Playing with Fire

KAEL

Kael hurried along the edge of the forest toward Eithne’s hiding place.

He ducked into the trees and found the dragon resting in the clearing, gazing at the stars.

~“Back so soon?”~ Eithne asked.

~“Yes, but only for a moment,”~ Kael admitted, ~“because I need a favor…”~

Even though the dragon could read his mind, Kael had learned that some things were better put into words.

~“And…,”~ the dragon prompted.

~“I need help with an…uh…explosion,”~ Kael said.

The dragon snorted unhappily.

~“Will you help me?”~ he asked.

As a response, the dragon inhaled deeply, and exhaled a rush of flame. Kael braced himself as the molten force washed over his skin.

Since he was Eithne’s Rider, the fire couldn’t burn him. However, to contain it in this way was still dangerous.

At high concentrations, the fire could explode and even Kael could be injured in the blast.

Good thing Kael was nothing if not careful. He caught the flame in his gloved hands, expertly molding the fire into the shape of an orb.

When Eithne stopped the fire, Kael held an explosive ball of dragonfire that was even larger than his own head.

This would do the trick. But he would need to move quickly…and carefully.

~“Thank you, Heart Song,”~ Kael said, looking into the dragon’s eyes once more before he took off on his mission. ~“I’ll be back soon. Be ready…things are about to get loud.”~

With that, Kael darted off into the darkness, the burning orb glowing before him.

The town was small and the citizens must have turned in for the night. The streets were quiet.

Still, Kael traveled only through the narrowest alleys.

He juggled the orb of fire, tapping it lightly so it floated above his head.

Finally, he reached the prison. There were guards positioned by the main entrance, but Adelbrand’s cell was in the back of the building.

Kael stood in the shadows, staring up at the window he knew to be Adelbrand’s.

He only had one chance. His aim needed to be true in order to blast the right part of the wall without hurting the great sorcerer—or anyone else.

Using all of his strength and concentration, Kael pulled the ball of flames back behind his head. Then he catapulted it forward—straight toward his target.

He watched the incendiary ball fly through the darkness. The moment it touched the stony exterior—

~BOOM!~

The prison blew apart, spewing chunks of rock and mortar. A moment later, there was an empty space where the exterior wall had been.

Shouts rang out and inmates hollered with joy. The guards stormed around to the back of the prison.

Kael lurked in the shadows. As soon as he saw Adelbrand, he could make his move…

A moment later, the sorcerer’s enormous silhouette appeared in the space where the wall had been. His beard and wild, curly hair blew in the wind.

Kael jumped from the shadows and elbowed one guard in the gut before bringing his fist down on top of his head. He didn’t want to kill them, after all.

Harnessing the power of the wind, he sent a massive gust toward the three other guards who were charging straight toward him, spears at the ready.

As if faced with a tsunami of pure wind, the guards were blasted back into the stone wall of the prison before crumpling to the ground.

When Kael turned, he was staring into the green eyes of Adelbrand, which glittered mysteriously beneath bushy black eyebrows.

“This better be good,” Adelbrand growled.

“It’s nice to see you too, old friend,” Kael replied incredulously. “I expected you might be happy to be out of prison…”

“Not in particular. I have business here in Thys,” Adelbrand replied. Stubbornly, he crossed his arms over his barrel chest. “Do you really think this flimsy cell could hold me? I was working up a scheme and you’re mucking it up!”

Kael was starting to panic. He hadn’t predicted that ~Adelbrand~ would be the one to prevent their escape.

But then again, Kael should have known that Adelbrand wouldn’t be predictable.

The guards were making their way back to their feet. Time was running out…

“Dammit, Adelbrand! Just do me this one favor,” Kael shouted. “You owe me one from last time…”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied, looking away.

Kael raised his eyebrows. “I’m talking about that time that I found you in the brothel outside of—”

“Say no more,” Adelbrand interrupted loudly. “I’ll help you. But after this—we’re even.”

At that, Adelbrand was already running. Kael took off after him. Kael might have been fast, but Adelbrand’s legs were far longer.

They bounded down the cobblestone streets. Guards shouted from behind them, gaining ground, but Adelbrand tossed fireballs behind him with abandon, not even checking to see where they landed.

“So what is it you need?” he asked.

“You’re the best spell breaker in Paerolia, Adelbrand. I need you to break a spell for me.”

The two darted off the road and into the dark forest toward Eithne.

Adelbrand laughed into the night.

“I should’ve known you needed my help for some girl!” he roared. “So who is she? She’d better be special if you’re going through all this trouble…”

Kael stopped in his tracks.

“Wait…how—?!” Kael hadn’t said anything about a girl.

But then he realized it was pointless to ask. He would never understand the way Adelbrand’s mind worked.

And the sorcerer would never explain himself to anyone. But luckily, Kael didn’t need an explanation. He just needed help.

The sorcerer bowed before Eithne as they reached her hiding spot. The dragon was flattered and snorted happily.

“This girl is very special,” Kael assured the sorcerer, whose eyes twinkled in the night.

“Very well. It’s been years since I’ve ridden on a beast as fine as this.”

Eithne practically purred with delight. Kael rolled his eyes.

~“He’s just flattering you to get on your good side,”~ Kael said to Eithne in his mind.

~“And it’s working,”~ she replied.

They climbed astride Eithne and took off into the night.

ANDRA

It was already late in the evening by the time Andra’s lesson with Setora began.

The witch cleared the bowls of healthful dandelion stew from the small table.

“So, little one,” Setora said as she settled back into her seat, “your first task is to take this pebble.”

She opened her hand to reveal the small stone, and Andra reached out.

“~Without~ touching it,” she clarified, closing her fingers.

Andra nodded.

“How?” she asked.

“It’s simple,” the witch replied sagely. “Pretend it is something you want.”

Andra closed her eyes. She imagined the pebble was Kael, soaring toward her on Eithne’s back, with a warm smile on his face…

“Ow!” Setora cried.

Andra opened her eyes as purple sparks burst under the stone. Suddenly it launched across the table and into Andra’s hand.

She smiled triumphantly.

“That was…unconventional. But it worked,” Setora said proudly. “Next, we are going to work on shields of protection.”

Andra knew this would be more difficult, so she listened carefully.

“Instead of sending your magic ~away~ from you, as you have so far, focus on holding it in,” the witch instructed. “You need to concentrate your own power…and expel the magic of others.”

This sounded vague and difficult to Andra, but she closed her eyes once more.

“Your magic doesn’t come from the skill of your mind, but the strength of your heart,” Setora murmured.

Andra pictured a purple flame that symbolized her power and imagined a bubble of protection around it.

~The heart,~ Andra thought.

She thought of Tiri’s fire, purple like her own. She thought of Tiri in general, the sweet, yet fierce dragon—her source of strength.

But then Andra thought of Kael, and his deep, stormy eyes. She worried she would never see them again.

And then something smacked her in the forehead.

“Ow!”

Now it was Andra who was wounded.

Setora frowned. She snapped her fingers, and the pebble that had just hit Andra soared back into her hand.

“You’re distracted,” Setora intuited. “About what?” Andra knew it would be pointless to lie to the witch.

“I’m worried about Kael,” she admitted. “He didn’t tell me he was leaving, and I think he might be…cross with me.”

Setora’s face softened.

“Yes, that does sound like my Kael,” she said wistfully. “Love is never easy, little lamb.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s—”

“I remember when I met my Abbas,” Setora continued, “Kael’s father. The moment I saw him, I knew he was to be my Heart Song.”

Andra remembered when Kael had used the phrase that night in the cave…

“The trouble was, he was the son of a Judge!” she chuckled. “And I was the daughter of nomads. It could never be, but still we tried.”

Kael was a Rider, Andra thought to herself. And she was a servant. They were just another thing that could never be.

“His father refused to let him marry a nomad girl. Though my heart was breaking, I stayed. We had Caedo first, and then Kael.”

She sighed as the memories turned painful.

“Eventually, Abbas and I ended our relationship when he decided to marry for political gain. I returned to my people in the desert. Our sons, Kael and Caedo, came with me, but eventually they returned to the Hall.”

With every word, Setora wrenched Andra’s heart.

“In that most painful time, I found magic. It was the witchcraft that helped me numb the pain,” she went on. “By focusing on my magic, I didn’t have to think of all that I had lost.”

Setora met Andra’s gaze, and her smile was sad.

Andra’s heart ached for the woman. She had found magic, but it hadn’t come without sacrifice. Setora had to give from her own life.

“Well, child. It’s late now. We’ll practice more tomorrow.”

Andra nodded. At that moment, Setora looked like the oldest woman in the world.

Andra emerged into the darkness outside Setora’s hut. Her thoughts were racing and she felt an unshakable sadness.

Talking to Setora had made Andra realize how much she didn’t know about Kael.

He was a hero, and she was a servant. It was dangerous to think she was anything more.

She walked along the lake to say goodnight to Tiri. Certainly seeing the dragon might lift her mood.

Suddenly, she heard loud shouts rise from Bellris. She began to run, wondering what was going on in town.

~What are the people so excited for?~

But then she heard the flapping of wings and a huge gust of wind surrounded her, blowing her hair back from her face.

Eithne touched down in front of her; Kael was riding on her back. He looked as triumphant and capable as ever…and he was looking right at her.

Andra’s knees felt weak with relief.

~He’s back~.

He leapt off the dragon.

As he walked toward Andra, it felt like time slowed down. Even though Eithne was right beside them, to Andra they were the only ones in the world.

She wanted to throw her arms around him, which shocked her.

Andra could hardly contain her relief.

~Can he see what I’m feeling…~ she wondered.

His eyes were still the gray of storm clouds, but there was warmth in them. He wasn’t angry with her. Andra knew that for certain now.

Kael walked toward her with determination and pride. A smile pulled at the corner of his lips.

He held out a small paper scroll in his gloved hands, never looking away from her eyes.

“What is this?” Andra asked.

“It’s a choice,” Kael replied. “It’s a choice that only you can make.”