Fire Weaver (Fall of the Fey #1)

Chapter 16

Vivalda sat at the balcony where Carmel had spent every morning and evening when she had resided here. Vivalda had arrived to the silence of the House of Fire and it was slowly driving her out of her mind. There were only five other fey in this House and they were all at schooling for the day, so it was just her. She couldn't stand it, so she sat where Carmel had. She could see why Carmel liked the spot, it overhang a square so that she could see the various pedestrians walk through on their way to where ever they're going, and this spot happened to be one of the few places you could get an open view of the sky. It was a beautiful pale blue today, at high noon, the sun shone with the weak persistence of fall. The sun, where the Goddess of Fire lived.

Vivalda knew the tale of the Goddess backwards and forwards. How she had fallen in love with a human and made a deal with the Cold One, who gave her six months of the year with her love. The Goddess didn't realise what would happen. When she walked the lands as a human the Cold One had free reign over the world and that is how autumn and winter came to be. The Cold One had one desire and that was to torture Nature, his mother, who had rejected him and his frozen heart. Under the Cold One's care Nature wilted. When the Goddess of Fire returned to reign over the weather, Nature rejoiced, and thus spring was borne.

It was a nice story with a moral Vivalda tried to teach her students. All deals made had repercussions, not just for the dealmaker but the people around the dealmaker. Vivalda was dealing with the fallout of her own deal. She hoped that in time Carmel will understand why Vivalda had deceived her.

She wondered idly if the Fire Goddess was walking the lands right now, mourning the loss of her human love, who would have surely died long ago. That could be another moral there, don't get attached to people who have shorter life span to you. Vivalda's lips curled upwards at her own dark humour.

Vivalda traced pictures on the arm rail beside where she sat. Her pointed ears twitched when she heard a slight noise inside. She frowned, pointedly not looking up from her ministrations. She wanted to be left alone.

'Vivalda, you are needed.' Sara spoke, her serene voice moving through the balcony. Calming the air she disturbed. Vivalda felt her shoulders relax and her frown ease. Sara might need something important.

'I hate it when you do that.' Vivalda said, knowing full well Sara was using her magic. Sara did not respond so Vivalda continued: 'I don't want to be here anymore. I can't stand it, what they made me do.'

Vivalda began to glow softly, her skin lighting the shadows that the sun couldn't reach. Sara leaned against the railing where Vivalda sat and gazed at the square beneath them while she spoke, 'You're going to leave.'

A smile played at Vivalda's lips, 'it must be nice, seeing the future.'

'No, it's not.' Sara stated quietly, she did not sound sad though, her tone sounded factual as if it was just an accepted part of life. Vivalda hid her surprise, she had never heard Sara say anything bad about her gifts before. 'I know hints of events that might be going to happen. Then clear pictures that can't be changed and sometimes it's horrible.'

'Do you know what's going to happen to Carmel?' Vivalda asked haltingly. She didn't want to ask just incase something bad happened but she had to know.

'Vaguely.' Sara said. 'It is not your concern anymore.'

Vivalda turned to Sara, 'how can you say that?'

Sara met Vivalda's fiery gaze without flinching, 'you are leaving, are you not? You will never see Carmel again.'

With those words all the anger was siphoned out of Vivalda. She slumped and turned back to the square. It was a long time before she broke the silence. 'I can't stay here.'