Smoke Rising: Book III

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Emery pulls the knife out of her chest and drops it to the ground, her blood dripping from her fingertips. Shadows begin licking at her wound, healing her already. So she can heal.

"Its nice to see you too, Azula." Emery groans, holding her right shoulder.

Azula throws another knife, and another and another, and Emery steps closer with each one, turning them to ash as they flip and twirl towards her. When she is only feet from the young metal-Caster, Emery grabs one of the knifes and turns it bright red with heat before flipping it around and pressing the scalding hot blade against Azula'a throat.

"Stop!" Emery commands.

A scream rips from Azula's lips as she tries to punch Emery in the face. Emery catches her fist and stares directly in her eyes.

"Tania died because of you."

"No, she died because of the Chancellor," Emery spits, still pinning her against the building with a blade against her neck. But she eases off Azusa, the knife inches between them. "You aren't the only one who lost someone that day," Emery hisses darkly.

I'm frozen in place, uncertain of what to do when Ling comes flying through the front door.

"What the hell is going on?!" His voice booms, soldiers lowering their guns.

Beecham steps up, and begins to explain. "Jackson and Emery are here, sir."

Ling's gaze finds mine immediately, and horror fills his expression.

"We aren't attacking," I say cautiously, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Clearly," Ling's eyebrows raise as he waves a hand at Emery and Azula.

Emery throws the knife towards the ground and turns towards the new Commander.

"I need to speak with you," Emery says, walking closer to Ling. "Alone." She waves an arm at the doors behind Ling and walks in. Ling gives me a look, one that tells me he's infuriated, and then he turns to follow her inside.

"Clean up this mess!" He yells, and the doors slam behind them. And I can't help but feel like the door has just slammed against my own face.

"What is going on?" Beecham steps closer to me. "You do realize you guys have been named traitors. There's a huge bounty on both your heads. Though, we all thought Emery was dead."

I straighten my jacket and turn to the young soldier. "I know... Emery wants..."

I feel as if I should choose my next words carefully. But it doesn't matter much now. They can't radio out. The conference call Ling was on probably got shut off when Emery closed the circle around the base. They are cut off from all contact, trapped inside this bubble. I just hope she doesn't slaughter them all.

Maybe I can help with that, since she doesn't seem to want my help with anything else.

"Emery can make new Casters." The words come out like a bullet from a gun. Dangerous, loud, and life altering. "She came here to invite you all to join her cause."

A small group of soldiers shift to gather around me, intrigued by my words.

"And what's her cause, suicide?"

"The contrary." I take a deep breath. "We are building an army." I raise my voice, hoping to change as many minds before Emery steps through those doors again. "We already have hundreds of men and women. Some have chosen to be changed, some decided to remain human; but they all believe that, with Emery leading us, we can end the tyranny of the Chancellors."