments. Aurel looked pleadingly at Kate, as if she could do something about the mess.

  “Three hours,” she said softly to the big man, “meet in the secret section of the library. Tell the others, but don’t let anyone else hear you. I am hoping Travada doesn’t know about the secret location or doesn’t think to remove our access to it.”

  “Yes, Pretty Kate,” Aurel said sadly, but he seemed a bit more resolved than he had a moment before.

  Kate had to go to the major’s office. If she didn’t show up quickly, he would make whatever punishment she would receive that much more severe. With a final look at her friends—her brothers—she turned and trod toward another uncomfortable encounter with an officer.

  17

  “Reporting as ordered, sir,” Kate said, standing at attention at the doorway of the major’s office.

  “Ah, yes,” he drawled. “Courtenay.”

  He did not tell her to sit, nor did he allow her to be at ease. She was in trouble again.

  “Did I not give you a task?” he continued. “A task that was to be your sole duty, after I generously removed all other duties from you?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And what, pray tell, was that task, Courtenay?”

  “I was to spy on Phrixus Achard and report to you all that he did.”

  “Yessss.” The way Travada drew the last sound out, he sounded ominously like some sort of reptilian monster. It was just as well. Kate already knew he was a snake. “One task you had, just one. Simply watching someone that you didn’t even need to hide to keep your eyes on. And did you do your duty, Courtenay?”

  “Sir?”

  “Did you keep your eyes on Achard every moment?”

  “I did my best to do so, sir.”

  Travada fiddled with a pen on his desk. He tried to spin it in his fingers and nearly dropped it. In trying to recover, he knocked the inkwell to the side, almost tipping it. “Your best? Your best. I suppose that supports my decision to disband the Black. If that was your best, and you are the newest, brightest star of the Black Command, then it is better that command is no more.

  “The one time I check up on you, the one time I actually take Achard into custody, you are nowhere to be seen. What say you to that, Courtenay?”

  Kate was disgusted with the slimy man’s way of twisting the truth. He didn’t have the power to disband the Black, and he certainly didn’t take the captain into custody. If he had tried, the entire platoon would have realized—too late—that the Black were warriors beyond compare. She had no doubt that Captain Achard could have escaped easily if he had wanted to.

  Travada cleared his throat, and Kate realized she was staring blankly at him. And that she had not answered his question.

  “I became upset at something we were discussing. I went outside for some air, to take a walk.”

  “So, you admit you shirked your responsibilities. If you were on guard duty and ‘became upset,’ would you leave to take a walk? That is insubordination and absence without leave. You could be court-martialed for that alone. Do you understand that?”

  Kate had no argument. Better not to exacerbate the situation. “Yes, sir.”

  “Well enough. I called you here instead of leaving your assignment to the sergeant because I wanted to let you know how extremely disappointed in you I am. If I had gotten hold of you sooner, before Achard ruined you, I could have made you into a decent soldier, perhaps an officer. With your noble birth, no one would have thought twice about it. Yet you threw in my face the chances I have given you, and you continue to spurn my aid.

  “Very well. Your failure will be upon your own head. Your precious Black Command is no more. As we speak, those who were in that accursed command with you are being split up into many different squads, no two in the same one. While I have made sure some are distributed in the other battalions, I have kept a few in my own. Including you.

  “You are to report to Company C, Platoon 7, Anvil Squad. Sergeant Daren Seeth will be your squad leader. He will not be impressed by your former position in the Black. In fact, quite the opposite. I have done you the kindness of allowing you to be in a Red squad because though I cannot speak to your intelligence or obedience, it has been established that you know how to swing that blade of yours.

  “Stop by the supply officer and get issued your reds. You shall not be seen wearing black again, or you will be punished for being out of uniform. Is that clear, Courtenay?”

  “Crystal clear, sir.”

  Travada’s eyes drilled into hers, searching for any hint of sarcasm or a challenge. Apparently satisfied there was neither, he waved his hand for her to leave, not deigning to speak.

  Kate saluted, turned about, and marched from the office. Jacinth Eldon—Kate had found out that was Travada’s secretary’s name—gave Kate a compassionate look as she passed. At least one person wasn’t against her. Kate gave the woman a small smile, but the effort required was enormous.

  As soon as she left the Command Center, Kate took off at a run. She had some time until she needed to report to duty in her red uniform, and she had something much more important to do. She headed to the secret section of the library and, more specifically, Molara’s quarters.

  Kate skidded to a halt in the hallway where the entrance to the secret section of the library was. She wondered if Travada knew enough or was smart enough to restrict access to the place so none of the Black—former Black—could enter. There was only one way to find out.

  She swung her head left and right to detect anyone nearby, but there was no one. She stepped up to where the secret door was, still breathing hard from her run, and waited for the telltale glow.

  Nothing happened.

  She felt as if she had swallowed a chunk of concrete and it was fighting her all the way down. Travada must have done something. What were they going to do without their secret meeting place? How would the Infirium operate? As if they could operate at all, secret location or no.

  A slight sound to her left activated Kate’s battle senses. Even in the cramped hallway, she spun and drew her sword.

  A young man in tan robes dropped an armload of books and put his hands up. He was quivering in fear.

  “Oh,” Kate said, smoothly guiding her sword back into its scabbard. “I’m so sorry. You startled me.” She stooped to help him pick the books up. After a moment, she noticed he was still standing there with his arms up, his whole body rigid.

  “S-s-startled you?” he said. “You scared me half to death. If you’d had that mask on”—he pointed to the mask hanging from her belt—“I probably would have died of fright right here and now.”

  “Please forgive me. It was reflex. My sword is in its scabbard. I am terribly sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” />
  She spoke soothingly, as she did to her horse back home. It seemed to work.

  “Okay,” he said. “I understand. Maybe I should have made more noise so you knew I was here.” He finally bent down to start picking up the books Kate hadn’t reached yet.

  Once all the tomes were collected and stacked, the young man hefted them and moved off down the hallway, casting nervous glances back at her as he disappeared around the corner.

  When she no longer heard his footsteps, Kate turned her attention to her current problem. What would they do without the secret section of the library? She toyed with the idea of banging on the door—well, wall—until Molara opened it, but she discarded it. Not only would it call attention to her, but Molara had told her there was a sound ward on the entire area. Noises could not go in or out of the hideaway.

  Just when Kate was at a total loss, the wall in front of her glowed. She pushed her way through the door into the familiar entry room, and the portal shut behind her.

  “Oh, right,” she said aloud to herself. “The failsafe. It won’t glow or open if someone else is around.” She could kick herself for not remembering.

  Just then, a blur of movement caught her attention. Too late, she turned to meet the threat. A body slammed into her, blocking her sword arm and very nearly bashing her into the wall.

  A wave of panic went through Kate, but then she realized her attacker was holding her. Tightly but non-threateningly.

  “Oh, Kate,” Molara said. “I heard what happened. I’m so sorry. How are you holding up?”

  Kate sighed and let herself fall into Molara’s embrace. After the day she had been having, it felt surprisingly good. She squeezed her friend for a moment, but then gently pushed her back so she could focus on the Purple’s face.

  Molara’s ice blue eyes stared into hers with compassion. The little stone on the Purple’s forehead caught the light and glinted like a tiny star. Kate swept a small lock of hair from the woman’s face and smiled at her.

  “It’s horrible,” Molara said. “It’s truly a sign that the Order is in serious trouble. Are you well? What will you do? What do you think Phrixus will do? How will the Infirium continue its work?”

  Kate couldn’t help it. She laughed. She laughed loudly and with fervor. And it felt good. Very good.

  “Why are you laughing at me?” Molara said, her lip pouting out. Kate realized they had not fully let go of each other. They still held each other, waists and legs touching but torsos slightly apart so they could see each other clearly.

  Kate brushed her hand over Molara’s hair and kissed her forehead, just under the little gem. “I’m not laughing at you, my dearest Molara. I’m just letting out the nervous energy I didn’t know I had been building up. If you had never done anything for me before—and you have done more than I ever could have expected from anyone—I’d love you dearly just for being so understanding and helpful to me right now at this moment.”

  Molara’s pout turned into a smile and she pulled Kate into a tighter hug. “Come on. Let’s have some tea, and we can talk about how you simply can’t live without me.”

  “Deal.” Kate grabbed the shorter woman’s hand and headed toward the kitchen.

  18

  Molara busied herself with starting the water boiling and retrieving the tea leaves and dishes. “Shortly after you left, Phrixus came in to chat for a few minutes, but then returned to the regular section of the library. Something about being visible for a good amount of time each day so as to allay suspicions. He said that you were probably not the only spy keeping track of him.

  “I went out there for a while, too, to check something in some of the books kept in the regular shelves. I heard the guards come and inform him he was to go to the Command Center. He asked why, and they said he should keep his filthy mouth closed or they would close it for him. I thought there would be a battle there in the library. The man could probably hold off an entire platoon in a place as cramped as the library. Instead, he silently went with them.

  “He had told me something was coming. The scare tactics with the lousy duties and even the death of Efrem didn’t change our minds. We continued our work, trying to be less evident, but there is only so much one can hide when there are people dedicated to watching your every movement.”

  Molara readied the dishes and set out the cream and honey on the table, as well as a few small cakes. Kate sat patiently, hanging on every word the Purple said.

  “When he left, it was no problem for me to slip around them and get to the Command Center long before they arrived. In my tan robes, I’m nearly invisible to most people. Well, a few men noticed me, but not because I was out of place.”

  Kate laughed. “No, because you’re gorgeous. Were they too insistent when they propositioned you?”

  Molara furrowed her brow prettily, but then shrugged and chuckled. “I had to knee one of them in the crotch, but other than that, they were polite. Politely insistent.”

  “We really need to teach you how to disguise yourself if you don’t want to be noticed.”

  Molara opened her mouth and raised a finger to respond, but then simply shook her head. “You’re distracting me. Stop it.”

  “Sorry,” Kate said.

  “Like I was saying, I got there long before Phrixus and his entourage did. I positioned myself in a dark corner with my hood up and waited. While I did, Travada and some of the other officers stood near the steps to the Command Center, making idle conversation.

  “‘After we take care of this nuisance, we will have to handle the others. Do you have your squads ready to round up the other Black?’ he asked a lieutenant.

  “‘I do,’ the man said. ‘They are standing by for you to give them the order.’

  “‘Good,’ Travada told him. ‘As soon as Achard has been processed and is on his way out of the fortress, we will round up all the Black, and I’ll tell them there is no longer a Black Command. We need to make sure all of them are accounted for before the announcement so that there will be no heroics in trying to save their former commander. I will make the declaration, and then one of your sergeants will handle informing them of their reassignments to other squads.’

  “‘Will they accept it?’ one of the other officers asked.

  “‘They have no choice,’ Travada said. ‘What will they do, rebel and try to take on the entire Order? No, they will go along, but they will be isolated and it will be done. The Black Command is no more.’”

  “The Black Command is no more,” Kate repeated softly. “I don’t know if I have ever heard a sadder statement. What are we going to do, Molara? The Black was all that stood between the human world and the demons taking it all over. We were the only ones still dedicated to the mission of the Order of the Fire. At least lately.”

  “No, not the only ones. The Infirium, Kate. Sure, most of the members are Black, but not all. Wilfred and I are committed to the Order’s mission, too. And there is no way they can disband us, short of killing every one of us.”

  “That is what I’m afraid of. They have declared war not only on the Black, but on the Infirium and humankind as a whole. It’s obvious someone is trying to weaken the Order so much the demons can break through.”

  Molara brought the water over and prepared the tea. “Then we, the Infirium, simply can’t fail. Even if they kill all of us, it’ll only mean a quicker death than letting the demons do it.”

  “Yes, you’re right.” Kate stared at her teacup, but then jumped a little as if startled. “Oh, I told the others to meet here. Well, not here in your quarters, but in the main secret section. I hope that’s okay.”

  “Of course. We need to discuss what will happen and what we need to do. We have lost a small battle, but the war is far from over.”

  The two sat in silence for a time, sipping their tea and nibbling on the cakes.

  After a few minutes, Kate sighed. “It is quite a blow, losing the captain.”

  “It is,” Molara agreed. “But in a way, it’s a
blessing, too.”

  “What? How could losing him not only to our cause but to the entire Order be a good thing?”

  “Because, quite simply, Travada and the others think they took out the leadership of the Infirium. All along, they figured he was the one in charge. Now they think we are headless and will flounder.”

  Kate’s eyebrows jumped up on her forehead. “Oh, right. That’s why the captain insisted from the beginning that he not be in charge. He knew something like this would happen.”

  “I think so, too. Part of the reason, anyway.”

  “That man. Just when I think I have things figured out, I find that he is still five moves ahead of me in the game. I’m going to miss him.”

  “I already do.”

  They went back to drinking their tea without comment until Molara broke the silence this time.

  “He and I had a good talk the other day about the things in the book Valerio gave me. After he left, I read some more in it and found something that was…interesting. Something about how the firestones work. Something I had never known before. It’s fairly technical, and we don’t need to talk about specifics until I figure out if I can use the information, but let’s just leave it at I—in fact, maybe the Purple as a whole—don’t know as much as I thought. How I’d love to get hold of Valerio to ask if he knows more about it. The reference was rather obscure.

  “As a matter of fact, maybe you can help me figure something out. Will you do something for me?”

  “Of course,” Kate said.

  “Great. Come here. You can leave the tea, it won’t take but a moment.”

  Kate followed her to one of her workbenches, where Molara took a small red gem out of a padded box.

  “I want you to commune with this stone,” the Purple said, as if it was the most common thing in the world.