From Breath and Ruin, page 20
I tried to push those thoughts out of my mind and worked to listen to the man in front of me, the one holding me. Rhodes told me more about his childhood, and his annoying cousin, and it felt like I was almost at home again. It seemed that everybody had family issues, only Rhodes’ problems happened to have Wielding and elements and a king and a queen involved.
Everything was changing, once again. Soon, we would be inside the Fire and Earth border and then in the Fire territory itself.
And I was ready. As ready as I would ever be.
But was I ready to be what the others thought they needed me to be? That was the question.
Chapter Twenty-Five
I had been to the Red Rocks of Colorado numerous times and had spent far too many hours of my life taking photos and generally breathing in all I could of the Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs.
But all of that breathtaking beauty paled in comparison to that of the Fire and Earth border.
It was as if the rocks had been molded by the gods and goddesses, from the heavens above.
Everything was red and brown, a mixture of all the colors of that spectrum. I almost couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Great stacks reached up to the sky, others were rounded but still tall. If I looked hard enough, I could see different shapes within the stones themselves. I remembered at Garden of the Gods, it looked like two camels kissing, and I swore I could see something just like that here. Nature, or maybe it was Wielding, had created these. And just looking at it all took my breath away. I struggled to take it all in, its beauty overwhelming and invigorating all at the same time. It was beautiful, a perfect blend of Earth and Fire.
Rhodes gripped my hand, and I looked up at him, smiling for the first time in what felt like forever.
“It’s beautiful.”
He gave my hand a squeeze and followed my gaze. “I agree. It’s been years since I’ve been here. It looks much the same, although the people are a little different.
“Sadder?” I winced. “That wasn’t nice.”
“But not wrong.”
Those at the border looked much the same as those in the Earth territory regarding mood and attitude. People milled about in the different shops of the market right at the border crossing. You could buy food and different things that you might need for a long journey. Some people were selling trinkets, and I knew that they were handmade and possibly well-loved from some of the hands that I saw moving with gentle care as they offered their wares. The shop owners were a mix of Earth and Fire Wielders, and I only knew that they were Fire Wielders because Rhodes pointed them out. They looked just like the Earth Wielders, a mix of everybody—skin tones, hair, eyes, all different people with different backgrounds—and yet they all had power.
Their power, though, was almost sootier, warmer, hotter. It took me a while to realize it.
If I stood near one of them for too long, I swore I could smell smoke.
Or maybe that was just my imagination running wild.
There weren’t that many trees here, and what was left was a little bit ragged, a little more barren. They weren’t as white and stark as they had been in the Spirit territory, and I guessed that once we reached the Fire territory, things would look even more different.
It seemed after thousands of years, that once the people who resided in the territories lived there long enough, their land changed with them. Or maybe it was more like the people adapted to the land.
Part of me wanted to know the answer to that. The rest of me knew that I had so much more to learn. That maybe it would be a little too much all at once.
“I’m going to go get some more food for the travel,” Luken said, pulling Braelynn with him. “You guys want to go make sure we have enough water and bedding?”
Braelynn blushed as Luken said the word bedding, and my brows rose. Okay, apparently, those two were further along in their relationship than I figured. Or perhaps I was seeing too much into my friend’s reaction. Either way, Braelynn winked at me before turning and walking away with Luken.
I looked up at Rhodes and squeezed his hand. “Are you ready?”
Rhodes smiled down at me and kissed me. Kissed me right in the open, and I couldn’t help but part my lips and let his tongue brush along mine. Shivers ran down my spine, and I smiled as he pulled away. It was strange, finding someone that you cared about when everything else seemed to be changing and falling apart around you. Or maybe that was when you saw what was truly there and clung to what was important. I didn’t know the truth behind it all, but I wasn’t going to run away because I was scared. I hadn’t left yet, and I wasn’t going to leave Rhodes.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I frowned. I turned to look behind me but only saw people milling about, nobody really looking at us. I looked up at Rhodes again, who was looking in the same direction I was, his jaw tight.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “I’m just seeing things.”
Rhodes didn’t just see things. Now, I was worried. But he tugged on my hand, and we went to go see some of the sellers. We picked up another couple of bladders to fill with water, and a sturdier backpack for me. The Lord of Earth had given us a couple, but it was always nice to be prepared, and I didn’t know exactly where we were going. Because, apparently, as soon as we reached the middle of the borderlands, that’s where most of the Negs would be. And that was where Rosamond had been taken initially. Or so we assumed.
That weaker Earth Wielder had told us that he had seen her but hadn’t told us where exactly. Had she been moved through the Earth territory? Or had she been pulled towards the court itself to meet the queen? I didn’t know, and I didn’t think Rhodes did either. But we were on alert.
“Do you think we’ll find Rosamond soon?” I asked, my voice soft.
Rhodes brushed his knuckle along my cheek before sighing. “It would make things easier if we did. But things haven’t been easy yet, have they?”
“You aren’t lying there. So, I guess we have to look for some bedding?” I cleared my throat, and Rhodes gave a hearty laugh.
“Yes, because right now, we only have two rolls, and they’re pretty thin. Though I don’t think Luken meant exactly what you and your friend thought. I saw the way you two blushed at each other.”
I couldn’t help it, I blushed harder. “Anyway, where do we find that?”
Rhodes gestured off towards a few stalls at the other end of the row. “Over there, I think. There should be some blankets, too because once you hit the other side of the border, the temperature drops.”
“I don’t know why, but I kind of assumed that once we reached the Fire territory, things would get hotter.”
“That can be true in some places, but in other places, it’s like the heat has been completely ripped out of the area to feed another. It’s like that in the Earth territory, too. Did you notice? That some parts are much greener than the others, while others are far more brown? The climate in the Fire territory should be warmer, but that comes from the Wielding itself. It won’t always be that way, and the border itself is where everything mixes. That tends to get a bit chilly.” Rhodes winked down at me, much like Braelynn had done to me. “But don’t worry, I’ll keep you warm.”
I rolled my eyes. “Smooth. Did you learn that in the human realm? Or do all the Wielders learn lines like that?”
Rhodes laughed, his head thrown back. I had never seen him look more handsome. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he just seemed happy right then. At least it looked like he didn’t have the weight of thousands of answers and questions on his shoulders. He had so much responsibility, and even though he was far older than I was in years, we were similar in age if you thought about experience of the Maison realm versus the human one.
Together, we picked up a couple of blankets and a couple more rolls. We attached them easily to the packs, and it was still light enough that I didn’t feel the strain of it. I might be a runner, but I wasn’t in as decent shape as I needed to be apparently. But over the past couple of weeks, my muscles had grown leaner, and I had gotten a bit stronger. My endurance was up as well, even though I fell asleep hard every night.
But I hadn’t had the dreams.
I hadn’t had a single nightmare since I came to this realm. I hadn’t seen a single shadow, hadn’t had the feeling of someone watching me.
Maybe that was because I was here? Perhaps it was because something was waiting for me on the other side of this journey.
I didn’t know, but I hadn’t slept this well in years. Maybe it was because of exhaustion. It didn’t matter, though. I would just have to find a way to make this new part of myself work.
We made our way back to the edge of the market where all the stalls were and met up with Braelynn and Luken. We made sure all of our packs were together before we moved farther into the borderlands as one. For some reason, I had thought it would be more momentous, much like when we had gone from the Spirit territory to the Earth one. But instead of wards or anything, it was just a simple barrier, practically drawn in the sand. I could feel the magic against my skin as we walked across the new part of the border, so I knew there was something there, but it was different. It was as if these two were part of the same kingdom, therefore their securities would be different because there were two territories involved.
Or maybe I was just exhausted and not thinking clearly. Knowing me, it was probably the latter.
We walked for a good two hours, talking about nothing in particular, when we came across a cactus flower. I hadn’t seen any vegetation yet, so seeing a cactus at all surprised me. Then again, it was almost as if we were in the desert, so I guess that made sense. I looked down, my eyes wide as I looked at the bright red flower on the green plant. The red was deep, like blood, but with bright pinks along the edges. Rhodes touched my shoulder, and I looked up at him.
“It’s beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything that color before.”
“Keep looking,” Rhodes whispered. He gestured with his hand, and I looked at the flower again.
The bloom opened up, and I sucked in a breath. It wasn’t just a flower anymore, it was fire. Actual fire as the bloom opened fully and spun. It was like little bursts of flame dancing along the edges of the flower, and then the bloom became the fire.
I had never seen anything like it. It was beautiful.
I had always liked fire as a kid. I’d loved campfires and playing with matches. I always did it safely, even though I knew that what I was doing was wrong.
But I’ve always loved fire.
Watching the flames dance along that flower, each petal becoming a new flame, I knew I would never see anything this beautiful again. But I didn’t tell Rhodes that, not when his two elements were the exact opposite of what I saw now.
One day, I might be able to Wield what I saw now. I didn’t think that day would come soon, though. I didn’t know what would happen when I unlocked that part of myself, but when that day did come, I just hoped Rhodes understood that I would hold two elements that were of his enemy.
I didn’t like that train of thought, so I pushed it away. After all, the Spirit Priestess was supposed to bring everybody together. Right?
I was putting too much into these flowers. I just shook my head.
“It’s beautiful,” I repeated. “Should we keep going?” I didn’t think anyone heard that last part though since they were all looking at the cactus flowers.
Braelynn moved to my side. “You’re right, Lyric. It is beautiful. Although I don’t really know what you would do with that?” She studied the flowers in front of us, and I smiled at my friend. She was asking the questions that I couldn’t because I was too afraid of what Rhodes would think. That was annoying, and I had to stop it.
Luken answered, “Fire Wielders use them sometimes. Because, sometimes, they aren’t able to make Fire from nothing. Others can only play with fire or make it dance. They can’t create it.”
Rhodes nodded. “And those who can’t create it, use things like this. It’s how some Air Wielders can only use the air around them if it’s a windy day. And some Water Wielders can only use water if they have a pouch on them or if they’re near a body of water. It all depends on what type of Wielder you are.” Rhodes’ explanation made sense, and I nodded before we continued on.
That’s when the Negs came.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and bile rose up my throat as I looked around. The shadows out of the corners of my eyes formed, and then they weren’t just shadows anymore. They were the monsters from my nightmares.
Long fangs, dark red eyes, and they looked like they had come from the bowels of hell.
There was more than one, more than three, more than the five I’d seen before.
I counted them as they circled us, coming out of the mist. There were seventeen of them in total.
Seventeen of them, and only four of us.
Braelynn held out her dagger, and Luken his sword. I held out my hands, much better with my Air Wielding now than I was with the blade. Rhodes did the same with his hands and put himself in front of me. That angered me a bit, but I understood. He was protecting me. He thought that was his role.
I would have to learn how to protect him, as well.
Then, the Negs attacked. They came at Braelynn and Luken first, their mouths open, drool dripping down their chins, but when the drool hit the ground, it sizzled like acid, and my eyes widened. That was way different than it had been in the human realm. I had to wonder how much more dangerous they were here than when they were in a world of muted magic.
Two Negs came at Rhodes, and he ducked out of the way, pushing me down. I hit the ground, my hands stinging from the soil and dirt digging into my palms. I wanted to yell at him for that, but I couldn’t. He was just doing his job, after all.
I rolled away, this time standing up and pushing out my hands at the same time. I tugged on the Air Wielding within me and pushed.
Air flew through me, spreading along my fingers and out through my fingertips. The Neg in front of me flew back twenty feet at least, rolling and then slamming into the ground. The Neg next to him jumped, and I threw my left hand out, tossing that Neg into another.
Training with Rhodes and Luken had helped, and learning to focus on what was inside of me helped even more.
More Negs came, and I knew we were going to lose if we didn’t find a way to stop them. Luken stabbed one and then another. Somehow, he was able to toss one over so Braelynn could finish the final stabbing. I didn’t know where they had trained to do that as one, but I was grateful that Braelynn wasn’t alone, that she wasn’t defenseless. I put my back to Rhodes and hoped that we could somehow work as a team, but it wasn’t working.
More Negs than ever came at us, more than I dared to think about.
They just kept coming, their claws digging into the soil. Rhodes took out one, then another, then two more. I took out one, tossing it to the ground so hard it didn’t get up.
But I was lagging, my reserves not as strong as they should be. I had to focus harder than Rhodes did, and I didn’t like it. I knew I was better than I had been the first time we fought, but I wasn’t good enough yet. But I damn well would be soon.
Then, a blur of dark shadow and fire came out of nowhere, surprising me. I looked over at Rhodes, who glared but didn’t attack the latest shadow.
Only it wasn’t a shadow.
It was a man. A man with dark hair, light brown skin, and dark, dark eyes.
It was when he met my gaze that his eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and I lost my breath. I had never seen this man before, but I felt like I knew him. Why was that? It didn’t matter, I didn’t have time for this.
I turned away from the man, hoping he wasn’t the enemy and instead someone who could help us. After all, we were fighting Negs.
Weren’t all Wielders against the Negs?
The stranger held out his hands, and flames danced along his fingertips. I sucked in a breath.
A Fire Wielder.
The first I had seen in action.
I used my Air again, throwing a Neg out of the way. Rhodes was working with three more, but they kept circling him.
Then the stranger slammed up his hand, and a wall of dirt pummeled one of the Negs attacking Rhodes.
A Fire Wielder and an Earth Wielder.
It seemed this man had many talents. And, since he was helping Rhodes, he appeared to be on our side. At least, for now.
The stranger reached out and plucked the bloom from the cactus. Instinctively, for some reason, I held out my hands and blew my Air towards his Fire. The man met my gaze again and nodded, and then both of us pulled our hands back ever so slightly before pushing with all our might. The Fire erupted, egged on by my Air, and it hit a group of a dozen Negs all at once.
The screams hurt my ears, making it hard for me to even see because it hurt so much. But then there were no more Negs. There was only breathing, and the feeling that something had changed.
We were all silent for moment before Luken went to Rhodes’ side, and Rhodes got into the stranger’s face, practically growling. The other man didn’t look fazed, however. If anything, he looked bored.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” the man asked Rhodes.
Rhodes lifted a brow. “Easton, thanks for showing up. We don’t need you.” I had never heard anger like that in Rhodes’ voice before. Yes, he had acted haughty towards the Lord and Lady of Earth, but this was different.
Who was this Easton?
“Go home, Easton. Go talk to your mother. Ask her why she has my sister.”
Easton snorted, and I froze, not sure I heard correctly. “My dear old mother doesn’t have your sister. She wouldn’t do that. She knows the rules. She’s the one who made them with your favorite uncle.”
I stood there transfixed. Easton was Cameo’s son. This was the Prince of Obscurité. A prince of Fire and Earth. His mother was the one who had supposedly taken Rosamond. The one who had her guards looking for us. The one who had people looking for me. I took a step back, and Rhodes put his hand over mine, pulling me behind him.
