Rise of the Erifs (The Fire Song Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 19

Latainia

TORIN GLANCED OVER HIS SHOULDER, THEN UP THE CORRIDOR AGAIN. No one was in sight. He turned to Kalani who nodded.

"Let's go," Torin said. He paused beside Kaynan. "You know what to do?"

Kaynan swallowed hard and nodded.

"Good." Torin opened the door and went inside, Kalani close behind, leaving Kaynan as lookout. 

Torin and Kalani stood inside, looking around for a few moments. Kalani looked up at Torin.

"Where do we start?" she asked.

Torin glanced around once more and nodded his head as if coming to a decision.

"You check the desk," he said.

Kalani pulled back the drapes, letting the light stream through. She knew it was risky, they could be spotted, but it would only hamper their search if they had to do it in the dark. Kalani walked over to the desk. She hurriedly rifled through the papers. She frowned when she found nothing. She pulled out the draws and emptied the contents on the floor. Torin jumped as pens, an inkwell and a few silver pieces hit the floor. He looked over to see Kalani shaking her head. She emptied the next and was surprised to find a selection of foul smelling creams and vials filled with a strange blue liquid.

Torin went straight for Jaydar's bed. Again he found the pillow with the black marks. In the light of day there was no mistaking it. The pillow was definitely burnt. He stripped back the covers and saw similar marks all over the bed. Torin lifted the mattress, throwing it over to the other side of the bed. He frowned. There was nothing under it. He dropped to his knees and crawled under the bed, sweeping his hands back and forth hoping to hit something. He pushed himself back out, banging his head on the bedframe as he did so. Torin cursed loudly.

Kalani ignored him and moved on to Jaydar's closet. She hurriedly searched his clothing. She was throwing items of clothing over her shoulder and into a pile outside. She grasped Jaydar's jacket and was about to toss it out when her finger went straight through a hole. She held it up to the light to see it was riddled with holes of various sizes. Blackened around the edges. She held it to her nose and sniffed. Ash.

"Torin, look at this." Kalani stepped out of the closet, tripping as she did so. Torin caught her.

Kalani handed the jacket to Torin. She turned back to the closet, a thoughtful expression on her face. Her eyes narrowed.

"What is it?" Torin asked, barely glancing at the jacket before dropping it to the floor.

Kalani knelt inside the closet. "As I stepped out the stone tile lifted."

Kalani felt along the edges, shifting her fingers until she managed to get one wedged underneath. She grunted as she tried to lift it. Torin was beside her and together they heaved the piece of stone to the side where they dropped it with a crack. They exchanged a glance.

Before them was a small cavity. Inside was a rolled up sheaf of papers, tied together with a piece of leather. Torin reached in and drew them out. He passed them to Kalani as he saw something glint underneath. As Kalani slipped the piece of leather off and unrolled them, he reached in. Torin's hands closed around something cold. He pulled it out.

"Kalani," Torin said, not taking his eyes off the dagger.

Kalani wasn't listening. She couldn't believe what she was reading. She looked up at Torin, horror in her eyes.

"Torin, please tell me this isn't what I think it is?" Her eyes widened at the sight of the dagger. "Wait. Is that...?"

The dagger was about the length of Torin's forearm, with a black hilt and a curved blade. On the glittering silver blade were faint engravings. Flames.