I'm being nice and putting up another chapter of this today.

I like this story. Mercedes Lackey is cool

I hope people pick up on this story. I think it's really a fairly good story. Well, I suppose I'm pretty biased, but that's besides the point.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Valdemar series. Blarg.

"Blah"-speech 'Blah'- thoughts

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"Get up, girl!"

Devina poked her head out of the small closet that served as her "room." All it held were her sleeping materials, a candle, and what few personal belongings she had. Siri dashed out through Devina's legs as the girl stepped out into the hallway, seeing Mikal disappear around the corner. Mikal was a tall man, with curly brown hair, brown eyes, and a stubbley beard. His clothes were worn, but fairly clean. Mikal was Devina's stepfather. Her mother had died when Devina was three, and Mikal had "taken care of her" since then. Mikal was not an especially nice man. Any disobedience meant punishment.

Devina was a tall and willowy fifteen year old, with wavy brown hair and green-brown hair. She was dressed in a brightly colored skirt and a white shirt with no sleeves. Her clothes were as worn as Mikal's, though they were cleaner. Mikal insisted that all the girls in his brothel were well groomed, even the ones that were not "for sale."

Devina walked down the stairs to the kitchen, running a hand through her hair as she went. The cook looked up when she walked in. "Hurry up and light that fire! I've got work to do, and I'm behind now because of you!" The big man brandished a large knife threateningly. Devina went quickly to the fireplace and knelt in front of it. She stared intently at the wood and after a few moments it burst into flames. She watched it for a moment, fascinated by the beauty of it.

"Girl," said the cook. Devina snapped out of her reverie, picking herself up off the dirty floor. "Get going on the room fires. Then get back down here straight after."

"All right, I'm goin', don't get so excited." She said. She immediately knew she had misspoken when he grabbed her roughly by the arm, twisting it till she gasped with pain.

"Your gifts," he sneered. "Are the only things that keep you here, with a roof under your head and food to eat. Otherwise, Mikal would have thrown you out on the street like the trash you are. You're as brainless as your mother was, you stupid girl. So speak to me with more. humility." He said, throwing her to the ground at the last word.

"Yes sir, I'm sorry sir." She said, cringing on the floor.

"Better, chit. Now get to work." He said then went back to his cooking.

Devin a picked herself up carefully, wincing as she rubbed the spot where he had grabbed her. She could feel a bruise forming. She walked silently out of the kitchen to start the fires in the private rooms.

By the time she was done, she had a slight headache, but nothing that would get her out of her duties. So she reported back to the kitchen, where the cook grudgingly gave her a piece of meat between two pieces of bread. She devoured it hungrily, this being the only meal she got all day.

As soon as she was finished, the cook threw a serving tray at her. She caught it clumsily, and got a sneer from the cook. She looked down at the tray in bafflement.

"Sir, I'm not..." she began.

"Well today you are. Wendi got sick, and there's naught to replace her." He saw her pleading look and shook his head, a malicious smile on his face "None of your puppy-dog eyes, now. You're serving and that's that." The knife was once again brandished, and she walked out with sinking heart.

The serving girls were always being touched, fondled. They didn't mind anymore, they were long used to it. Devina was not. Because of her abilities, Devina had been spared from being of "common" use. She had occasionally taken a job to get a little money for food when the cook shorted her. But she had always been able to be very selective of the men she entertained. The serving girls were expected to entertain any man that paid the right amount.

'That lazy bastard.' Devina thought as she made her way to the main room. 'he's punishin' me for disrespectin' 'im.'

She got to the door of the main room and accepted the tankards of beer. Beer, wine and girls were the only things sold here, and men typically did not come here for the spirits.

The next two hours were torture for Devina. None of the men requested her services, but they grabbed at her, and had her sit on their laps for a short time. She did what was required, she shrieked and giggled when the did that, and smiled like a fool, but inside she was screaming. Then, after she had gotten her seventh round of beer, a man caught her skirt.

"How much?" he asked. He looked to be a lower noble, maybe a second or third son. His hair was a dirty blond, his eyes a watery brown. He would have seemed harmless, except for the fact that his face had a cruel look on it.

"One gold." She said quietly. He nodded in acquiescence, and then took her by the arm, thankfully lower than where the cook had grabbed her earlier. The other girls gave her cruel smiles as she passed. They held no love for her.

He paid as they walked out of the room, then he directed her toward the private areas. 'Oh gods, oh gods...' she thought over and over again.

They were now in one of dark hallways that the brothel provided. The man stopped and turned to her. 'Oh gods, not here!' she thought desperately.

"I haven't had any fun for a while." He said, stroking her cheek awkwardly.

She bowed her head meekly, and tried to continue down the hallway. "Please sir, there are better places..."

The man caught her hands and pinned her against the wall. "No." he whispered. "Here." Devina could tell from his breath that the man was drunk. The man started kissing her roughly, bruising her lips. He let go of her hands to unbutton her shirt with clumsy fingers. She tried to push him away, and he hit her and pinned her to the wall with his body, hastily trying to undo his breeches. He touched the bruise the cook had given her, and she whimpered in pain. The man smiled maliciously and squeezed his hand on it.

'Oh gods, someone help me!' she thought desperately. But she knew there were no Heralds around to hear her thoughts. Suddenly there was a loud yowling, and the man suddenly let her go, clutching his head. Devina, now unsuported, slid to the floor, watching with amazement. Siri clung to the man's head, which was bleeding now from a dozen scratches. Devina hastily fumbled with her shirt buttons, trying to cover herself. The man ripped Siri of his head, flung the cat to the floor, and stepped on him, breaking the cat's spine.

Devina let out a soft scream, and tears flowed down her face as she stared at the only thing that had ever loved her.

"Filthy beast." The man muttered, and turned back to Devina, determined to finish what he had started.

Devina's eyes hardened. She stood up facing him, and the lamps flashed into light all down the hall. "No more!" she said. The man burst into flames. He screamed, and fell onto the floor, writhing in pain. Devina didn't notice. She had backed up against the walls, her eyes wide and unseeing.

"I can hear them all!" She said to no one. "They're in my head! All of them! They're all sick! I have to make it stop!" she walked down the hallway toward the main room, the walls bursting into flames behind her.

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Well, that was a lot of actin for the first chapter, eh? I don't think it gets much worse than this. Well, it might, but that's besides the point.

**Review Response Time**

Trina Ti: Well, I hope you liked this chapter.

cat: I hope I can hold your interest (

Artemis-chan: the chapters will be longer than the intro, which is exactly what that was. And what I mean is that she is probably not the first female firestarter, but in my story she is the only one with enough power to be recognized as a great firestarter. And isn't firestarting like the rarest Gift?

FireHeart: Are you going to keep that penname this time?

Magdellin: She really doesn't have all that much control, it's mostly just natural ability and the fact that the channel was only open a tiny bit. Plus, her mage Gift helps.

Thanks a ton for your reviews. I would like more. Reviews are good.

Review please.