Katya turns out to be a Fire Summoner with unusual power. General Kirigan gives her private lessons and she loves his shadows - especially when they summon together, skin against skin. But what happens when a Sun Summoner shows up?
Based on the Netf...
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Aleksander's office was cold and dark. While he put his book burden down on his desk, Katya lit the candles and summoned a fire in the hearth. Soon a reddish, flickering light illuminated the room and a pleasant warmth began to spread.
Katya joined the general by the desk. "Ah, more reading," she said unenthusiastically. By now, she was rather tired of it.
"It's for your benefit," he reminded her. "You need all the amplifiers you can get to become strong enough for sun summoning."
"I know, I know. But why can't we search for the ones you already know about? The sea whip, I think you said, and the firebird, and..."
"...the stag," he filled in. "I honestly don't know if any of them really are amplifiers, or if they even exist. As you've seen in the library, what's left of my grandfather's notes are sketchy at best. That's why I need to find out all I can before I enter on a potentially futile mission."
"Right. Let's get to it then." Katya picked up the top volume, a massive, heavy tome that she hardly managed to lift. She brushed off the dust and cobwebs before opening it. "It's a book about the Saints," she said, surprised over the choice. "Did they know about amplifiers?"
"One did: Ilya Morozova – my grandfather."
"Sankt Ilya in Chains?" Katya gasped. "I had no idea it was him you spoke of." As usual it felt a bit surreal whenever she was reminded of her lover's immense age.
"Ilya was very interested in creating amplifiers. He did extensive research, but most of his writing was burned after the villagers killed him." He paused. "I'm not sure how well you know the legends, but the villagers were wrong. They called his work merzost, an abomination, though he did nothing bad. On the contrary, he was helpful – a healer, one who created life. His power scared them."
"Just like the villagers today are scared of Grisha." Katya thought with bitterness of her former home.
"Yes." He gave her a sympathetic look.
"Talking of villagers – I discovered something today. About my ancestors." Katya told him what she had read earlier, and how Luda and she apparently were related.
Aleksander nodded slowly, and a frown maimed his handsome face. "I suspected as much. Your village – she lived on an estate not far from there." He cupped Katya's cheek, turning her face against the light. "As I've gotten to know you better, the likeness is less prominent. You look like you. I hope you don't think I'm using you as a substitute for a long dead girl."
"Of course not. I suppose the grief would fade after a few hundred years or so." She grinned. Then a thought struck her. "Were there others? After Luda, I mean. Were you ever married?" She still hardly knew anything about this man.
He broke eye-contact. "I've never been married."
Katya didn't press him. From his evasive reply she was certain there had been other lovers. No wonder; Aleksander was a handsome man, and one with power. He would not have lacked willing women to choose between.
