🔥 The Path of Fire (Path of Light and Fire Book #1)(Completed) 🔥

Chapter 31.2: The Secret

The battle outside of Sikati was a disaster. After Sabin got the upper hand in his duel with Yulan, his entourage decided to intervene. She recovered enough energy to be useful and had blown away several of Yulan's speedy friends.

Then her heart sank. Her Feral training taught her many things and paramount was to trust her instincts.

Her eyes darted around before landing on Kianna's body. It fell backwards with a spear jutting from her chest.

"Sister!" she screamed. She turned and flew as fast as she could.

Ira beat her there and caught Kianna before she hit the ground. She lifted her and sprinted away. She must have been thrice the age of their soldiers, but Alaina hadn't seen a single one move so fast.

Alaina flew after her, hoping to match her speed. Yet this woman was a blur and the gap only widened.

Please don't die Kianna. I will be a child for the rest of my life. I won't rebel anymore, I promise.

Alaina soon lost sight of her. She sprinted in the direction of Sikati and she hoped that was her destination.

It took nearly an hour to get there. She startled a few locals as she dropped from the sky and landed on her feet. She ignored the stares and gawking and looked for Ira. Her stubborn red and prideful black were the key aspects of the old woman, but she hadn't known her long enough to gauge her signature. She needed to make an educated guess to her location, but it would still be a guess. If she chose wrong, she might never find her.

A similar swirl of colors emanated from a simple stone house. She created a vacuum that pulled on the door. It creaked and strained before it splinted and shot off the hinges. She caught it before it hit some innocent and tossed it to the ground in front of her.

Before she entered, she took a deep breath, sucking in all of the wind she could. She crossed the line of what she could summon and was assaulted with the emotion suck. Soon she would get a massive headache and need a lot of rest, but she could delay those side effects for a few hours.

First, Ira would pay for whatever she was doing to Kianna.

The first thing that caught her eye was the bloody spear on the ground. Kianna lay on the couch, her silver tunic-dress bloodied and ripped open at the chest. Ira sat on the ground nearby.

Alaina analyzed the situation. Ira was in poor health and her skin sagged as though most of the meat had gone from her bones. She sneered.

"Tell me what you did to my sister or Rianna as my guide I will kill you right here and now and take my chances.'

Ira wheezed and clutched her stomach.

Alaina raised her hand.

"Five.

"Four.

"Three."

"Food," Ira said.

"Two."

"Please." Ira slumped over.

Alaina frowned. Whatever Ira had done for Kianna was at great cost to her own well-being.

It still doesn't make her innocent.

Alaina found a bowl of large de-shelled nuts on the table. She picked it up and tossed one near Ira's mouth.

Her arm shook violently as she reached for it. It continued to wobble as she shoveled it into her mouth.

"More."

Alaina picked up a second nut and crushed it in her hand, letting the crumbled mess fall to the ground.

"Talk."

Ira groaned and shuddered.

Alaina rolled her eyes and crushed another one.

Ira took several deep breaths and grimaced. "Alive."

As in Kianna is alive?

She brought the bowl of nuts to Ira and fed them to her. When the bowl emptied, she still shook and her was still drawn, but the groaning ceased.

"She's alive?" Alaina asked.

"Mostly," Ira said.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I have done what I can." She grimaced and took a deep breath. "Child, bring me the meat chest from the kitchen."

Alaina flung the bowl and it shattered against the wall. "Why should I listen to you?"

"Fool girl, if you want your sister to live, you will do as I say and stop pulling on your Path."

Alaina gritted her teeth, then used the wind to lift the heavy wooden box. She dropped it just in front of Ira's face.

"Do not test me, hag."

Ira tossed the top off and grabbed a heavily salted steak.

She walked to Kianna and glided her hand across her face. It was still warm. A jagged scar streaked between her breasts. Yet her chest rose and fell. Alaina drew on her minor illusory talent and clapped. Nothing changed.

The likeliest conclusion is that Ira saved her life.

After plowing through two pieces, Ira looked and her skin firmed, taking on her muscular tone. "She is mostly alive. Healing a heart is much gelen. Impossible may be the closest word. I will have to work on her several times over several weeks and even then she may not wake."

"Why run away and not ask for help?" Alaina asked.

"I've been at this many more years than you. Healing is more a thing of skill than will. Besides your sister is...I don't know the word in Standard. She is konoma and too much energy would endanger the koladen."

"Konoma? Koladen?"

"Yes, she is konoma!" Ira shouted. She mimed a circle protruding from her belly.

"She is pregnant!?" Alaina released hold of her power and was greeted to a pounding headache.

"This is when there is a new life on the inside of the body?"

"Yes."

Ira nodded. "Then yes, she is pregnant as you say."

That would explain her mood swings. I treated her so unfairly.

Alaina's eyes widened. "I have to go back and help the others! You aren't going anywhere, are you?" She turned to sprint towards the door.

Ira shook her head. "I will need some time to recover."

Ira pushed to her feet. "Do not tell anyone of this."

"You cannot expect me to hide this."

"Your sister may never wake." Ira grabbed a third steak. "Do you want to give your friends the hope you feel, even knowing that it would crush them more if the worst occurred?"

Alaina nodded. She understood Ira's point.

Would it be right to hide it?

She hesitated at the door. "If you try to run, former Serien or not, I will find you."