An Affinity For Fire

27. Calio

Calio couldn't remember how long it had been since she had last gone to visit Fitteia. It must have been over two years. Even so, she didn't hesitate at the sight of the dark, damp stairway down to their cave.

As a young girl, she'd visited Fitteia every time they'd woken up, delighted and intrigued by the aderach's bizarre manner and seemingly endless knowledge. As she'd grown, however, she'd started to become irritated by their riddles. Her visits had become less and less frequent until eventually she only went when she had a question of actual importance.

And she certainly did now.

It had been two days since her guests had robbed her and fled into the night. She would have been heartbroken regardless of what they had chosen to take, but the loss of the dagger made the betrayal hit even harder. It may have been hers when it was stolen, but it had been Lenna's first. Lenna, the beautiful, selfless younger sister of the vicious, resentful Romira. The sweet princess who loved her people. The beloved aunt who shared Calio's red hair, and who was always kind to her.

The Queen who made it two months on the throne before succumbing to illness and leaving Aestas to the limited mercy of her sister.

In the time since the theft, she'd barely left her chambers. Except, of course, to attend council meetings. Fates be damned if she was going to let a band of lying thieves make her look uncommitted to the throne.

She'd put off visiting Fitteia as long as she could, scared of the answers she might get, but she couldn't avoid it any longer. Her parents would be back within a day, and she needed to look strong when they arrived, which she couldn't do when she felt as vulnerable as she did. After all that had happened, if she was going to be able to walk the halls of The Eye without looking over her shoulder, she needed the truth.

The humidity of the cave had always made her nauseous. This time was no exception. Nonetheless, she did her best to walk steadily. She squinted through the mist and darkness, trying to spot the aderach. Past experience had taught her that it was exhausting trying to use her affinity in air so thick with moisture, so she had to make do without the additional light her fire could otherwise have supplied.

"Alright, enough hiding. I don't have the patience for one of your theatrical slow reveals today."

There was a deep, rasping sound from the back of the cave which she had learned was the closest noise they could make to a laugh. "You're not half as fun as you used to be." From out of the abscured gloom, the winged, serpentine creature slithered towards her, golden scales rattling against the stone ground. They snorted, flaring their nostrils, and narrowed their green eyes. "No food? Disappointing. You always used to bring me food."

"You didn't warn me about Kona," she said, cutting straight to the point.

"Ah, that. Well, in my defence, I didn't know he was planning to do that."

She let out a bitter laugh. "Of course you knew, you must have known."

"I knew he disliked the fact that mages are so prevalent in nobility. I heard him discussing as much with numerous mage-hating rebels. But he always seemed to like you, so I never imagined he would act upon his concerns."

She took a step back. "Hold on, what do you mean, 'mage-hating rebels'? Do you mean to tell me that there are more people who want me dead for my affinity for fire?"

Fitteia cocked their head sideways, gleaming green eyes studying her. "You didn't know? Strange. I would have expected your new trio of friends to tell you. They all knew."

A fresh wave of anger rippled through her. "I suppose you knew of their intentions with Lenna's dagger."

"Of course I did. You did give it to them, didn't you?"

"I didn't have a choice. They stole it."

"Ah," they said, slithering a little closer to her. "Well, I'll admit, I was at least expecting them to ask you for it, especially after that warning I gave them about honesty."

"And why in all Hells would I give it to them?"

"Because they need it." Fitteia's groaning, stratchy voice was suddenly sharp. "They would have explained that to you themselves if they'd taken my warning to heart at all. Honestly. I threaten my own safety by assisting them and they don't even listen."

"Why did they need it?" Calio asked, her own tone just as blunt as theirs.

"I'm not telling you that. Not unless you're prepared to risk an angry aderach breaking into the castle to attack me for picking a side and ruining their fun. Besides, you'll figure it out on your own sooner or later."

She barely resisted the urge to scream. "You are completely useless. Why do you even stay here when you clearly have no interest in helping anyone?!"

"Because your family feeds me," they said, rasping voice flat and unapologetic.

Calio pressed both hands to her face and groaned.

Fitteia made an odd sighing noise and slid closer again. "Look, since you used to be so nice to me, you are still one of my preferred humans. So, at the risk of interfering too much and incurring the wrath of one of my less passive relatives, I will offer you a small amount of advise. But first, how many people know about the theft?"

"Very few," Calio said. She had done her best to limit the spread of the story. She didn't need anyone thinking she was weak.

"Good," Fitteia said. "Keep it that way. The three of them are going to be at the Dormisian Quarternal Festival. As much as you may want to, please refrain from having them arrested."

She glared at them, incredulous. "You expect me to meet them again and act like nothing happened?!"

"You're a very intelligent young woman. You know how cautious I am about offering too much advice. With that in mind, you must understand that anything I do offer is of serious importance. Believe me, princess, when I tell you that you want the three of them on your side. You will have enough enemies to handle in Dormis without adding them to the list." They began to slither away. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I haven't slept in three days and I'm sure there are a great deal of exciting things happening in the world that I don't want to miss out on. Until next time, Calio, whenever that may be."

She watched the creature disappear into the water at the far end of the cave, heart pounding. She'd got her answers, but now she couldn't tell if they made things better or worse.

They certainly opened up more questions, though.