Phoenix Fire

11 - You have magic?

HILD

"Woah woah woah." I said as Kaena gathered up her belongings, "I thought you were here to like... rest?"

"No. We're going to go find Hale, and you are going to lead me to him." She said, sheathing her sword.

"But there's a fire breathing monster on the loose?" I trotted after her as she led me through some corridors.

"Right. So we just go around it. Need anything?" She opened the door to the armoury. I looked around, my eyes bulging. These were some of the best crafted weapons I'd ever seen. I wanted to take all of them.

"Just give me two minutes." I told her. I looked around the shelves and selected a bow and a quiver of arrows, along with some throwing knives, a decent sword and a dagger.

"Well you travel light." She snorted.

"Look," I said to her as we jogged down yet another corridor, "you don't have to like me. But Hale and I never did anything. He was my friend. So was Helena." 

"Whatever you say pretty boy." She spat coming to the edge of the courtyard.

"Are you saying he's not pretty?" I asked. She snarled in reply. During our walk she had stopped seeming quite as helpless as she had been. She seemed to be lit with an internal flame now, energised and purposeful.

"We have to get past the guards." She whispered to me.

"How did you do it last time?" I asked.

"Luck." She shrugged.

I groaned. I hated doing this in front of other people but I had little choice. We needed to get back to Hale and Helena. It seemed strange to think of him as PB in the presence of his fiancée so I made a mental note to use Hale instead.

"What?" She asked, seeing my face.

"Just... don't tell anyone. Please?" I was pleading with her now, and this girl was not someone I wanted to owe favours to.

"Don't tell anyone what?" She insisted.

"About what I'm about to do." I sighed. I hadn't done this in so long I didn't know if I could still do it. Besides I hadn't eaten properly in days, it was only adrenaline that had kept me going. I only did this in emergencies. It was normally best not to let people see you do magic, seeing as it was outlawed in practically every kingdom.

I squared my shoulders and focused all my energy on a wooden crate across the courtyard. I breathed in and out slowly. Fuck, I can't do it! I thought to myself. I tried again concentrating hard. I felt the prickle on my fingers, then the hot sensation burst through me and the crate exploded into flames. The guards whipped round and ran over to it as we slipped through the gate, unnoticed.

"Was that magic?" Kaena panted as we came to a stop just outside the woods.

"Don't tell anyone. I'd like to keep my head attached to my body please." I wasn't panting as much as Kaena was, but I was still a little out of breath.

"Where did you learn to do that?" 

"God so many questions, does it really matter?" I asked looking up at the trees.

"It does when you've just put our lives on the line, if someone found out, and they knew I was with you-" 

"Jesus christ okay, there was a kobold in our house. A fire kobold. He attached himself to me and gave me some of his powers when he saw my proficiency for setting things on fire. It's not a lot but it's enough to do some things. It takes a lot of energy and it's very dangerous." I wiped some sweat off my forehead.