Iron of the Innocent: Mistress of Agony (Vol 2)

Chapter 15: Salt

274 I.C.
Sacren
Solorn Kingdom
Solorn Province
The Ruin Estate

Flames reached for the star filled sky, dancing among the great, black clouds of billowing smoke. Trees near the Ruin home groaned as the great heat from the fire devoured them, igniting leaves and branch. The trees were old, and had stood there for a very long time. A carpet of fire surrounded the burning structure, and the grass turned to ash in the unbearable fire storm. Going mostly unnoticed, small spiders and other ground insects crawled away from the building as quickly as their tiny legs could carry them in an effort to escape.

Inquisitor Roak stood at a distance with her entourage, watching the flames as they twisted, turned, and folded into others. The Ruins once used the cleared field where they stood for sowing seed and harvesting crops, but it went unused for some time. Presently, the group's tents were being set up as they prepared their camp for the night. The cleric glanced over to her own large tent and was pleased to find its preparation complete.

Then she looked back at the fire. She worried that the inferno would engulf the entire area, putting them in danger. The cleric knelt in her robes, bowing her head. "Please keep the fire from spreading too far," she petitioned. "Protect us as we do your work. Help me find Dreydan Ruin and question him about his lies. I will get to the bottom of this matter one way or another."

"Your reverence?" Captain Jursin said as he walked up behind the cleric a few minutes later, stopping at a respectful distance.

Vinara slowly stood from her kneeling position and turned toward him. "Yes?"

"Your tent is waiting," he reported.

"Thank you, Captain," Vinara said. "I will retire for the evening shortly."

Jursin nodded and spun on his heel to continue the supervision of the group as they worked.

The cleric remained for a while longer, her eyes returning to the fire. Satisfied by the results, she turned and walked toward her tent. The smell of the burning filled the area, and she took a deep breath. The soft grasses of the field bent at her footfalls, crushed beneath her weight as she passed. Coming to her tent, she ignored the two guards stationed at the door and entered.

Within the tent, she found a small table with a lit candle and stool, her personal chest, and a comfortable cot prepared for her to rest. Taking a seat on the cot, she looked at the fabric of the tent toward the fire, and she could see the wavering light cast by the flames. Leaning back and turning, she lay down on top of the blankets and rested her head on the pillow. Staring upward, she closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. Letting it out, she worked to calm her mind and thoughts. It was not an easy task for her.

Vinara was not sure if an hour drifted by or more, but in her quiet rest during the night she suddenly awoke. A cold feeling of uneasiness clawed at her, disrupting her peaceful slumber. She sat up and turned, putting her booted feet on the soft grass, listening.

She heard the guards talking outside. "Who are they?" one asked.

"No idea," the other replied.

The sound of his voice disturbed the cleric, and she got up too quick. Dizziness touched her awareness, and she paused a few seconds to let it pass. The woozy feeling drifted away, and she felt a little more in control. Looking down at herself, she remembered that she had not changed out of her clerical vestments. She moved to go outside.

Standing between the two guards, she followed their gaze toward the Ruin home. The fires were much lower, but there was still plenty of light coming across the field. There were figures on horseback near the burning structures, but Vinara could not see much detail with them in silhouette.