Rune Stealer

Embers

"You must be mad," chuckled Jhestan in disbelief.

"Would it not be easier to just make the Lord tell the soldiers to back off?" asked Toril loudly.

"Yes my short acquaintance," I cooed. "Which is precisely what I am going to do. However Plianne is still coming with us. I have a feeling the King would like to meet him."

***

We sat atop our horses in front of the closed doors of the fief. Plianne was at the front of the group with Kian flanking his left and Jhestan on his right. Story and I were in the back with Zyn and all of Plianne's people surrounded us with dark faces. Brynley and Toril were not there because they should be about the quarter of the way back to the palace by now. Jhestan sent them ahead in order for them to bring more of the Kings men back to force Plianne's soldiers out of the neighboring villages.

"I am leaving to have an audience with the King," called Plianne to his loyal dogs. "But worry not, I shall be back before the next harvest." I kept Plianne's words in check by keeping a tight grip on his mind. I made sure he knew that if he tried to say anything that could compromise our mission, I'd kill him that instant. "I will be leaving Tinahta in my place," continued the Lord loudly. Tinahta stood near us within the group of dark faces. I woke him up after we've settled everything and made him think that he was there the whole time. "He will watch over the fief and our villages till I return." I stifled a laugh as I thought of the band of well-trained soldiers coming to bring this filthy fief to its knees.

"Farwell," bade the Lord and with that, we were off. The sea of seething people parted reluctantly, allowing us five to advance down the dusty road of the Plianne market place that will soon fall without the support of a fief or village.

It may become its own village, pointed out Story.

It may, but it may also try to rise again with Tinahta in charge and have to be put down for good, I hissed in my head to my horse.

Story plodded quietly for a bit. Why do you care? She finally asked. I hesitated wondering for a second why I did.

If you do something bad, for example, kill innocents or destroy peaceful lives, you deserve what is to come. I sighed thinking about the rule I made to myself as a young girl, years ago when I found myself alone. Sometimes though, I continued, someone's got to give what you deserve to make sure you get it.

And let me guess, chuckled Story, you're that someone?

Looks like it.

***

I stared at the dying embers of the fire as the world around me fell asleep. Yellow specks of red glow were dimly laminated amongst the dark ashes. The glowing and faint remnants of smoke burned my eyes, but I gazed into it, caught in a sleep like trance. I was awake but at the same time not. Just like how my ears were listening to the noise of the forest, but at the same time, I wasn't processing it. I sat there on guard with my senses on high alert, my mind searching for threats, my ears listening for them, but I wasn't. I was asleep. My body was shut down, sleeping, resting, regaining energy, but it was also ready to just up and start fighting if need be.

So I sat, staring into the fires, resting for the night as I have every night before this. The boys around me slept with their eyes closed, laying curled out on their sides or sprawled out on their backs. I could hear the even patterns of their breathing and Plianne's coarse snoring. Never have I slept so comfortably before. Actually, I have, but that was a time that is no longer my life.

That was a time when I had a home and a family. I had a roof and a place to feel safe. It was a time where singing brought me happiness and love was a good thing. My life is no longer like that now. My life was like those embers.

Leaves rustled behind me and I perked up slightly, but instantly thought it was the wind, but a soul suddenly popped up next to me and my heart leaped. I jerked, looking up to see familiar icy eyes looking down at me and my heart calmed as my mind felt the familiar soul.

"Do you ever sleep?" asked Zyn, his eyes glowing in the darkness. I turned my gaze back to the embers as they sat on their death bed. Zyn sighed and sat down next to me, leaning on the same tree. "I'll take that as a no then," said Zyn. He looked at me, waiting for a response and when I didn't respond, Zyn nodded and turned to gaze at the fading light.

The silence returned and it was a comfortable silence. The slow wind upset the trees around us for a moment and giving momentary life to the ember, they burned a brighter red. The low heat they gave off intensified and warmed more than just my face. Then the wind died down and so did the small balls of fire, returning to their original state leaving the cold night air to sink back into my bones.

"What're you thinking about," whispered Zyn almost tentatively. I turned my head away from the fire and looked at the boy beside me. The faint glow from the embers casted eerie shadows in the sharp angles of his face making him look almost alien. His dark shaggy hair the fell across his forehead brought out the extreme paleness of his skin. He stared at the fire as I stared at him almost awkwardly. I looked back at the embers and cleared my throat quietly.

"My life is like those embers," I whispered as I brought my knees up to my chest and rested my hands in between. It was now his turn to look up and study me.

"How so?"

"I'm not sure exactly," I confessed. "But it's as if I started so small and harmless, safe in the arms of my family. And then..." I trailed off, my voice getting caught in my throat. Zyn turned back to the embers, patiently waiting for my answer. "And then it's like someone threw kerosene on me and I exploded into this giant fire." My voice got deeper with frustration and my hands were shaking fists. "I burn everything in my path." Zyn was quiet next to me, I saw his head nod up and down slightly as if taking in the story behind my words.

It was silent between us again, the only sound was the rustle of leave and the occasional coo of an owl. Zyn shifted on the ground, tucking his feet underneath him and crossing his arms over his chest. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and saw his face was as stone like as ever so I focused back on the embers. Curious though, I slipped into his mind and, for some reason, was disappointed when it was as blank as his face. I sighed and slumped into myself, letting my body go into its wakeful sleep.

"Can you read thoughts?" asked Zyn quietly, startling me back to fully awake.

"No," I answered, looking at him.

"What if," started Zyn, turning to meet my eyes, "I thought them to you?"

I paused, wondering where this conversation was going. "I don't know," I said hesitantly. "Story's the only one who's ever tried." There was another pause and Zyn's face hardened as if he was thinking very hard.

You're life isn't like those embers. I gasped when Zyn's voice resonated in my mind. You are the embers. You started out small, but you grew into a powerful flame burning all those who deserve it and saving those who need it. I stared as Zyn, my mouth agape in surprise. I blinked and sighed, shaking my head.

"That reminds me of what a girl said to me once," I said with a smile. I shook my head again as if to shake the feeling Zyn's words set in my stomach.

I set my eyes back on the now dead embers with Zyn by my side and waiting for the morning sun.