Hiya all!
I'm sorry this has taken me so long to get out :-) But it was nice to know people missed the story (thanks Kali Gurlie!). Thank you everyone who sent comments on the last part – the detailed version's at the bottom – you really just made my Christmas! You're all fabulous – thank you so much!
Anything you have to say would be adored and pored over, revered, cheered, delighted in, adulated, venerated and generally worshipped – please tell me what you think, I love hearing from you!
Hugs n' honey,
Ki
Hanging On Part Eight
"Well?" Numair Salmalin looked from Bruna to Ryan. Both the streetboy and the noblewoman had identical 'are you mad?' expressions on their faces. The mage sighed heavily and lifted his dark eyes to the sky. "Mithros guide me! Children, would one of you please light the fire?"
"How?" Ryan demanded bluntly. Kel sat herself down on a rock and prepared to watch the entertainment. "I ain't never used my Gift to light fires."
"Well, you managed to demolish the gates of the palace without much trouble," Master Salmalin said mildly, though the corners of his mouth twitched. "A fire should be a cinch."
"I was angry," the boy muttered, looking at his feet. "It...just happened."
"While that may be an excuse now, it will hardly serve when you are standing at the centre of a mile-wide crater," the mage said drolly. "All you have to do is *want* the fire to be lit. If you want it enough, it will happen. Lady Bruna?"
While the noblewoman stuttered and stammered an excuse Kel watched their surroundings. There was something about this place that was starting to make her feel vaguely uneasy. Though she could feel the hum of magic through her feet, protecting them, the utter silence made something inside her shriek in alarm.
She moved to where Peachblossom was tied and drew out her sword, slinging an axe over her back for good measure. It made her feel better. If she had a weapon, she could fight.
She watched the trees. Leaves rustled in the breeze, only the sounds of their whispering and the laughter of the river that ran through Corus nearby. And the slam of her heartbeat, unusually loud in her ears.
[Leaves rustled in the breeze…] Something nagged at her, yet Kel couldn't place it. Ill at ease, but deciding it was her imagination, she turned her attention back to the trio of mages.
"If you don't try," Master Salmalin was saying exasperatedly, "you will never learn to control your powers and I can tell you for free that you'll be dead within the space of five years."
"Big change there," Ryan told him. "I mean, livin' on the streets ain't exactly a picnic."
The mage glowered at him. Kel promptly decided she never wanted him annoyed with her; when he was vexed, his eyes seemed to glitter like jet caught in light and she swore she could see a spark leap from the finger he pointed at Ryan.
"Did I ever tell you this would be a *picnic*?" he snapped. "Do you know what happens to mages who can't control their power? I had to clean up a case seven years ago because no one taught *her* just what being Gifted meant. The explosion tore her into shreds that were scattered for five miles; she didn't become history, young man, she became geography."
Bruna put a hand to her forehead and her body swayed dangerously.
Master Salmalin glared at her. "You faint, young lady, and I'll hang you upside from the nearest tree until you wake up."
The noblewoman had a miraculous recovery, her sultry brown eyes wide with mingled fear and respect. Kel hid a grin. The mage certainly knew how to deal with people like Bruna.
"Now," he said more gently. "You do *have* to learn. Just try – if you can't light the fire, it doesn't matter. It's that you try; only practise will give you the restraint you need. Try thinking of something that makes you angry; the Gift tends to rise more easily when we are at the pinnacle of our emotions."
Behind her, there was a hiss. Kel drew up her sword and spun immediately, feeling the Yamani-calm she needed flood through her bones. But nothing; only the screen of foliage, and the crackle of wind tossing the leaves aside.
"Squire Keladry?" she heard the mage say in his mild, husky voice.
"Nothing," she answered, her hazel eyes scanning the area. Reluctantly, she turned and sat, but the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up, slight chills walking through her body. Something was wrong; nothing would show itself. "I'm just hearing things."
She heard Bruna's disdainful 'paranoid' and pretended she hadn't.
"Lady Bruna, would you try and light the fire?" The mage sounded a trifle weary now. Kel watched as the noblewoman nodded graciously - as if it really *was* a request, not a subdued order – and gestured to the fire.
Nothing. Sweat broke out on the noblewoman's forehead, soaking into her long, curly brown hair. She really was trying; probably, Kel thought uncharitably, the first piece of work she had ever done. Her hand trembled, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Kel saw Master Salmalin nudge Ryan and murmur something.
The street boy's eyes lit with devilment. "Get on wi' it, ye lazy—"
There was a low roar, like wind in a tunnel, and orange-brown flames burst onto the stacked kindling, crackling merrily. Bruna looked like she wanted to kick the streetboy and only her breeding prevented her.
"It did work," Ryan remarked to the mage, a smile curving his firm mouth. "Does this mean I get to insult every time you want her t'do anythin' with her Gift?"
"No," the mage said resolutely. "Not unless she is allowed to repay the favour."
The boy pulled a face, his dove-grey eyes wistful. "Pity. My turn now?"
Waving a long-fingered hand, the mage nodded and the flames were snuffed out as if they had never been. "Indeed."
Kel watched as Ryan's thin face was encased in sheer concentration. But it was his eyes she watched closely. Every time she had seen him use his Gift so far, they had turned that bright, blazing blue, like dragon scales caught in the sun.
That whisper again, and she glanced over her shoulder. Nothing. She turned her attention back to Ryan, to his narrow face, how lean he was compared to the rest of them, but how he seemed to have so much life. Master Salmalin was watching him too, arms folded and that mass of inky-black hair held back and...
Black hair. Black hair that was utterly still.
Not moving in the breeze because...
There *was* no wind.
* * * *
"It's done," the mage said calmly. She doused the fire and dusted her hands off. "I've sent them. It should keep Salmalin away long enough for us to capture the girl and...persuade her."
"It will not kill him? You disappoint me, mortal." The creature stretched and bones crackled in the silence. As it yawned, rows and rows of silvery teeth were revealed, each sharp and glinting. "I thought you would not squirm from murder. After all, it is why you fled your homeland, is it not?"
The Oriental woman stiffened, but was careful not to show any of her ire. "It is, master, but Salmalin is powerful. Ozorne himself could not destroy him. Hadensra fell to his sorcery. To kill him would be near impossible."
"They once said things such as I were impossible," that papery, dry voice said. It was like hearing wildfire licking at desert plants. "I have often found that impossible is a word humans invented for when they cannot be bothered." The blinding orange of its eyes swung to the woman, deigning to notice her. "But I can smell your fear from here. You would not dare lie to me."
"No," the woman said and shivered, sending ripples through the silky red robe she wore. "Never, master."
The creature flicked its claws imperiously. "Go, seek the girl. Do not return until you have found her."
"Master..." The woman swallowed hard. For all that her face was empty and hard, she was young still. Foolish, perhaps. "Could you aid me in seeking her? I am tired from having to fire-speak over so many leagues."
Those lazy, fathomless eyes remained fixed on her. Time passed, when all she could hear was the beat of her heart and wondered if it would simply reach over and rip her into shreds, as she had seen it do so often before.
A claw reached out...
And curled around her arm, pulling her closer until she had to stare into the gaping maw of its mouth, feel the acrid hot breath. "You speak true. I will aid you, this once."
"Th-thank you," she gasped, dropping her eyes from its inhuman stare. "You are most g-generous, master."
"True," it said and laughed.
* * * *
Kel caught her breath, her hand clenching tight around her sword. Something was tracking them, she could feel it now and she wanted desperately to turn around and search the forests to find what moved the leaves so softly. But she had to be careful...not to let them know.
She got up slowly and strolled over to her pack, pretending she was digging for rations. Buying time to think.
"Concentrate, Ryan," she heard Master Salmalin say from a few feet away. He had his hands on his hips and was watching the streetboy with narrowed eyes. Ryan, for his part, looked more than a little bored.
"Master Salmalin?" she said, hearing her voice come out calm and pleasant. Good. Good start.
The mage glanced over. "Is it important, Squire Keladry?"
"Very."
He must have seen something in her face, because he ordered Ryan to keep trying and strode over. "What is it?"
"Sir," she began. "We have a—"
There was a high-pitched scream as a bolt of gold-tinged green fire seared from the trees and hit Bruna in the shoulder.
"—problem," Kel finished weakly and slid into a fighting stance.
More fire was slipping between the leaves now, flying at them from all directions. The mage swore furiously and shouted something. A dome of light leapt between them and their attackers; the magic circle, she guessed.
"We're safe for now," the mage said tersely, running to Bruna, who was moaning faintly, tears shining fresh on her face. "As long as they don't have a counterspell..."
An explosion rocked the ground and Kel was thrown to her knees. She got up quickly, to find the circle gone and spidrens dropping from the trees, grinning coldly. There had to be a dozen of them, long legs inching them forward, bringing their monstrous bodies closer.
She saw Ryan's face; pure, unadulterated horror. Of course, living in the slums of Corus, he had never seen anything like this. One of the spidrens lifted its hands and screamed something; lightning jagged at the boy.
"Ryan," Kel shouted. "Move!"
The boy seemed frozen. She looked away...
There was a dazzling burst of turquoise light, an explosion that made the earth roar and then silence. Hazy, peaceful silence. Her ears rang.
Kel looked back to find the boy looking grimly amused, a halo of blue fire glowing around his entire body. Where the mage spidren had been, there was a smoking black crater.
The immortals charged.
She ran forward, beside the boy and gave him the axe. He nodded once briefly; they had no time to talk, and then the wave of creatures hit them.
Instinct took over and suddenly, her sword was flicking out like a viper's tongue, swift and fatal. She stabbed a spidren, whipped the sword out and left to slice through the leg of another. A sharp pain in her shoulder, and she whirled around to find one of the monsters with a long knife that danced back and forth.
"Hello, little human," it shrieked, its dreadful grin almost splitting its face. "Want to play?"
Metal clashed on metal as their blades met and Kel quickly realised it was far stronger than her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ryan fighting furiously, blood running from a cut above his eyebrow as he hacked off a spidren's head in one easy motion.
Goddess defend me, Kel thought as their blades locked again and she was forced down under its weight, this thing's going to kill me.
Think what they'll say about you, a voice in her head urged. Can't you just imagine Joren *laughing*? Rage surged into her bones and she threw the creature backwards with a fierce scream, leaping forward with a swift chop that it parried clumsily, whipping the sword up and round to flick one of its eyes out, ignoring the clumsy thrust that went straight past her and slamming the sword into its heart.
Black lightning razed from Master Salmalin's hands to strike the creatures, flinging them backwards as if they were wads of paper. Kel's hazel eyes were hard as she pulled Ryan out of the way and took the moment to kick a spidren in the head. The pair of them found cover in the dubious shelter of the trees.
"Thanks," Ryan said breathlessly. "Reckon we annoyed 'em."
"Well, you blowing their leader into tiny pieces might have something to do with that," Kel said and glanced over at the mage. The tall man was clearly enraged, his eyes snapping like jet set aflame, spells flying from him in balls of black tinged with silver.
Her eyes focused as she saw a spidren drop from the oak trees behind him. She opened her mouth to yell, but before she could, Ryan glanced over and hurled the axe he was holding. It spun madly, blade-hilt-blade-hilt-blade-hilt and for a horrifying second, Kel was sure it would hit the mage.
Her cry died on her lips as the axe thudded into the spidren with a satisfactorily solid thunk, pinning it to the oak.
Then she had no time to watch as she heard Ryan swear and duck a tiny, spinning piece of metal that brushed Kel's ear. She felt stinging pain and hit the floor as more lashed through the air, adding bruises to her bleeding shoulder and almost certainly fractured arm.
"What in the name of the gods are those?" she said, picking one up. It was shaped like a cross, with the tips made into pointed blades.
"Mornin' star," came the answer. "Street weapon. Ain't meant to be used anymore, too dangerous. But I guess monsters don't care 'bout whether they hurt us or not."
In the midst of the clearing, Kel could see the spidrens closing in. There were only six or so left, all bleeding, some missing legs. But still, the glint in their clod, empty eyes was cruel and she was sure Master Salmalin couldn't fight off six at once.
"Ryan," she said, keeping an eye out for anymore that might be hiding in the cover of the trees, "Can you...?"
Those keen eyes met hers and she saw with a shock that the grey was flecked with the cerulean that was the same colour as his Gift. "I can try," he answered. "But I ain't got much control. I might...hurt someone."
"Well, it's uncertain death by you or certain death by them," she said, face set. Ryan took one look at her tight jaw and white knuckles clenched on her sword and knew she wasn't going to back down.
He took a deep breath and concentrated hard, reaching down to that well of vivid blue fire that lay simmering inside. A breath as he hesitated over whether he should or not – someone screamed – and he found himself with spidren claws cutting into his arms and no spell.
"Let me go!" he yelled and *hurled* his power at the thing. There was a high wail, like a banshee, and he was thrown forwards, cutting his hands as he hit the ground. Ryan turned and saw Kel trying to stab the creature had hit her so hard a gash ran from her wrist to her elbow. Now he knew what to do...but he couldn't hurt Kel.
He narrowed his eyes and reached for his Gift again, but just a strand this time, the merest thread. He flicked a finger and the rope of blue light looped around the spidren's neck. It didn't seem to notice, a claw sinking deep into Kel's leg while the girl bit her lip and fought it.
He closed his fist...the noose of light pulled tight and the spidren was jerked up into the air and hung there, dangling helplessly. Kel gasped her thanks and waved for him to help the others.
Master Salmalin was fighting off the spidrens. Fireballs flew through the air, dicing the creatures into pieces; but they were pressing in on the mage, and he had to protect Bruna's unconscious form too. Ryan let his Gift drift towards them. He could sense the silvery light of their lives, like coloured baubles spinning in his mind. And one by one, he shattered them, wrapping his Gift around those silver lights until they were obliterated.
One by one, he saw the spidrens go still and fall backwards, legs curling in on themselves.
And it was done.
He looked up...and to his astonishment, saw the girl, the sweet-faced girl, crouched in the bushes but with her form faint as a ghost. She looked up and her golden eyes met his for a second and her lips framed a word that made him smile, before she rippled and was gone.
* * * *
Andrea stirred from her watching place. This was a dream, she knew that from the way the landscape seemed slightly warped, as if she saw it through a foggy window. That boy was there, hurling fire with a cool confidence about his every move, determination in his face. And that blood that dripped into his eyes, which he ignored steadfastly.
They were looking for her, and they were being hurt for it. She shivered, and at that moment, his eyes met hers and she saw astonishment replace the hardness.
"Thank you," she said, and felt herself dragged from that world.
She woke with an ache in her spine, found herself curled in the heart of a tree that was full of soft gold and green light, a hollowed out cedar whose sweet smell and silenced had lulled her to sleep.
I have to find food, she thought, and her stomach growled in agreement. She stretched and crawled out of the tree.
"Ah, you're awake," a voice murmured.
Andrea gasped and leapt. There was a *woman* standing there, a woman who looked completely out of place in a rich silk robe that was tattered and torn along the bottom. With her black slanted eyes and her pallid skin, she looked lovely and exotic.
"Who...who are you?" she said, hearing the tremble in her voice and hating herself for always being so afraid.
A weary smile. And that pleasant voice again, low and level. "Let's just say...I've been looking for you. We've food for you, and shelter if you want it."
Andrea hesitated. She was so hungry...but this woman's smile didn't reach her eyes. Like the people in the village, like those monstrous creatures. "No...I'm all right, thank you."
"Come, come child. Don't lie. You've bruises all over you and if you're sleeping in a tree, you're hardly all right. We've been searching for you for a while now. Don't you even want to meet us?"
Searching. Like the others had, like the boy was. But they were far away, so far away. Who was this women? "Well, you've found me," Andrea said shortly. "You can go now."
"Ungrateful," the woman remarked and there was sudden ice in her voice. "Ungrateful little child. Don't say I didn't try to help you."
Andrea backed away as fire flared between the woman's palms, rusty red fire. "What are you doing?" she said desperately. "Please...please, just leave me alone!"
The last thing she saw was that fire streaking towards her.
* * * *
Thoughts? Comments? Opinions? It's Christmas...get into the giving spirit ;-)
Thank you to everyone who commented last part ::beams:: I was just knocked out! Thank you to: Alec, (Hey, I don't mind what you say, you said *something*, thank you so much!), Aquilla (I know...now I have more time I really will start proofreading...hopefully this part will be the last mistake-riddled one.), Daine (Did you see Savage Garden play at the Olympics? I mean…tight leather trousers…wow. I'm a sugar addict too!), Dara (Short n' sweet – thanks!), Depressed Muse (Thank you – I'm sorry it took so long for there to *be* more…), Euclara (I have two cats...mad rabid beasties :-) Thanks!), FireLily (That bloody 'xing' thing keeps not sending me your reviews! Kill it! Kill it now! And thank you so much :-) I don't know what the Newberry award is, being an iggerant crature, but I'm flattered!) Leila, (Thank you so much :-) I'm honoured!), Mage Melery (I haven't yet seen Austin Powers...it's really bugging me! The village horse/bike/bowling ball is just a saying we have round my corner of England.), Maia Ariadne Athene (I do write quite dark stuff – the dark side just fascinates me. Sorry it took so long for this part...it should be more frequent now as I'm on holiday! Finally!) Marie (Hi! Thanks for commenting :-) Dance all ya want, get into the festive spirit and I'm thrilled you like the story!), Me (I hear and obey! Cheers!), Millennia, (Toya and Blue are safe, at least for now.) Obsessed Reader (I like Kel and Neal...but we'll have to see what TP does – she's just so damn good at writing romance!), Phantasea (I had fun writing that part. Ryan and Bruna just hate each other so much...Glad it made you laugh! That is my purpose in life! :-) ), Quartz (Obviously I…um…failed on the hurrying part a little there, but thank you so much for such positive comments, they made me so happy! And I'll bet you *can* write!), Rengade Wolfe (Thank you. Glad you like!) Rici Stark, (I don't think comments come much more positive than that – thank you!), Sparrow, (Short, sweet and very much appreciated! Thanks!), Starlight* (Stupid'xing' thing didn't send me your review either – but thank you so much!) Wazzup Girl (Well...I like mushy – I have to admit, I'm a helpless romantic. Glad you like Ryan and Bruna; they play a big part in the story. Ta!) and last but never least, :o) – ah, they change my medication often. And hardly let me out now :-) thank you all!