Flame (Fireborn)

by Arden, Mari

  "Maybe if we just told her--"

  "No. I already told you what the King plans to do. She won't be able to escape Armin again. You know I had to poison his powers to make him weaker. The King is suspicious and will have Touchers on us next time." Realizing how he sounds, he softens his tone. "She won't escape again. Armin's too powerful, and now he feels like he's got something to prove."

  There's a long moment of silence. "It's just ironic that to protect her we have to put her right in the center of it all."

  "It's been done before," he answers, gritting his teeth. The cut from the crystal is burning and aching at the same time. "They won't think to look for her there."

  "Were you able to talk to them?" she asks. She doesn't say their name. She doesn't need to.

  "Yes. I've leaked the codes and a blueprint of the building to them. They've already sent someone in. He's in the compound as we speak."

  "I wish we could go get her. She probably hates us," Lenora says, almost tearfully.

  "Not quite."

  "Maybe not you," she accuses. "But definitely me."

  "Lenora," he comforts her for the thousandth time. "One person not liking you in the grand scheme of things isn't so bad."

  "I know, but I really liked her. I really like them all. I wish… I wish I hadn't been born Saguinox," she confesses softly. "I hate the violence, the way we kill people. The way we conquer."

  His whole body tightens with her words. Images of what he's done enter his head like angry bees. Pictures of death flash like a never-ending story.

  One in particular stands out.

  A battlefield. A girl, starved and dying. He'd been the one to find her. The King had deemed her death as his prize. Young and foolish, he did what he was told. He destroyed her with his hands until her body was unrecognizable. Until her body was as flat as the field they stood on, covered with human debris and dirt.

  He pushes the memory out of his mind, clenching his teeth to do it.

  "It's all the people know," he answers softly. "It's what we've done for thousands of years."

  It's what he's done for a century which is why he, more than anyone, knows what they're risking if Malachi found out what he and Lenora were really doing. He's delivered revenge in the name of the King many times. It always ends with death.

  But that's the easy part.

  It's what happens before death that scares people. Torture. Pain. Annihilation of everyone you love.

  He risks it all. Even now, he refuses to think about failure. Too much is at stake. Earth. The universe.

  Life.

  "It's hard to change something when you've never seen anything different."

  "We are. We're changing it, Rhys," Lenora points out softly.

  He allows a trace of a smile to touch his lips. "Yes."

  "Truitt will arrive tomorrow. He's been able to round up more men," she informs excitedly.

  He's alarmed. Damn Truitt and his hot- headed ways. Did he want them all to get killed? "How does he know we can trust these men?"

  "They've all been wronged by the King. They want their revenge."

  He shakes his head. "This isn't about revenge. It's about what's right and wrong."

  "I know."

  He's sure she does know. He's just not sure about the rest.

  "Truitt says they can be trusted."

  He doesn't look at Lenora. "Trust is a fickle thing."

  Lenora bites her lips.

  He sighs, standing up. He gives her his back, rubbing his temples. He isn't ready for this. Even after a hundred years he's still not ready for this. Dethrone the King? There was a time when he couldn't have even imagined it, and now it's in every move they plan and every word they speak.

  Treason.

  "There's so much at stake," he says, "Truitt can't just--"

  A loud knock interrupts them. They're motionless.

  "Sir. The orders have changed." The voice is muffled, but he can hear the urgency in it. "We leave tonight."

  Lenora stiffens. "No," she whispers, shocked.

  His heart starts to race, accelerating with each passing second.

  "Sir?"

  "Yes," he calls out harshly. "Get my uniform ready."

  Lenora's eyes are wide. "You aren't thinking of really--"

  "I need to buy us more time," he interrupts. "They can't suspect me. We need more time."

  His hands clench at his sides, trying to control the tension and anger coursing through his body. Kenna's face tumbles into his mind, followed by every creature that's ever come before him. Their lives depended on him.

  Everything depends on him.

  Suddenly, he can't take it anymore. He turns around swinging, and punches the wall. He doesn't stop when he goes through the plaster and into the metal beams. His fists leaves a dent. The pain isn't enough, but the sounds are loud enough to drown out his pounding heart. There's silence when he's done.

  Looking at his raw hands, he's shocked. A warrior is never driven by his emotions. Malachi's words drift into his mind, a chant from his childhood.

  "I'm sorry."

  "Don't be." Her voice is soft. "I've seen worse."

  Silence.

  "I told myself I'd never be like my father," he confesses quietly.

  "You're not."

  He thinks about every evil thing he's done. I'm not so sure.

  When he doesn't respond, Lenora says, "I will pray."

  A muscle ticks in his jaw. "It's too late for that."

  The war is beginning.

  Chapter 22

  The door slams, jolting me awake. I jerk, and my head hits the cement wall behind me. "Ow!"

  My eyes are groggy, and I blink a few times before I can see the shadow standing in front of me. Instantly, I know he's a guard. His eyes glow fiercely in the dim light. I shrink back, using my dress to cover as much of my body as I can. He stares at me for a moment, and I can't see what he's thinking. Inside my chest, my heart is hammering with fear. Swiftly, he closes the door behind him, and when I hear a soft click I let out a shriek.

  Immediately, I'm reminded of the men from today who had looked at us with too much desire. I don't attempt to find anything to fight with because there's nothing in my cell. Curling my fists, I stand on shaky legs.

  "You'll have to kill me first."

  He's still hidden in the shadows, but I think I hear a sound from him.

  "Do you hear me? You'll never touch me alive!"

  He's moving faster than I've ever seen. His body pushes me hard into the wall, and a large hand silences the scream ripping from my throat.

  This close I can see his face. He's the one from before, the one who gave me my dress. The one who guarded us from the entrance. I still don't trust him, and neither does my body. My heart continues to accelerate, pounding against my skin.

  "Shh," he says, his voice low and strained. "Chloris sent me."

  I shake my head. I don't believe him.

  "You're lying," I spit out when his hand leaves my face. "Liar!"

  Immediately, his hand covers me again, pressing my body firmly against the wall. Barely able to breathe against his palm, I continue to struggle.

  "Stop," he hisses. "We don't want them to hear us!"

  I'm not sure why, but those words make me stop. I still, letting him cover my mouth.

  "Promise me you won't scream."

  I hesitate, but see the worried look on his face, and nod in agreement. Slowly, he removes his hand from my face, staring like he expects me to go back on my word at any moment. I keep my promise though, and don't make a sound, even when I see the glint of a knife in his pants pocket.

  Tentatively, he backs away, looking at me wearily. "You're quite a handful for a human," he finally says.

  I don't reply.

  "I'm Kaiden." He pauses as if expecting my name. When it doesn't come, he grins. I'm so taken aback to see a Saguinox smile that I bump my head against the wall behind me.

  "Ow!" I cry for the second time in two minute
s.

  "You're kind of a klutz, you know."

  "No, I'm not," I rub my sore spot. "Tonight's just been a rough night." I'm frowning at myself, wondering why I told him that.

  He looks empathetic. "Nightmare?"

  Unexpectedly, images from my dream flitter to the surface of my mind, and I suck in a painful breath. Quickly, I push them back, burying them with endless magnetic sand.

  "In this place? More like a bad life," I answer with as much contempt as I dare.

  He doesn't seem to take offense, and even agrees. "I bet."

  Unable to stop myself, I stare at Kaiden, trying to figure him out.

  "What?" he says, when I don't look away. "Do I have something in my teeth?"

  "No, it's something worse. You're starting to sound like you have something here." I touch my chest, where my heart rate has returned to normal.

  He looks confused for a second before he starts laughing. It feels genuine and oddly out of place in this dark prison. "What's your name?"

  "You'll have to earn it first," I answer stubbornly, not wanting to tell him anything about myself.

  "Okay."

  He doesn't try to press me for more, and we grow quiet, letting the stillness envelope us. He gets up to look around, examining cracks on the walls. He taps it with his fists.

  "Pure concrete." He doesn't wait for me to reply before he's investigating the ceiling. His head's almost touching it and he lays his hands flat against the hard surface. He walks the tiny perimeter of the cell, appearing to be searching for something.

  "What are you doing?" I finally ask, a little impatient with his presence in my room.

  He looks up from where he's bending, crouched near a corner. His answer surprises me. "Damn. This place really sucks."

  "No." I gasp sarcastically. "What gave it away? The insane mortality rate?" Instantly, I bite my tongue, wanting to take the words back.

  He doesn't seem to mind my seething retort though, and only smiles pleasantly as if we're having a lovely conversation about weather. I can't help but look at him like he's crazy, but he remains indifferent, holding a casual smile that exasperates me.

  He leans against the wall with one shoulder, arms crossed, standing confidently and studying me. His gaze is unnerving, and I can't hold it for long.

  I'm the first to drop my eyes, studying the worn leather of his boots. The silence stretches into tension- for me anyway. His body's relaxed. That's so rare in this stress filled place I instantly become more suspicious.

  "If you're not here to hurt me, then what are you here for?" I ask grudgingly.

  "I told you. Chloris sent me."

  "Look Kaiden," I try to ignore the way he smiles when I say his name "if you really know Chloris, then you would know she'd never do anything like that. She doesn't trust your kind." A hazy picture of Rhys appears in my head. I push it away. "And neither do I."

  "Good." He's rubbing his eyes with his hand.

  "What?" I gape at him. "Haven't you heard a single word I've been saying? I don't trust you! Now, I don't know what kind of sick game you're trying to play, but-" Unexpectedly, I stop short, my gasp halting anymore words.

  He's trying to take out his eyes.

  Before I can scream I hear a loud sound.

  Kaiden freezes for a fraction of a second before pushing me to the wall and simultaneously covering my mouth. A growing habit of his, I think with rising hysteria.

  "Shh. Did you hear that?" He's straining, concentrating, but all I hear is the accelerated pounding of my own heart. "Quiet."

  We're both silent for so long I'm having trouble standing with the way his body is crushed against mine. Then, before I can say anything I hear it.

  Footsteps. Light. Hurried.

  I tense, and we stand absolutely still. The footsteps stop right behind my door. Kaiden curses, turning his back to me. I hear his dagger against his jean pockets before I see it, shining valiantly against the dark. He flips the blade into his other hand. It's obvious he's an expert with this weapon.

  When the door opens, I expect to see a trio of guards charging at us with swords raised. What I don't expect to see is a slender blue head, peering next to the door.

  "Ready?" she whispers.

  "Nymphora? What… how are you here?" I whisper, completely shocked.

  "Chloris drugged the guard."

  "Chloris?"

  "Mouth to mouth poison." Nymphora kisses the air dramatically to show me. "Works every time."

  "Huh, so that's why it took so long." Kaiden's defensive stance softens, shoulders sagging, as he moves away from me. Sliding the blade back into his pocket, he asks, "Aren't her powers locked?"

  Nymphora shrugs, her slim shoulders rolling gently. "It's that time of the month for her. You know how it gets. Her body starts secreting-"

  "Ugh," Kaiden holds up a hand. "No more details, please." He pushes my dazed body ahead. "Let's get the hell out of here. This place is depressing."

  I'm shell shocked, and momentarily speechless so I don't argue as we leave, swiftly making our way through the corridor. All the other cells are locked with sound proof walls so I can't hear a thing. We find Chloris waiting anxiously for us at the end. She's standing next to a slumped guard, who is half sitting half lying down. His eyes are still open, but the glow inside them has disappeared. His skin is ashen, and the only alive looking thing about him is his red and wet lips. Chloris's own mouth is scarlet. Her lips look larger than normal, plump as if they've been injected with something.

  Nymphora catches me staring at her new look. "Angelina Jolie lips. The only thing about plant shifters I envy."

  Chloris frowns at Nymphora, and touches her curvaceous lips, cringing a little. "Forgot how painful that can be," she confesses with a wince, nodding to the dead guard. "It also took longer than I thought. I had to have been kissing him for ten minutes! I need to get these things sanitized when we get home." She points to her mouth, talking about it as if it's not a part of her.

  "How is that possible?" I ask. "Once a month your mouth just… plumps up?"

  "That's one thing that happens, yeah," she confirms. The look on her face tells me there's more, and it isn't very good.

  Nymphora shakes her head. "It doesn't matter if you're human, or shape shifter, women always get the bad end of the bargain."

  Kaiden walks by, rubbing his eyes furiously. His fingers touch his eyes again, and he's squeezing like he's trying to pull something out. He makes a sound, then suddenly he's yelling, shouting with pain.

  "What the-?" Nymphora runs to him.

  "Kaiden!" Chloris sounds worried.

  "Shh!" I hiss. "You'll alert the rest of the guards!"

  Chloris hurries over, trying to move his hands from his eyes. "What's wrong?" His shoulders shake in violent pain.

  "Holy crap, Kaiden!" begins Nymphora.

  Kaiden turns and he's laughing, his shoulders convulsing with mirth. Chloris's small hands punch him playfully on the shoulder. "I've forgotten how much of a goofball you are. Need I remind you that we are right in the middle of a dangerous escape?"

  Filled with amusement, he answers, "That's the best time for jokes! Makes our deaths seem less imminent."

  Gaping, I turn to Chloris and Nymphora, bewildered. "Where did you find this guy?"

  "I'm the best at what I do," Kaiden answers grinning. Using both hands, he sticks two fingers into his eyes, pulling out a contact. A glowing half sphere slips from one eye. It falls into his palm like an ember, shining just brightly enough to catch our eyes.

  "What is that?" I ask.

  "Fake Saguinox eyes," he says. "This is the first one from the lab. They decided I'd be the lucky guinea pig who'd get to try it first." He opens his palms so I can see. It's pretty, in a haunting way. He moves it around his palm, and the colors shimmer like a prism.

  "So you put on some fake contacts and that's it? They just welcome you like family?" I ask, incredulous.

  "Not quite as easy as that," he laughs.


  Nymphora chimes in." Some might consider Saguinox guards handsome, but they got rocks where their brains should be." She turns her gaze to Kaiden. "We're really lucky the warriors aren't here because they wouldn't fall for a trick like that." She points to the contact in his hand.

  He fumbles with his other eye for a few more seconds before the contact pops out, glowing like a lightening bug. He sighs with relief, and slips the delicate material into a small canister. When he looks up again the first thing I notice are two perfect, very human blue eyes.

  "Back to business. The guards will change in about thirty minutes. No cameras anywhere except on the exits," he informs us.

  Is he human?

  "Somehow Cuinn got a hold of their security codes. He gave me some numbers that should override their system for awhile. We're not sure how long it's going to last though so we need to move fast." By the time he gets out the last word, we're already moving.

  I'm trying to run and think at the same time, but everything is coming together so rapidly I'm actually dizzy. Chloris is beside me, and I clutch her arm, pausing to regain my breath, my balance, and my head.

  "You okay?" she asks softly, stopping to wait for me. Her voice is huskier, and my eyes travel to her lips, wondering if it's to blame.

  "Yes. Chloris, this is crazy. Are we really escaping?"

  "Yes," she replies firmly. "We are." She takes my arm, and pushes me along. Never in a million years did I ever think Chloris would be the aggressor in our escape, but her firm hands guiding me forward is unmistakable.

  When I look at her, a hundred questions fly through my mind, but deep down the question burning the brightest inside is how can I move on from the memories of this desolate prison? I'm terrified when I close my eyes, I'll never really leave this place even if my body is a thousand miles away. I shake my head, trying to bury the secret fear.

  "What about the rest of them?" I suddenly ask, realizing how briskly we're passing by the cells.

  Chloris doesn't meet my eyes. "Um-"

  "We can't take them with us," Nymphora answers for her, coming from behind. "Enough talking." She brushes by me. "We have a prison to break out of."

  "No." I stop, touching Chloris's hand. "We can't leave them. It's inevitable they'll go to the crystal."