Dorissa turned her watery eyes towards me. “I promise that you will, but we must know something first. Is it true what they say?
You
brought down the Great Barrier?”
I nodded.
“He has much power, this one,” she said.
Zephyrus nodded. “Humph, that he does.”
“But what are we to do with him?” Bellona asked, peering down at me.
Dorissa smiled, and I couldn’t help but feel a little calmer. “He is to be our guest. If that is all right with you and your friends, Hellsfire?”
What shocked and surprised me was how nice this council was. I didn’t expect that. They didn’t grill me like the other council, did nor did they push and ask for my help. For a brief second, I thought that maybe they could not only help find Krystal and Ardimus, but that they could cure Krystal.
That thought was fleeting. This council
would
want something from me. In fact, they might want the same thing as the other council, but just be going about getting it in a different way. These were people who believed in Renak and continued a war in his name. There could be far worse things that they wanted.
“Thank you, Council, but there are more questions I have and important matters to discuss.”
“There will be time for all that later, Hellsfire,” Bellona said.
“But—”
Zephyrus put a hand up, and his words were amplified by his magic. “Later, Hellsfire. We know you’re tired from your travels, and you should see your friends. Afterwards, we’ll prepare a meal for you, and then we can discuss things like proper wizards. Not like those fools in Romenia.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. They were right. There would be time for that later. When I was refreshed, I would be less inclined to make a mistake. But I could sense there was something that this council wasn’t telling me.
I bowed and said, “Thank you, Council.”
They nodded, and we left their chambers. Captain Paige waited there with her arms crossed and a dozen men around her.
“If you follow me,” the captain said, “I’ll take you to your friends.”
She led the way out of the castle. As we walked, half a dozen more soldiers came and trailed us. They didn’t surround us, but they didn’t go out of their way to not make their escort obvious.
Outside, Paige brought us to a row of three houses. They were well away from the castle walls, surrounded by guard posts. Outside one of the houses, five blue-clad elves circled three familiar elves wearing colors that matched their skin. They all heard us well before I saw them. They stopped talking and their heads turned toward us.
Prastian excused himself from Ashton’s elves. He, Demay and Behast strolled over to us. I smiled, glad to see them here and safe.
“It’s good to see you again,” I said. “Have you seen the princess or Ardimus?”
“It’s good to see you as well,” Prastian said and smiled. “Come, my friends, we have much to discuss.”
“We’ll leave you alone,” Captain Paige said, motioning to her soldiers.
“Thank you, Captain,” Prastian said and gave her a short bow. “You’ve been most gracious to us.”
“You’re welcome, Prastian.”
Captain Paige left and most of her men departed with her. A few of the soldiers went back to their posts around the buildings.
“It’s for our protection,” Prastian said, following my eyes. “As we’re not from around here. They’ve been quite accommodating to us.” He nodded at one of the elves.
Behast opened the door, and we all funneled inside. The house, which was really just a small room, became cramped. There was a stove inside, a tiny table and three chairs, but that was it. Beds were matted straw on the floor.
“Welcome to our prison,” Demay said and spread his arms wide. “And now yours.”
“Demay, lower your voice,” Prastian said and grimaced. “He is right, though. This is a prison.” Prastian smiled. “But we’re glad you can join us nevertheless.”
“Aye,” Jastillian said. “Now that we’re together, we can escape.”
“But have you heard news of the princess?” Rebekah asked before I could. “We can’t leave without her. King Furlong wouldn’t have sent us down here if he knew there was a war, especially a war between wizards.”
Prastian shook his head. “Unfortunately, we’ve not heard about the princess since we’ve been here. And we’ve been here almost since we got separated. We’ve been able to talk with some of the elves here. They’ve had them guarding us to try and coerce information out of us about Northern Shala and Sharald, but they’ve not been very good at it. They’re too eager. However, we’ve been doing the same to them.”
“How much did you tell them?” Rebekah asked.
“Nothing that wasn’t common knowledge, that they wouldn’t learn by sending scouts into Northern Shala.” Prastian sighed. “I said enough to keep them satisfied...for a time. Thankfully, you three showed up. I was running out of things to tell them.”
“What did you learn?” she asked.
“The elves here are unhappy. They can hear the forests calling them and would rather be there.” Prastian’s face saddened. “Instead, they get to watch the trees burn in their war.”
“Can you get any of them to help us?” Jastillian asked.
“I’ve been trying, but it’s hard. They may not like the war, but they’re duty bound.”
“Aye, I understand.”
“We would have left already if we could,” Behast said. “We had no idea that you were coming here. They’ve been bringing in thousands of soldiers. Whatever they’re planning, they’re going to act soon. We may be able to use that opportunity to escape.”
“But what about the princess and Ardimus?” I asked. “Wouldn’t it be best if we wait for them here? While we were in the west, we learned that you would be here. I had hoped it was all of you.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Prastian said. “Princess Krystal and Ardimus would be safer out there than in here.”
“I’m not leaving Southern Shala without her.”
“And neither am I,” Rebekah said.
“No one said you had to,” Prastian said. “But before we decide whether to stay or go in Southern Shala, we
must
flee this city.”
“I agree,” I said. I looked around the room and asked, “So what do we do?”
“We wait and plan,” Prastian said. “Since you’re a wizard, the council will be more receptive to your words.” He looked at Jastillian. “I’m sorry to say that most here won’t be as kind to you because you’re a dwarf
and
wearing red.”
Jastillian laughed. “I expect nothing less.”
Prastian’s light green eyes stared into mine. “Tonight’s dinner is going to be very important, Hellsfire. What we do next hinges on what you say and how well things go.”
I knew the full importance of his words, but I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from seeing Krystal again.
I met Prastian’s fierce gaze. “I know.”
I had thought that after meeting with the elves we were going to be summoned for dinner. That didn’t happen. Food was brought to us instead, and over the next three days, we heard nothing from the council.
Captain Paige and her troops escorted us throughout the city, but they never left us alone. We explored the marketplace, stables, bakeries, blacksmiths and temples. We appeared to be interested in their city and their land, but we used it as cover to try and talk to the people. However, they didn’t trust us any more than the soldiers because we were foreigners.
What compounded our difficulties was that the elves Prastian had talked to, no longer came around. There were a few elves that guarded us, but Prastian didn’t recognize them and they didn’t talk to him. We couldn’t get any information out of anyone.
Since persuasion wasn’t working, I demanded to see the council. Captain Paige was angry at my outburst, but she was also angry at having been forced to babysit us. With all the watchful glares around us, we couldn’t easily escape, but we were going to have to do something. We couldn’t stay in Ashton forever.
The next day after dinner, Captain Paige came to retrieve me.
“The council wants to see you,” Paige said.
I rose from the table. “It’s about time.” My friends stood, getting ready to join me.
“No. They just want to see Hellsfire.”
The others and I shared a look. I opened my mouth and Prastian said, “I trust we’ll see the council later. It must be something only between wizards. We’re tired from this delicious meal anyway.” He put a hand to his mouth and yawned.
“Come along,” Paige said without any sort of warmth in her voice.
I left the others and followed the captain. A dozen of her men enclosed me, when we got outside.
We headed back to the castle. The dark corridors were a lot more ominous at night. My eyes wandered over the creeping shadows on the walls, feeling the oppressiveness of the magic lingering beneath the high ceilings. I rubbed my hands together and breathed in them. This meeting with the council made me nervous. Not because of their ideals about Renak, but because I would be facing them alone.
“Do you know what this is about?” I asked Paige.
She didn’t look me in the eye, but for a second her face softened. “I’m sorry, Hellsfire, I don’t. The council will tell you everything you need to know.”
Her final sentence was the only part of her words I believed.
Paige opened the doors to the chamber and whispered, “Good luck.” She quickly closed them, and I was alone with the council.
“Council,” I said and bowed.
They said nothing, but stared at me with their colorful eyes.
“We’ve reached a decision,” Bellona said. “You are to join with our forces and guide us into what you call Northern Shala. We will secure a foothold there, and then you will lead us into Masep so that we may recover those objects lost to us because of the barrier. With them, we will crush those fools in the west.” She leaned over. “Do I make myself clear?”
I stared into the hypnotic gazes of their eyes, feeling my magic swell up within me. “I understand perfectly, council. But I will not help you.”
“Even if it means the lives of you and your friends?” Zephyrus asked.
“Yes. I will not help you bring death to my homeland. This is your war, not mine.”
“Hellsfire,” Dorissa said in a calm manner. “We don’t want to kill anyone.”
“Then end it,” I said. “For the gods’ sake, you’re supposed to be the Elemental Council!” I threw my hands up in frustration. “You’re supposed to preside over matters of magic, not start wars. This is a new opportunity, a time for change and peace, not for more bloodshed.”
“We want to end the war quickly, and with as little bloodshed as possible. With your help, we can do it.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”
“Very well.” Dorissa clapped her hands, and from one of the side entrances a guard pushed in a long table with wheels. Strapped to it was someone I recognized.
“Ardimus!”
I worried he might be dead. I rushed to him and was relieved to see his shallow breathing. He had no bruises on him, but he tossed, turned, and sweated as if he were having a terrible nightmare.
I narrowed my eyes at the council. “What did you do to him?”
Dorissa clapped her hands again and out rolled another table. I ran to it, already knowing who was on it.
“Krystal!”
She was in worse shape than Ardimus. I lifted a hand to her pale face, wanting to wipe the sweat from her. My hand froze inches away from the goose bumps on her skin when I remembered the curse. She had been through so much, and it was all my fault. I clenched my fists to control the boiling fire within me.
I used my wizard’s sight to peer into her aura and saw how weak and wavering it was. I had seen it that way before, when I had almost killed her in Alexandria. I gently shook her, doing my best to wake her, but she remained in an unrestful slumber. I glanced over my shoulder, and the council stared at me, making no move to stop me.
Krystal’s eyes fluttered open, but she wasn’t awake.
“Princess, wake up!”
I used my robes as a barrier while I held onto her chin and turned her face side to side, calling her name. Slowly, her violet eyes opened. She gazed through me until her eyes focused.
“Hellsfire,” she said in a tired, raspy voice. “Is that really you?”
I lifted a finger and put it just above her nose. “Shhh, princess. It’s all right. I’m here for you now. I’ll do what I can to get us out of here, all right?”
She gave me a weak nod.
I undid the straps that bound her wrists, and then woke Ardimus. I didn’t need to tell him to take care of her, as I knew he would do his duty.
I turned and faced the council. “Release them.” The fire oozed from between my fingers. “Now!”
“We will do no such thing,” Bellona said. I shivered, feeling death as it crawled over my skin. “The princess is vital if we are to journey into the Wastelands.”
“What did you do to her—to them?”
“What was necessary,” Zephyrus said. “Not long after you came into our chambers, she tried to negotiate with us. And while she seemed sincere, we needed to know the truth about what she said.”
I glared at them. “You used your magic for mind torture.”
“Mind magic.”
“Call it what you will, but it was still torture. Stradus told me you once outlawed this sort of use.” I stared at them, barely able to contain my anger. The council couldn’t do this kind of mind torture. It took a sorcerer, but they were the ones who ordered it done. “You are no longer the Elemental Council I was once told stories of.”
“Who are you to judge, Hellsfire?” Bellona asked. “You know not the things we’ve had to endure and what we’ve had to do. You know nothing!”
“I know you’ve changed.” I paused. “And I know you no longer have the right to ask anything of us.” I gathered in more magic, but I started to feel woozy. Tiny droplets of sweat ran down my face. I pushed everything aside and focused on the council.
“If you help us,” Dorissa said, “I promise we will help you.”
I crossed my arms, keeping my magic at bay. “You have nothing I want.”
“We’ve seen what’s wrong with the princess. With all our power, we can help you undo that curse.”
I considered. That was part of the reason I had journeyed into Southern Shala. I glanced back at Krystal. She tried to stand proudly and regally as she normally did. She couldn’t. She leaned against Ardimus for support and he held onto her so that he wouldn’t fall either.
I looked into Krystal’s purple eyes. She didn’t move or make a sound, yet I could read her thoughts perfectly. She wouldn’t want me to ask anything of this council. If I did, she would never forgive me.
My eyes left the pair, and I gazed at the council.
“I don’t need your assistance.”
My entire body clenched itself as I waited for the council to make a move. Fighting one wizard was hard enough. Taking on three of the Elemental Council was suicidal. As long as Krystal and Ardimus got out of here alive, though, that’s was all that mattered. I would buy them the needed time.
“I wish circumstances were different and it didn’t have to be like this,” Dorissa said with a hint of sadness in her watery eyes.
I was going to reply, but my vision blurred. A wave of nausea struck me and I stumbled forward. I summoned more magic to my defense. I thought it was the council casting subtle magic, but I sensed nothing. They stayed seated, watching me with cat-like attention.
Something was wrong, but I couldn’t pinpoint it.
“We have to get out of here. Now!” I said to Krystal and Ardimus.
I raised my hand and invoked a minor spell to use as a diversion while we escaped. When I tried to cast it, I collapsed to the floor.
The darkness threatened to consume me. I cried out to Krystal and Ardimus to run. I felt their hands on my back as they dragged me to my feet. They dropped me, and my cheek embraced the cold, stony floor. When I next opened my eyes, I found Dorissa standing over me.
I concentrated on summoning my fire to the surface, the dark flame within swelling up. The council would all burn for harming Krystal.
Dorissa leaned over me and laid a hand on my back. I gazed into the oceans that were her eyes. “Stop fighting it. The more magic you use, the faster the potion works and the more painful it is. Goodbye, Hellsfire.”