Bloodline of a Tempest

Chapter 6

Nema was friends with many forests. They didn't trust easily, though. You had to walk for a long time and drink from the many hidden brooks before a forest accepted you, but when it did it was magical.

Fiery forests were different. Their red trees still whispered dark spells of old. Everything Nema knew about them was from the Old Man's stories. In the days of the Old Word when seven nations wore their colors and their coat of arms, one of those nations called charmed forest their home. They used to call them 'forests of illusions'. While their creators controlled them they were still tame but when the wars started raging those forests changed into something dark, becoming graveyards for lost travelers. Old Men never said anything about the animals that lived there or why fire-feeders had such interest in them.

Nema looked about, searching for a clearing. To read the star map she only needed little space and a visible patch of the sky. She carefully unraveled the map on the ground, letting the light of the moon shine upon the map. Nema always loved this moment when the starts on the map started moving to mirror the position of the stars on the sky above her. It could be used in any place at any time in each one of the seven worlds in their constellation provided there was no rain. Tonight there wasn't even a trace of a cloud and she easily found a coppery colored rune that signified there was a fiery forest a bit further on the east. Next to the rune was another one – a symbol for danger. Nema grinned. She couldn't expect else from the map made for good children who studied to become good healers. Fiery forests were dangerous, so were the seas her father sailed. Nema couldn't wait to see a real star map a pirate owned. They say they show the most spectacular dangerous things.

The heavens seemed benevolent tonight. Master Grey once said that once in a while the stars look upon us with kindness and they bless our wishes. Nema's green eyes were pointed at the sky. 'Save him,' she whispered. 'Please! If you let Nox live, I promise I won't ask for anything else ever again.'

She only asked for two things in her life – to find her father and receive a familiar. She couldn't understand it then but Master Grey's words now finally made sense. He said that those desires that stir in our hearts sometimes carry us astray like an ill whirlwind, egging us on until we drown in the lake of our doom.

It was stupid to think one form of future would suit us best, Nema decided. That is exactly what wishes are - believing that a set of circumstances would would work for the rest of the world involved just because it works for you. She wished for a familiar and it only brought misfortune to the poor animal.

After all she didn't need more wishes and she needed no luck - she'll find her way to the Turing Glaciers without the aid of the fates. This time she had a real weapon and her illusions didn't make her weak anymore.

When the dawn broke, cold and brilliant Nema and her little Noery cub were standing in front of a wall of red trees. It was the first forest of illusions she ever approached. Old Man said they looked like chaos on fire but apart from the heat that emanated from the carmine bark of the trees nothing else seemed out of ordinary.

Nema knew that entering inside would be a bad idea so she slowly placed the bundle on the ground and waited. She didn't have to wait for long. The moment she set him on the ground Nox looked up. His ears seemed to hear some music Nema's senses couldn't catch. And when he carefully rose his little starved body and his paws carried him further away Nema's heart was singing. The forest drew him like a force of gravitation. When the pup turned around there were tears in her eyes.

'Goodbye, Nox,' she whispered, slowly standing up.

'Goodbye, Nox,' Nema heard a voice behind her.

She turned around to see Lorn with his blade an inch away from her neck. Nema glanced back. Nox was finally out of her sight. Everything was right with the world.

'I know why you are here,' she said, dusting the leaves off her trousers.

'Do you?' Lorn cocked his head, trying to stare her down.

Lorn looked like the rest of the fire-feeders – tall and angry, with sharp cruel features and the swiftness of movement but in his case this air of madness that surrounded him didn't seem caused by the time he spent imprisoned. Nema had met a few men with the same maniacal feature. Old Man was one of them. He drowned his madness in cheap spirit but Lorn looked like someone who preferred drawing some blood for his enemies instead.

And now she was in his way.

'You are going to sell me to the blood smugglers,' she said.

'You're smart for a half-blood,' he said, leaning against a tree. He was playing with his dagger, gauging her reaction. 'I will be forced to take you to the smugglers unless...'

Nema glanced one more time towards the woods. It wasn't the same. She received a gift of a friend and she let him go. It wasn't the same as being abandoned. She was the one to let him go – somewhere where he'll live and thrive. That's what friends did she guessed.

Lorn cleared his throat. 'Now you are supposed to ask me about the 'unless' part.'

Nema almost rolled her eyes as she approached him. When she was in front of the fire-feeder she offered him her wrists held together. 'Now you are supposed to tie me up, toss me over your horse and ride twelve miles south-east.'

Lorn grunted.

She wasn't really in the mood for talking. She did let Nox go but the knowledge that she couldn't save one little pup because her own blood failed her will always stay with her – her magic-less worthless blood they'll now sell her for.

'Kid, pay attention,' Lorn snapped his fingers in front of her eyes, 'we can ask for ransom. Two hundred silver coins is almost nothing in exchange for the life of a beloved daughter.'

Nema felt a stab of pain in her chest. In stead of a cry it turned into a laughter. She laughed and laughed and couldn't stop for the longest time. She laughed until the tears started rolling down her face and her stomach hurt. She was laughing at her own fate and all those stupid cross-roads that led her absolutely nowhere. She laughed because she wouldn't allow herself to cry. She laughed because life was such a pointless journey.

'Stop it!' Lorn growled.

Light, she managed to make a fire-feeder uncomfortable.

Nema straightened up. 'Listen, buddy, Old Man wouldn't give you one single copper for me, dead or alive,' she said, 'the others don't even know my name, just like no one of you ever asked me for it. That pup was the only friend I had so,' she offered him her wrists again, ' tie me up and let's get over with this.'

Lorn didn't seem that happy anymore. He took a thin rope, tied her hands together and set her atop of his horse. He didn't say a single word until they reached the shores. Her heart started beating fast when she saw the first ship with black sails.

Finally.

When they reached the beach and the gravel started churning under their feet Lorn suddenly stopped. He was frowning.

'And you are telling me your father wouldn't give silver for you?' He asked.

'He's not my father,' Nema said.

'And there isn't anyone else?' Lorn was staring toward the open sea with such a look of confusion she almost burst laughing. Sadly, it was not funny for her.

'You were going to sell me to the smugglers, Lorn,' Nema said, tiredly, 'come on.'