Trail of Flames

by Marlow York

  “There it is,” Roger said.

  The land in front of us had once been cleared for farming and buildings, but the foliage had taken over. Where there had been roads and pastures now stood saplings and wildflowers. Where there had once been Landsend, only the stone and rotten wood piles of old buildings remained.

  “This is it?” Anza asked incredulously.

  “This is it,” Roger confirmed. He frowned at the remnants of his village, his eyes distant and apathetic towards a place that had become strange to him. I could tell this was no longer his home. To him, this was just a cemetery.

  “Let’s go check it out.” Anza brushed past us with Mjoll following closely behind her. Cypress and I hesitated, but Roger made no move to stop her or to follow.

  “You don’t have to come with us if you don’t want to,” I told him.

  Roger stared at Landsend. “No, I’ll go with you. I think it’s about time I pay my respects.”

  He led the way across the field. Anza and Mjoll stood near the tall stony remains of a forgotten building. Grass filled what had once been the road, and plants sprouted through the skeletons of old structures. The effect was heartbreaking, but also beautiful in its own way. I felt like we were stepping into the ancient remains of a long-forgotten civilization. However, this place was not ancient, and it hadn’t been entirely forgotten.

  “This was the mayor’s house.” Roger placed his weathered hand on the equally worn stone.

  “Mayor?” I asked.

  “He was our village leader,” he clarified.

  We continued down the overgrown road. Most of the buildings were in piles of rubble resembling anything but a building. Roger slowly leaned down and picked up a rusty drinking cup. If it weren’t for the handle, there would have been no way to recognize what it was.

  “This place must have been raided,” Roger said.

  I looked questioningly at Anza, who looked back at me.

  “Even if the Grakkir had known about the attack, we likely would not travel this far just to raid a village,” she said.

  “Perhaps another village?” Cypress asked.

  “Perhaps,” Roger said. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if the City ransacked Landsend themselves.”

  “That makes sense,” I said. “The City is greedy and they thrive on luxury. Besides, the rest of us know that raiding destroyed villages is a Grakkir pastime. The City loved to convince the Fiero that the Grakkir were horrible people. Looting a decimated village, even this far away, and then pinning it on the Grakkir would be another way to make us hate and fear them.”

  Anza was quiet for a moment. She looked at Mjoll, then back at us. “It seems the City has spent a lot of effort shaping the world to fit a mold they want us to see. They have so much power and influence they can make anyone believe what they want.”

  I was taken aback by Anza’s insightfulness, but she had a good point. “If the Fiero are any indication, you’re right.”

  A distant rumbling caught our attention. It wasn’t thunder, but it was almost as convincing. All eyes turned to the sky. The rumbling increased, and I didn’t need to see the source to know what was coming.

  “Airship!” I cried. “Everyone hide!”

  We rushed for the mayor’s house, the only building that still had at least three walls and part of a roof. As the airship approached, stones vibrated along the floor. Dirt and debris shook free from the upper walls. Saven curled around me protectively. The airship moaned and roared directly overhead. The building shuddered so violently I worried it would collapse on top of us.

  “How can it be?” Roger said in anguish, staring out the window at the massive aircraft. “It can’t be a City airship!”

  “Well, it is not a bird!” Anza retorted as the vessel lumbered past.

  “That’s definitely not a scouting ship,” I said. “The fact that one of those War Ships is this far east means they’re ready to drop a bomb at a moment’s notice.”

  “Who do you think they’re looking for?” Roger asked.

  “Besides us?” Cypress said.

  “Anyone.” I kept my eyes on the ship as it slowly disappeared into the distance. “They’re going to look for anyone who might be helping us, which could mean clans with Ancient Powers, or normal people like you, Roger.”

  “How could they know you’re planning an attack?” Roger said. “You haven’t even formed an army, have you?”

  I glanced at Cypress and Anza. So far, we only had the Secara and Grakkir on our side. Could there be someone else organizing an army? I remembered the group of soldiers who had kidnapped Anza. Surely the City sent someone looking for them when they hadn’t returned or reported to the government. Maybe the massacre we’d left behind prompted more airship patrols.

  “We haven’t, but I know someone who might,” I said. “Anza, did you tell anyone where you were going when you left the Grakkir to come after me?”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head. Then she paused, realizing something. “But I did pass someone as I left the group.”

  “Sarrenke,” I said.

  “Sarrenke?” Cypress asked.

  The airship was long gone, so I stepped out from behind the unsteady building. “I lived with her when I was a Grakkir slave. She and my captor, Tarek.”

  “You mean husband,” Anza said.

  My cheeks got hot and I glared at her. Anza snickered, and I fought the urge to spin around and smack her. “That’s not the point,” I said. “Sarrenke has just enough reason to hate the City as anyone else. She was a City Dweller adopted by the Grakkir,” I explained to Roger, whose eyes popped with surprise. “She was once Shunned like Tarek, so it’s likely she still stays on the outskirts of the clan. If anyone would try to convince other leaders to organize a fight against the City, it would be her.”

  “But who else is there?” Anza asked.

  She and Cypress both looked thoughtful.

  “I’m not sure,” I admitted. It was times like this I hated how little I knew about the world.

  “My parents would definitely help organize something,” Cypress chimed in. “We have many allies along our trading routes. Though we couldn’t convince others to help, maybe seeing the airships will encourage them.”

  “Like the Nordahl?” I asked dubiously.

  Cypress pressed his lips together and shrugged. “They seemed more eager to hide underground and wait for the end of the world, but I suppose anything is possible.”

  Roger shook his head and tiredly rubbed his eyes. “I never knew so much was happening while I was hiding in the forest. I was willing to die out here, never once looking at another soul. But all this…” He opened his arms and gazed around his destroyed village with watery eyes. “I was unwilling to acknowledge how many people have become the City’s victims.” He shook his head again and looked at me. “This can’t go on forever. We have to do something before they destroy the entire world and everyone in it.”

  “Do you really think they would do that?” Cypress said.

  Roger’s expression turned stony and cold. “I once believed they would protect us. I was wrong. Now, I see they only want to protect those who are easy to control and willing to be their puppets. Everyone else is the enemy. They’ve destroyed so much already. We have to stop them before they destroy everything else.”

  I could tell I wasn’t the only one impressed by Roger’s sudden ferocity.

  “We need to get to Three Winds,” I told him. “We need to get them on our side and create an army. The longer the City goes on doing whatever they want, the more people will be captured and killed. We need to end this.”

  Roger nodded. “I agree with you. Help me fix my ship, and I’ll help you any way I can.”

  Chapter 16

  None of us knew anything about repairing a ship, but Roger knew the vessel like the back of his hand. What he lacked in physical strength, he made up for in knowledge. We did whatever he asked, whether it was cutting trees for lumber, hauling boards, mending
sails, anything. Saven and Mjoll lacked finger dexterity, but they had more strength than the rest of us combined. With all of us working together, the task got done quickly and efficiently.

  “How do we know the people in Three Winds won’t try to kill us the way they tried to kill you?” Anza asked one night as we sat around the dinner table. We were tired from a long day of working, and eagerly ate a meal of fresh trout from the river and vegetables from Roger’s garden.

  “They told me never to sail that way again, just in case someone tried to follow me,” Roger said. “However, this is an extreme circumstance and I believe they will want to meet you. It also greatly troubles me that I haven’t heard from them in so long. I wouldn’t be a good friend if I didn’t check on them.”

  “You don’t think the airship found them, do you?” Cypress asked.

  “It’s certainly a possibility,” Roger grumbled. “But their powers are great, and with wind and water combined, I honestly don’t think anything could survive an aggressive assault from them.”

  “Then how will we?” I asked.

  “With this.” Roger stood and opened a cupboard, pulling out what looked like a heavy folded sheet. He held it up and let the fabric unfurl. It was a huge flag with a dark bird, wings outstretched as though in flight.

  “A raven?” I asked.

  Roger nodded and grinned. “The raven has been our only form of communication for several years now. Captain Lagan is a smart fellow. I hope he will understand what it means.”

  “You hope?” Anza asked.

  Roger’s expression fell slightly. “Yes, I hope.”

  I glanced at the faces around me, each looking as worried as I felt. I met Cypress’s eyes and he gave me an encouraging smile. I smiled back and choked down a bite of food. “It sounds like the people of Three Winds are our last hope for allies. We need to establish a meeting place and inform everyone else of our plan.”

  “I agree,” Anza said. “I propose we tell everyone to meet at Landsend. From there we can decide how we’ll approach the City. If we send the message now, before we leave for Three Winds, they should have enough time to get here.”

  A shiver ran up my spine when I thought about actively attacking the City. It was a suicide mission.

  “I can send messages with my brothers and sisters,” Saven piped up.

  I nodded. “Good idea. We’ll write to the Nordahl and the people of Edgewood. Hopefully they’ve changed their minds about helping us. Saven’s brethren can talk to the other Grakkir gods. Cypress can send messages with the trees for the Secara.”

  Cypress gave a nod. “So, this is it? One last journey before we take on the City.”

  Somber faces circled the table.

  “Are you scared, Secara?” Anza’s tone betrayed her worry.

  “Of course I am,” Cypress retorted. “Aren’t you?”

  “I am.” She straightened her back against the chair. “But it doesn’t matter. Fear doesn’t matter. Only courage does. You can be completely terrified as long as you fight bravely.” Her stony eyes met mine. “Right?”

  Anza knew I was scared, just as I knew she was. Still, I could tell she was trying to bolster our courage. She’d been born and raised to choose valor over fear, but Anza needed support. Somewhere along the way we’d crossed the line from enemies and rivals to something akin to allies and, perhaps, even friends.

  I gave a tight smile. “Right.”

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  I held my breath as the Salty Mutt eased out of the small tributary and felt the first rays of direct sunlight in years. Inhaling deeply, I cautiously walked to the front of the boat, my legs shaking and unsteady as waves rippled beneath us.

  “Feels strange, doesn’t it?” Cypress stood beside me.

  “I’ve never been on a boat before,” I admitted. “Have you?”

  “Only a few times, on a pond. Takes a while to get your sea legs.” Cypress glanced at Saven, who tilted his head. “Sorry, it’s just an expression. I mean, it takes time to get accustomed to the swaying of the water.”

  “I’m sure you’ll get there in no time.” I grinned and elbowed Cypress’s arm. He snorted and chuckled.

  We stood at the railing and watched as the shore slowly disappeared and the tall green trees shrank into dark, shapeless blurs on the horizon.

  “When you first met me, did you ever think we’d be sailing across the ocean on a normal human’s fishing ship?” I asked Saven.

  “Never,” he replied with a laugh. “But my mother always told me that when an Animal God finds his companion, they have great adventures together. Hearing that made me less sad to leave her.”

  “I wish you could have met my mother,” I told him. “You would have liked her. She was strong and well-respected, like yours.” I folded my arms across the rough wood. “I wonder if she’d imagined I would do even half the things I’ve done when she sent me running from the Fiero village.”

  “Are you seasick?” Cypress asked, breaking my thoughts.

  “No,” I said. “Just watching the horizon.”

  He leaned against the railing, his arm almost touching mine. “We’re both a long way from home, aren’t we?”

  I glanced over and caught him smiling. “I think you’re enjoying this way more than you should be,” I joked.

  “Well, threat of imminent death aside, you have to admit this is a pretty amazing journey we’re on.” He looked at me. “Might as well enjoy it as much as we can.” His shoulder grazed mine and calmness spread through me. Saven noticed my emotion and perked with curiosity.

  I shrugged. “I was just telling Saven I’m sure I’ve done more than my mother ever could have imagined when she sent me away.”

  “Sent you away?” Cypress asked.

  “When the village was under attack, she told me I needed to run away and hide.” I frowned as I remembered the look of desperation on my mother’s burned face. “She said I was very important and needed to survive no matter what.”

  “Do you think she saw this coming?” Cypress held my gaze.

  “I think she distrusted the City long before anyone else did, but she never mentioned it. To doubt the City is treasonous, so even if anyone had misgivings about them, they would never say anything aloud.”

  “Looks like she was right though,” Cypress said. “Maybe she knew you would be able to find other people with powers and bring them together against the City.”

  “Maybe,” I murmured. “At the time I think she was more concerned with making sure the Fiero lineage and the Ancient Fire survived, not sending her daughter to raise an army.”

  Cypress shrugged one shoulder and tilted his head. “Either way, I think she would be proud to see how far you’ve come.”

  Ysolda and other Grakkir Elders had a special way of acknowledging where a person had come from and where they now resided within the world. I had been an orphaned Fiero, a slave, a Shunned man’s wife, an adopted Grakkir, and finally a Grakkir Warrior. I was the last of the Fire Bringers. I was both very alone and somehow, miraculously, not alone at all. Yes, my parents would have been proud to see where I was at that moment, even as a City fugitive.

  I crouched and reached into my backpack. At the very bottom sat the carved wooden doll my father had made and my mother’s red stone necklace. I’d avoided looking at the items for a very long time. I touched the doll’s worn face, picturing my father’s cheerful grin and glittering blue eyes.

  “What are those?” Cypress asked curiously. “Mementos?”

  “You could say that.” I sighed. “They’re remnants. The few intact items salvaged from my house after it burned down.”

  When Cypress didn’t respond I glanced up at him. His frown deepened, an expression I interpreted as sympathy and pity.

  “I think it’s good to carry something with you,” he finally said. “It’s important to remember where you came from.” He reached up and fingered the cord around his neck.

  “I haven’t looked at them much, to be honest.
” I stared at the little doll. “I don’t need more reminders of what I’ve lost.”

  Cypress knelt beside me, extending his hand for the piece of wood. I passed it to him and observed the way he gently ran his fingers over the doll’s face and limbs. “Whoever made this had incredible attention to detail.”

  “My father.” A small smile crept across my face. “I can’t believe it survived a childhood with my older sister.”

  Cypress chuckled and I felt a wave of amusement emanating from Saven.

  “I like when you share stories about your family,” he said. “You should do it more often. It will help keep them alive.”

  He was right, so I tried to think of something. “The doll was originally for Jenassa, but she quickly outgrew it. By that I mean, she lost interest.” A memory flashed through my mind and I grinned. “We couldn’t find it for about a week, which was more upsetting to me than her. Then, finally, my father came home from working at the stables with the doll in hand. I was so excited you’d have thought I was seeing it for the first time. He said, ‘It looks like Ms. Dolly got a tan.’ Then I saw what he meant.”

  Cypress gave me a quizzical look.

  “It used to be much lighter, until Jenassa dropped it in the pig pen behind the stables and forgot about it.”

  “You mean…?”

  “Dad assured us the dark coloring is from mud…and I prefer to keep thinking of it that way.”

  Cypress quickly passed the doll back to me and I laughed. To my surprise, I kept laughing until my stomach started to ache, which made me wonder when I’d last enjoyed a real belly laugh.

  I squeezed the mesmerizing red and black stone, my thumb slipping easily into the groove my mother’s thumb had worn into it. Her strong hazel eyes flashed into my mind, more vibrant than they’d been in a long time. How had I never noticed the worry she kept so well-hidden? Had I ignored it, or had she just been good at keeping it to herself? Perhaps that was her way of showing love—to worry about the things she didn’t want to trouble her daughters with.

  Saven’s nose bumped my shoulder. I reached up to touch his face reassuringly, then I slipped the doll back into my bag. I looped the necklace over my head, tucking the stone under my shirt.