A Question of Power (The Fire Chronicles Book 2)

by Susi Wright

  Sumar had discovered he felt inordinately interested in Saria’s life; he was curious about her family. What had brought them here? Fate was playing an interesting game, offsetting him against his best friend, Xandor! He was impatient to see it through.

  He noticed that Saria’s parents worked equally as hard as the young ones all morning, despite their frail condition, though it seemed they had no extra energy for small talk. In fact they both looked close to collapse. There was more than fatigue in their furrowed brows. He sensed they carried a burden of regret for their recent actions – as did most of their peers who had succumbed to Xian’s control – had exhausted themselves by throwing all their remaining energy into the service of others. He expected they would soon excuse themselves to take some overdue rest. He wondered how important the betrothal had been to them. All that it might have been, had changed when they allowed the marriage to Xian, even though they were not in their right minds at the time. But guilt weighed heavily on them, now knowing what befell their daughter from that decision.

  It was never good to dwell on the past.

  Eager to ease their troubled mood, Sumar came straight to the point. “Dear friends, there is no blame on anyone here! All of us have done things we regret. . .and suffered great personal trials. But now is time to start again!”

  Jon and Rosal both looked up sharply, surprised by Sumar’s perceptive ability, something they had never possessed nor seen in any clans-folk for a long, long time.

  Suddenly, Sumar realised he had no need to delve into the question of outdated traditions or betrothals. “I, for one, have come to believe in the Alliance – with all my heart. My clan has found a safe place to belong, and I, new purpose! I sense you have no plans at the moment – ” he glanced at Saria. “I know that is how you stand also, sister Saria.” He paused, a brilliant idea forming, which both served the cause and gave him the opportunity to continue watching over Saria’s well-being for quite some time into the future. He was almost certain Xandor did not want the job! Saria needed to be given time to heal, to be shown great kindness. He needed time to win her.

  “I humbly suggest. . .that joining the Alliance is that start. When I leave to return to my clan, I would be most happy to offer my protection, if you decide to make the journey to Baram. We can help each other pick up the pieces and build it into something else! Why ruminate, why wait? What say you?” He felt persuasive, powerful. All that was right and good came to him in a rush – clearer than ever before. Any doubt he might have had about his future happiness, or that of anyone like him who had lost loved ones, evaporated. The pain and loss he had carried for so long shrivelled and fell away like autumn leaves. All the sadness and regret, blown away by the fresh new breeze of movement towards a noble goal. This was a springtime – unlike any other!

  Saria and her parents sat silent, stunned by Sumar’s impassioned outburst. Sumar had surprised himself, his whole being even now still thrumming with some otherworldly power. It was humbling yet empowering at the same time. He watched for their reaction which at this rare moment, he struggled to predict. His heart beat thumped in his ears. He wondered if he had accidentally overdone it, and all three now thought him too fanatical, or worse, mad! Even with second sight, confidence was sometimes a fickle friend.

  Jon responded first, his face lighting up in contrast to his previous dour expression. He seemed very impressed by Sumar’s positive energy. Rosal’s eyes were brighter than ever with unshed tears, as she regarded this evidently inspired man who, by sheer devotion, promised to be a capable protector. She wondered why he had chosen them – there were hundreds in the palace who needed similar help.

  “Well said, young brother Sumar!” Jon chuckled kindly. “Methinks, you would be well employed as a spokesman for the cause! Come to think of it. . .Are you by any chance an agent, planted by the authorities for the purpose of converting the masses?” He had an expression of mock suspicion, as if it didn’t matter to him one way or the other. He was sufficiently impressed. He glanced askance at his wife. “I am sure that I can speak for Rosal in saying this idea has the smack of truth about it. We were sorely taken in by Xian! ‘Tis strange how sometimes evil magic has almost as much power as good! However, we must not lose sight of hope that truth and love can prevail! At our age, we can’t waste too much time thinking! We will accept your invitation to try again – ” Jon looked quickly at Saria, taking her hand and squeezing it, “—but now, I have promised, never again to speak for my daughter. She is free to choose her own path from now on!”

  Saria smiled affectionately at her father, forgiveness over-riding the mistakes of the past. Whatever scars she bore, she cared dearly for her parents and that shaped her decision.

  “Well, I choose to go where you two go! Neither of you are strong. There’s nothing else I would rather do right now than care for you! So, if Sumar will extend his protection for a while longer, perhaps I will go to Baram too!”

  Sumar almost could not hide his pleasure at that decision. He had a feeling all would be well. If circumstances didn’t interfere, he had perfect reason to hope that his constancy and patience would eventually pay off. After all, in her present state of mind, Saria did not seem ready to marry anyone right now, much less someone she hadn’t even met. Her father had given her freedom to make her own life choices. Perhaps the betrothal no longer mattered! He now hoped that nothing had changed with Xandor, who would be returning from the hunt very soon. It remained to be seen, whether his friend’s heart still ruled over his sense of duty. With luck, and the kind hand of Fate, it would!

  CHAPTER 46

  Reconciliation

  Sailing through the clouds, between wisps of moisture and the rarefied air in an endless blue sky, the wind whipped his face, stung his eyes and almost took his breath. Borne high on the breeze by graceful wings, unfettered by earthly attachment – because all such things, even the sun, moon and stars, had disappeared from view – he soared. Exhilarated. Free.

  Time and distance were as nothing here. This was the Ether, the dimension between Existence and the Ancient Realm. It felt as familiar as a well-worn path, yet a part of him knew he had never actually flown this way before. He could feel something mysterious inside him, urging him onward, careful and kind, but compelling. He was not alone! Suddenly filled with amazement, he glanced again to either side at the powerful translucent wings, even now propelling him forward, that just a moment ago had seemed so natural to him but now seemed strange. Slowing his flight against the force that carried him, he turned his head to study the rest of his body. The blue and green scales covering his torso glittered back at him. His long neck arched to look down at his legs and the golden talons that were his feet. Suddenly he was thirsty. His throat felt on fire. He swallowed and coughed. A fireball issued from his mouth!

  This was not the body he knew to be his. The presence within him was Ra! He and the dragon were reconciled. At this moment, they inhabited the same body. Whether he had found the creature, or the creature had come to him, just as he had wished, it did not seem to matter. He felt nothing but elation that they were together again!

  Luminor recognised the power of the Link in this new experience, though he did not know the purpose of it yet. He welcomed Ra’s intimate presence, now suspecting strongly that it had something to do with his healing. Without Ra’s help and his daughter’s mischief, he would be dead now, Xian would be in control of most of his warriors and at this very moment, marching on the Capital to wreak havoc there! Released from the anxiety and responsibility that had weighed him down for countless days and nights, he allowed his flight to return to its previous, heady speed. He had always enjoyed being airborne, but this was something beyond glorious and he abandoned himself to it.

  Ra swooped suddenly, down through a thick blanket of clouds, diving as fast as an eagle to its prey, emerging into a brilliant sunny sky which looked down on a shimmering vista of countryside; golden crops and green fields of long lush grass waved in the breeze
for as far as the eye could see, only interrupted by grazing bovinos, horns bobbing as they grazed.

  In the distance, the imposing outline of Salmat palace stood regal guard over a scene that was once a wasteland but was now bursting with life. In no time at all, the palace was directly below; different races mingled within its walls – some he had never before encountered –working side by side at their daily duties. Luminor understood. This was a dream-scape, a glimpse of the future which Ra wanted to show him. It was a wonderful future. For a moment, he wondered if he would get to see his family on this flight. The answer came simultaneously. They could not risk tempting Espira into another dangerous excursion! He admitted the possibility, accepting that his family members were safe now and he would see them soon enough.

  Pulling upwards once more, higher and higher, the dreamscape below disappeared from view; the thick white clouds closed beneath them, then dissipated, leaving nothingness in their place.

  Peace and the strong beat of Ra’s heart, in time with the stroke of his wings, were everything. This flight seemed to be going everywhere and nowhere. Time meant nothing. Luminor looked around in wonder, scenes of many things scudded by like clouds, brief glimpses and they were gone, replaced by a sense of vastness. A black night sky devoid of stars.

  Suddenly, his attention was drawn ahead, to the sight of a raging inferno, far in the distance. In a blink, it was directly below him, the massive flames almost licking his belly. His stomach churned with uncomfortable memories, but he felt compelled to look into the depths of the blaze. He recognised it. The Eternal Fire. He felt the presence of the Guardians circling around him. As Lord of Fire, he was the envoy of the element in Existence. This was his domain, Ra’s domain, though he had never visited it quite as vividly as this, and it beckoned his full attention. Staring deep into the flames, his discomfort melted to calm. He became fearless, assured, perceiving all the forms of Fire latent within the flames. . . Destruction, Despair, but also Love and Healing. Fire here, in the Eternal Flame, now restored to its entirety, was all-encompassing, complete. Here was the forge of Existence!

  His vision reached down, far below the Fire itself. He glimpsed numerous dark shapes, wraiths of greed and evil, not burning, but suspended and held by the very power they had all coveted and tried to steal over the annuls of time – now imprisoned forever there. The legends suggested that Xian’s helper had not been the first. Such evil magic had been banished by the dragons before they too disappeared, eons ago. But with a mastermind like Xian, banishment to the far corners of the Ancient Realm had proven insufficient to hold the conniving entity that chose him, so a far more severe and fitting punishment had been inflicted. All the worst ones ended up here.

  So this is where you threw Xian’s pet! Only you could have done that! Thank you for showing me all of this. Again. . .only you could have done this!

  With that, they wheeled away in a majestic arc, back in the direction, if one could call it that, by which they had come. Back to Existence.

  “Do you think he will wake up before this evening’s celebrations?” Zelor rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he watched over the sleeping form of his lord. “We will need to make a plan – just in case. . .”

  “Do you think he will wake. . .at all?” asked Silvan, unable lift the negative tone from his voice. “Try as I might, I can not detect his presence, even vaguely. Can you?”

  “Why do you think that I suggested we make a plan, when the use of words or plans is rarely necessary?” came the retort, immediately followed by an apology. “ Do forgive me, brother Silvan! That was below me. I, like you, must be suffering extreme frustration, not to have the usual sense-sight in this matter. We are both Elite Seers. It is most disconcerting, would you agree?”

  “I concur that a plan should be made. Within the hour!” replied Silvan. “At least then. . .we will have something that is certain!” At first, Silvan had been taken aback by his companion’s uncharacteristic irritation, but he quickly empathised, recognising the same weakness in himself. He smiled wryly. “Strange, is it not, that the more one comes to know. . .the more one sees how much is not known?”

  The two sages lapsed into vigilant silence, prepared to wait a few minutes longer, before convening a meeting to deal with the possible absence of Lord Luminor from a celebration that was intended in his honour. This was a much-anticipated occasion which they could not, in all conscience, deny to a people who had been through so much mental and physical hardship.

  Both were startled, almost out of their chairs, when without warning, Luminor sat bolt upright. He opened brilliant, excited eyes, his arms flailing as if he was falling. He seemed frantic, searching the room for someone or something and going as far as looking under the bed. Sitting up with a bemused expression on his face, he only then seemed to notice his loyal elders. Zelor still had a white-knuckled grip on the arms of his chair. The sudden movement of the patient had all the hallmarks of a fit just before dying, and it took him a few seconds to discount the possibility of some strange death-throes, until Luminor began to speak.

  “Brothers Zelor and Silvan! Did you see – ” Luminor stopped himself before he asked about the dragon, quickly covering his deep disappointment. No! Of course, Ra did not return with me. This is not yet the time for such things! Both elders were watching him expectantly, hanging on every word for some enlightenment. It was not otherwise forthcoming. They would never be able to read Lord Luminor!

  “I feel like. . . .that was a very good sleep!” Luminor fixed first Zelor’s gaze then Silvan’s with a deep and completely incomprehensible twinkle in his eyes. “Though I had some very interesting. . . . dreams!” What he knew, was only meant for him. For now.

  To their continued silent stares, he quipped, “I am well. . .thank you for asking!” Yawning, he stretched and threw his legs over the edge of the bed, surging to his feet, brighter than a sunny morning in springtime. Zelor and Silvan exchanged an incredulous look and Zelor shook his head affectionately, simply glad Lord Luminor was back with them.

  “What has been happening. . .since I was sleeping? Is there. . . an important visitor?” Without waiting for an answer, Luminor headed for the door. “Come! Do not tarry. . I have great need to visit the palace baths. Then, let us get to work, brothers!”

  A buzz of excitement had started to build throughout the palace and the Baramese camp outside the walls; the chatter increased notably at the news that Lord Luminor had awoken, hale and hearty. It passed quickly, from ear to ear, some believing that his own magic had been responsible. People were overjoyed that there was even more reason to celebrate with both leaders in attendance at the feast.

  The arrival of the hunters, mid-afternoon, laden with such a significant amount of game, buoyed their spirits further. There was even time to roast some rak-meat for the evening feast!

  Xandor and Troyan rode proudly at the fore of the hunting party, past the soldiers milling about the camp calling out their thanks, through open gates of the palace to a cheering reception.

  In the centre of the square, they dismounted, handing their mounts to willing helpers. Xandor and the other riders, now suffering the effects of fatigue from so much action and so little sleep, made for the crowded baths to refresh themselves, before taking a short rest.

  Xandor felt nervous. He scanned the people in the square, expecting to be confronted by the appearance of Saria’s face among them, wondering if, for any reason, anyone had mentioned his name to her in his absence. He was relieved when he did not see her there. Nor his friend Sumar.

  He did not find Sumar at the baths either, as he joined the press of bodies cramming into the mineral pools on a lower level of the palace, where caves had been incorporated into the structure. The line of men waiting for their turn to take a short dip stretched all the way down a stairway to the pools on the eastern side of the caves. Xandor guessed the same would be true for the women, whose baths were situated to the west, conveniently divided off by a natural outcrop of granite.


  If it was less-crowded, it would be a marvelous place to bathe – natural luxury at its best. The caves were cool and dark, lit by a series of wall torches; tunnels branched off in all directions, joining those used to rescue Saria. He cursed at thinking of her again and tried to appreciate his surroundings. The deep pools were fed by self-replenishing mineral springs, some cold, some hot: a lucky find for the humans who had made their home here without the benefit of Gaian help. Nature herself had been kind enough to provide it.

  The queue moved along briskly, each man disrobing at the edge of a pool and only taking the scantest of dips out of respect for the others. Xandor and Troyan took their turn, sloshed away the sweat and grime of the past few days and returned to their pile of clothing, They were surprised to come face to face with Luminor who was just on his way in for a dip.

  Overjoyed to see their Lord apparently recovered to his former strength, Xandor extended the respectful greeting for them both. “My lord, thank the Ancestors that you are still with us!” Luminor said nothing, but Xandor met a green stare, ominously piercing, aware and aimed at him alone. A frisson of guilt snaked through the young warrior. It was starkly reminiscent of the time he had been summoned into Luminor’s presence to plead his case, after his misdemeanours in the Capital, even though that seemed an age ago. He glanced sideways. Troyan stood beside him, smiling obliviously. Good. At least Troyan doesn’t know. Xandor looked back at Luminor with an embarrassed grin. He preferred talk on the matter of a certain woman be done in private.

  Luminor simply indicated to the stairs with his eyes. Xandor nodded sheepishly, knowing he had been given leave for the time being. He turned to make a hasty exit from the caves but Troyan paused with a cheery question that would probably continue to plague their leader for some time to come. “And, my lord. . .what of your dragon?”