The Burned Rogue Book

Chapter Eight: Rogue Tempers

Chapter Eight: Rogue Tempers

“Prae…praemunio,” Atlas panted. A weak wall started, but it faded out quickly.

“Praemunio!” I tried, but nothing happened.  Atlas looked back at me, but he was starting to drift. “Atlas don’t leave me,” I snapped.

He grunted and muttered something. A small fireball formed in his hands, but it fizzled out.

Ancel dropped from an ignean devil, and I panicked. I screamed, “PERMADEFACIO!” And water doused everyone. Atlas included. When the waterspout ended, all the Losts were furious. The dirt had washed from Atlas, and his curly hair was plastered to the sides of his face. He coughed.

“And what did that accomplish?” Ancel snarled.

“Well you captured us!” I snapped. “What did that accomplish?”

“Subsisto, just for a second,” he said calmly. I wasn’t able to move and I struggled against nothing. Ancel walked over to me, his face curious. “You and Atlas know the Dreamer. You know where he is.”

I was freaking pissed. This guy. Just. Grrr.

“You’re hiding him. You and Atlas. But you’re not a Guardian. I’ve never seen you before. My question is: what are you? Liberus.”

My heart started pumping hard. “A non-Rogue,” I lied.

Ancel stared at me, and then turned over to Atlas. “I suppose you wouldn’t have brought the Dreamer with you to battle, huh?”

Atlas grunted. “I…I’m not an…idiot,” he muttered.

“Mmm…I suppose not.”

I glanced up in the sky and saw two Rogues flying in on pterodactyl-looking creatures. They were both blonde and one had her hair flying out behind her. Gair and Cornelia, to the rescue.

“Just for conversation’s sake,” I said quickly. “What would you do with the Dreamer once you had her—him?”

Ancel frowned. “With the Doctrines, the Dreamer can see the future and have unbelievable power.”

“What would you do with that power?”

Ancel turned around and spotted Cornelia and Gair, and was about to shout a spell. Even though my hands were still tied in front of me, I grabbed him by his shirt, broke his concentration, and pushed my lips against his so hard that my teeth clattered. I made sure it was good.

Breathless, he pulled away, all evil gone from his face. He was blushing.

“I’m the Dreamer,” I whispered, and suddenly there was a giant fire blast all around us. While Ancel was still scrambled, I punched him and he fell to the ground. With both hands, I fumbled for my sword and pointed it at his chest. He stared, bewildered. I must’ve looked terrifying, with a silver sword and fire blazing behind me, which was kind of the effect I was going for.

The two pterodactyls landed.

“Jennabel, come with me!” Gair shouted. I put my sword back in its scabbard, grabbed Gair’s hands, and mounted the pterodactyl behind him. Atlas struggled, but he got on with Cornelia. As we lifted into the air, I looped my arms around Gair’s shoulders and looked down at Ancel.

“Don’t you dare forget who this day belongs to!” I shouted.

All the Losts just stared. It was funny.

*   *   *

“Are you crazy, Jennabel?” Atlas demanded, pushing me against the wall. We were back in his room. The battle was over without any horrid injuries on our side. The Losts retreated, not even able to touch our wall. We had cleaned ourselves up; Atlas had more butterfly stitches on his face, and serious stitches on his side. His ribs expanded in heavy, angry, deliberate breaths, and his bare chest rose and fell with the same ferocity. “You told Ancel you were the Dreamer?!”