House of Winter

Chapter 15, Part 2

Ari was suddenly aware of a ringing, and realised that there were bells chiming a warning somewhere in the palace. Savvas and Ari had arrived with two dragons and a three-legged tiger, and although they attempted to convey that they came in peace, they had still alerted the palace guards.

A surge of fire army soldiers surrounded them as they walked further towards the palace grounds. There were at least fifty, in a neat formation that reminded Ari of schools of fish that seemed to know instinctively which way their school swam. The soldiers moved as if they were one creature, with just as many fire tigers swarming with their soldier starrlings.

Pythos Savvas put his hands into the air, declaring them empty, and then called out something in a very stilted Kaio.

Ari glanced at him. "Didn't know you spoke Kaio," she murmured.

"For the fans," Savvas said with a light chuckle that betrayed no fear, despite the swarm of fire army around them.

Ari breathed out of her nose, and then glanced at the guards, wondering what they would make of this.

There were angry orders barked in Kaio, and a lot of pointing and shouting. Ari glanced at Warrah, trying to comfort the dragon, who seemed tense at being surrounded.

Ari and Pythos followed the directions as closely as possible, and allowed the soldiers to lead them away from the palace and to what appeared to be the army barracks.

"Take us to see Lumi!" Ari said. "We're friends of Lumi! Lumiko Tsukasai!"

She attempted Lumi's name in as much of a Kaio accent as possible, and she could see that the soldiers closest to her recognise the name, but neither of them seemed to care.

Ari pointed at Jinni. "This is Lumi's tiger!" she said.

Pythos said something else in Kaio, but the guards laughed, and continued to lead them.

"Just go with it," Pythos said. "They'll find a translator for us eventually. They have to know we come in peace because we brought her tiger."

First the dragons and the tiger were taken from them to be locked in a yard somewhere they couldn't escape, and then Ari and Pythos received the same treatment, being shoved into a cell in the barracks.

Ari slumped on the uncomfortable metal bench, watching as the two soldiers who had accompanied them walked down the hallway and away.

"Do you think they're going to find someone to talk to us?"

"They have to," Pythos said, but he didn't sound confident.

They waited there for hours, during which Ari was starting to panic. She was trapped in a cell in a completely unfamiliar country where she didn't speak the language and couldn't communicate anything to the guards. She had no idea what they would do with her if they decided she was a threat.

Hours later, they heard a door open and a torch in a bracket was lit, lighting up the hallway outside their cell.

Ari hissed in a breath as she saw the young man walking down the hallway towards them.

Tai Tsukasai looked older now that he was in his traditional Kaio clothes, with his hair down, black as jet and brushing his shoulders.

He stepped in front of the cage and surveyed the scene in front of him.

"Pythos Savvas and Ariane Domez. What a pleasure."

Ari bristled. "Tai," she said. "Where are Lumi and Sanna?"

Tai hid his surprise well, but Ari noticed the way he frowned at the mention of Sanna's name. So he didn't know that they knew Sanna was here.

"I'm sure the King of Lombardia would pay his weight in gold to see your head on a stick," he said, ignoring her question.

"And his weight in gold would be a large amount," Savvas said lightly. "Now, why don't you let us out of here and take us to see your grandmother?"

"Pythos Savvas," Tai said coldly. "Matthias Stone would pay a weighty sum for you. Lombardia would be heavily indebted to the Fire Lands if I were to present you to him."

"But you don't want that, do you Tai?" Ari snapped. "You don't want to get your hands dirty. You want to sit back and let the others fight. And if you gave us to King Matthias, then Vastier would come after you."

Tai snorted. "Vastier lacks the strength to attack the Fire Lands. They'll suffer greatly in a war against Lombardia."

"Vastier is stronger than you think, boy," Pythos said. "You'd do well to remember that."

Tai glared at him. "Don't call me boy," he said.

Pythos Savvas stood up and walked to the thin metal bars that separated him from Tai. He was much taller than Tai and the bars were a small comfort to Tai, who seemed to shrink back to see Pythos Savvas's full height.

The Water Dancer pulled a jet of water from thin air and made the water curl in tendrils around the bars. It was a pretty show, but the metal bars stood strong.

Tai smiled. "Water has always been the weakest of starrling magic."

Savvas snorted. "You're proud of your own ignorance."

"Where are Lumi and Sanna?" Ari asked again. "Are they safe?"

"Sanna isn't here," Tai said.

"I know Sanna is here," Ari said.

Tai looked at her. "Why do you think Sanna van Dael would be in the Fire Lands?"

"I know she is with you," Ari snapped. "Is she safe? Is Lumi?"

Tai stared at her. "Why do you know that?"

Ari smiled. "You're surprised?"

Tai leaned back. "Perhaps Sanna isn't as loyal as I thought she was. I'd put too much trust in her. I'll need to ensure in future that she isn't treated so... gently."

Ari stiffened. "You wouldn't hurt her."

Tai raised one eyebrow. "You care about her? Sanna?"

"You don't care about anyone!" Ari snapped.

Tai let his fire go out and turned to leave, so that Ari and Savvas were in the dark again.

Ari slumped against the wall again, feeling desperate. "He won't even tell Lumi and Sanna that we're here. We'll be trapped here forever."

"If Lumi sees Jinni, then she must realise that someone brought him back?" Savvas suggested.

"Tai will lie," Ari said. "He always does."

"Then we need to find a way to get a message from this prison to the princess. The palace is just up that hill. She'll recognise winter and water magic, wouldn't she?"

Ari stood up on the bench and looked out the tiny window. She couldn't see the palace. She could just see a small paved courtyard with barrels full of water.

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