Fire Study (16 page)

Ferde had been on his soul-stealing rampage, the Master Magicians and I theorized

the timing of his ritual murders were linked to the phases of the moon. We were

wrong. He just needed enough time to torture his victims into submitting their wills to

him so he could steal their souls when they died. The old Efe symbols and ritual he

used to collect their souls would have made him the most powerful magician in Sitia

if he been able to gather all twelve of them.

Valek and I had stopped him from absorbing Gelsi’s soul and completing the

ritual, but now he was free to try again. And Cahil helped him. How could he? I

couldn’t really believe Cahil would get involved after witnessing what Ferde did to

those girls. But he had assisted with Ferde’s escape from the Keep’s protective

cells, and now traveled with him. Was he that greedy for power? He could no longer

claim the Ixian throne. Did he want to rule Sitia instead?

I studied the moon. Waxing toward full, the bright disk lit the landscape. I

wondered about the moon’s power and why certain things like the Kirakawa ritual

needed the moon’s presence to work. I could feel the invisible layer of power

blanketing the sky, but I felt nothing from the moon.

In a subtle flicker of the light, Moon Man coalesced out of a blue shaft of

moonlight as if he had been summoned by my thoughts. He stood next to our fire

without clothes or his weapon.

Are you a dream? I asked him.

Deep lines of exhaustion etched his face, but he managed a weary smile and said,

Perhaps I have always been a dream. What do you think?

I think I’m too tired to discuss Story Weaver philosophy with you right now.

And if you’re not real, then, at least, make yourself useful and tell me where you

really are!

I am here. Moon Man slumped to his knees.

I JUMPED TO MY FEET and ran to Moon Man’s prone form by the campfire.

Wrapping my cloak around Moon Man’s muscular shoulders, I shared energy with

him.

“Are you all right? What happened? Where are the others?” I asked.

“Everyone is fine. I will explain later.” He pulled the edge of my cloak closer to

his face.

“Will you? Or will you just spout some vague details in typical Story Weaver

style?”

He answered with a soft snore.

I suppressed the desire to share more power with him and wake him. Sleep was

the best way for Moon Man to recover his strength after using magic. Unfortunately,

I couldn’t sleep. I grabbed an extra blanket from Leif’s saddlebags and spread it

over Moon Man. My cloak didn’t seem adequate protection for him against the

chilly night air. Despite my reluctance, I added some logs and coaxed the fire into a

warm blaze.

As I stared at the dancing flames, I wondered what other surprises waited for me.

The answers would be revealed in time, but my ability to deal with them remained

uncertain.

Even with the loud calls of shoppers and stand owners from the bustling market,

Moon Man didn’t wake until the sun reached its apex. By the time the Story Weaver

finished eating the meal Leif had thoughtfully prepared for him, my impatience had

built up enough energy that I could probably scale a smooth tree without the aid of a

rope.

“Tell us everything,” I demanded before he could swallow his final bite.

He smiled at my agitation. Weariness still pulled at his features, but his eyes

sparked with an amused glint.

“And don’t try any of that cryptic Story Weaver mumbo jumbo or I’ll…”

“What?” Moon Man asked.

“I’ll hurt you. Bad. So talk.”

Moon Man glanced at Leif.

My brother shrugged. “I’ve seen her swinging that stick around. Now, if you had

your scimitar…”

“Too risky,” Moon Man said. He saw the rising fury in my eyes and wisely began

telling us what had happened.

“After you and Leif distracted the Fire Warper, we chased the Vermin through

the jungle. And would have caught them if you had not needed my help.” Moon Man

aimed a pointed stare at me. “How is the scout?”

“Alive and well,” I said.

“Back to his old self?”

I hesitated, but I wouldn’t let Moon Man change the subject. “He’s fine.

Continue your story.”

“Helping you drained all my energy and I needed to rest for a while,” Moon Man

said. “Marrok tracked the Vermin to the Illiais Market and then north to the city of

Booruby. It is a thriving place and we lost the Vermin’s trail. Too many people.”

He shuddered. The motion reminded me of Leif’s claim that Moon Man was

claustrophobic. The city was the complete opposite of the wide open space of his

home in the Avibian Plains. Located at the northern tip of the Cowan Clan’s lands,

Booruby’s eastern side bordered the plains, and was too far for my magic to reach.

“Where are the others?” Leif asked.

“We rented a room at one of the inns. I left Tauno and Marrok there to hunt

down any information about the Daviians while I rejoined you.”

Leif looked around the campsite. “How, exactly, did you get here?”

Moon Man grinned. “A secret Story Weaver power.”

“You used the moonlight,” I said.

He beamed his approval. “I came through the shadow world. Moonlight reveals

the world of shadows, allowing access.”

“Is that where you showed me the story of my life?” I asked, remembering the

dark plain that had transformed into visions of my childhood.

“Yes. It is a place where I unravel story threads to help others learn from their

past as they weave their future.”

“Is it a physical place?” I had been there twice. The second time Moon Man had

brought Leif and me to untangle our knots of hostility and anger toward each other.

Each time, though, I had felt intangible, as if my body had turned into smoke.

“It exists in the shadows of our world.”

“Can anyone with magical powers get into the shadow world?”

“So far, only Story Weavers have the ability. But I am waiting to see if there is

another who is brave enough to claim that gift.” His eyes met mine, and I caught a

glimpse of shadows. I looked away.

Breaking the silence, Leif said, “However you arrived, you still need to work on

your transportation skills. Maybe next time you can bring some clothes along with

you.”

Leif and I bought Moon Man a tan-colored tunic and pants, and we purchased

supplies for the trip. Packing the saddlebags, I readied the horses. Moon Man would

ride Garnet until we reached Booruby.

We went north, taking a well-used path through the forest. I scanned our

surroundings with my magic, but thought the odds of being ambushed remained low

because of all the other caravans and travelers crowding the trail. Leif also used his

magic to smell the intentions of the Vermin, but he couldn’t discern anything.

Once we reached Booruby, we would find the others and decide our next move.

I brooded over the fact we had lost the Vermin and worried about which direction

Cahil and Ferde had gone. Back to the plains or plateau? Or engaging in another

scheme to gain power?

Ferde had kidnapped Tula from her home in Booruby. His only victim found

alive, Tula had been sent to the Magician’s Keep. I healed her body and found her

soul only to lose both to Ferde. Guilt welled in my throat. His freedom ate at my

heart.

I tightened my grip on the reins, causing Kiki to snort in agitation.

Sorry. I relaxed. I was thinking about Ferde and Cahil.

Peppermint Man like apple, Kiki said, referring to Cahil.

Why do you say that? I knew Kiki loved apples.

He black apple. No one wants.

I saw an image of rotting apples on the ground.

Bad. But good come.

Kiki showed how the seeds inside grew roots and became a tree after the apple

decayed. Are you saying a good thing might come from Peppermint Man? Or if he

dies, it would be beneficial?

Yes.

Cryptic horse advice? Well now I could die happy—I’d heard it all.

Two days later, we reached Booruby. Clusters of wooden and stone houses

marked the outskirts of the city. The forest thinned. And the clear air fogged to a

haze of smoke, coal dust and sawdust that hovered over the main street’s buildings.

The thick air assaulted us with the smells of garbage mixed with human waste.

People bustled along the walkways and wagons full of goods choked the roads.

Stores and stands had been wedged between factories and business offices.

Moon Man’s alarmed face showed his discomfort as we maneuvered our horses

through the crowded streets. He led us to the Three Ghosts Inn. The stone-faced

building leaned its narrow four-story height against its neighbor. Through a tight

alley, we led the horses to an empty stable just big enough to hold six horses.

The stalls were clean and had fresh straw and water. A stable boy soon joined us

as we took off the horses’ saddles. The quiet boy helped us groom and feed them.

He shot me a shy smile when I tipped him.

We had passed a number of inns on our way into the city. “Why this inn?” I

asked Moon Man as we carried our bags through the alley.

“I liked the name. Although…” He paused as if deep in thought.

“Although?” I prompted.

“I have not encountered the three ghosts. Perhaps you will have better luck.”

I laughed. “You don’t really believe in ghosts?”

Moon Man stopped and I bumped into him. He turned around, revealing his

shocked expression. “How can you not? They are lost souls. You can help them

find their way. Like you did for Reyad.”

I put a hand out to steady myself. “Reyad was…” The man I had killed in Ixia.

The reason I had been awaiting execution before Valek offered me the food taster’s

job. “How did you—”

“Story Weaver, remember? I know all the threads that are woven into your life.”

“But I thought his ghost had been my imagination. A manifestation of my fears.

Why haven’t I seen any others? If I can help them, why aren’t they all around me?”

“Perhaps they are and you do not wish to see them.”

“This is weird,” Leif said.

I agreed with him. My skin crawled with goose bumps, imagining being

surrounded by invisible ghosts.

“I could teach—”

“Let’s get inside.” I cut off Moon Man’s offer. Of all the things I wished he

would teach me, seeing ghosts wasn’t high on my list.

“Yes, let’s. I’m hungry.” Leif patted his stomach.

We entered into a common area. Wooden tables and long benches scarred with

hard use lined the slender room. A fire crackled in the stone hearth, but the area was

empty.

“Dinner’s a few hours off,” a woman said. She leaned from a doorway near the

back wall. Spotting Moon Man, she smiled and walked toward us. “Mr. Moon! I’m

so glad you’re back. Your friends left this morning, but I suspect they’ll be coming

back for dinner. Mr. Tauno loves my vegetable stew.”

The woman’s steel-gray hair was pulled back into a bun. Small wisps of hair

framed her oval face. Her fair skin caused me to wonder if she was a refugee from

Ixia. When the Commander had launched his campaign to take over Ixia, many

Ixians fled to Sitia before the Commander closed the border.

The innkeeper scanned Leif and me with bright intelligence in her sky-blue eyes.

Her gaze lingered on my hands before returning to Moon Man.

“Will you be needing another room?” she asked.

“Yes. Mrs. Floranne, this is Yelena and Leif.”

She wiped her hands on her apron before shaking our hands. “I’ll be showing

you to your rooms, then.”

We followed her up the stairs. Stopping on the third floor, she led us down the

slim hallway. She opened the second door on the left.

“This’ll be Miss Yelena’s room. Will Mr. Leif be staying with you, Mr. Moon, or

do you need another room?”

Sweat beaded Moon Man’s face and he glanced around the tight hallway as if

seeking a way out.

“Leif can stay with me,” I said, spotting two beds inside the tiny room.

Disapproval radiated from Mrs. Floranne’s stiff demeanor, but before she could

comment I added, “He’s my brother.”

Her face softened and she relaxed. “I’ll be ringing the bell when dinner’s ready.

Don’t be late.” She left us alone.

Leif stifled a giggle. “Interesting place you found here, Mr. Moon.”

“If Leif had been my lover instead of my brother, would she have let us stay

together?”

“I do not know,” Moon Man said.

“Perhaps the ghosts dislike improper behavior,” Leif said, laughing.