The lance thrower, p.19
The Nine Births of Carnage (Cross Academy Book 3), page 19
Everyone who was close to KI seemed drawn to him. Seemed to care about him and fight for him, regardless of the consequences. But it was clear that his charm had sank its teeth into Fox deeper than anyone else. She had known nothing but KI and his smile and his goofy laugh for years. She had lived for him, unable to resist that pull toward him.
And now…
“What are you saying?” Fox asked quietly. “That KI is the reason I can’t produce my own flames?”
“I think your fixation on him is the reason,” Vy explained. She scooted closer to Fox and reached for her warm hand. Her skin felt like ice. “Let him go, Fox,” Vy said.
Fox tugged her hand away. “I can’t.”
“It doesn’t have to be permanently.”
“He’s my best friend. I’m not giving up on him.”
“I didn’t say give up,” Vy told her.
“Letting him go is the same thing.”
“No, it isn’t.” She shook her head. “Let go of KI, so you can let God in. Let Him be your fuel.”
Fox squeezed her eyes shut. There was no surprise in Vyanna’s revelation. Fox had felt the unhealthy tug in her heart toward KI since she was a girl. Wholly consumed with his mystery and his background. As a child, she’d convinced herself she had been drawn to the boy because he’d come from the outside. As a teenager, she had told herself she cared because he was her best friend. And as a sundancer, Fox had believed she’d been granted her abilities by God for the very purpose of protecting the boy who had spent his life protecting and guarding her.
But she had been wrong. And she’d known she was wrong.
Sundancing was a gift bestowed to the Fire Tribe to protect all of God’s children. Not just friends and family. Blessings weren’t meant to be used for selfish purposes and they weren’t designed to function on man-made fuel. The fuel for every Believer was Christ. There was simply no other way to function.
But … Fox thought of her older brother. Roaring had told her his fuel was anger. Not God. Not Scripture. Not Jesus. So how is he so powerful?
Unbidden memories of her brother came to mind. Roaring announcing that he was leaving the Academy. Roaring taking up the Flaming Veil. Roaring saying goodbye before leaving on the long journey back to Wi.
Anger had been his fuel in the beginning. But he had found his way to God. He’d stumbled onto the path that led him toward God’s will—protecting the Village of Wi.
If his purpose is in Wi, Fox thought, then mine is here at the Academy.
She looked at the princess, quietly watching with her observant green eyes. “Thanks, Vy,” she said softly. “I think I get it now.”
“Do you?” the princess asked cautiously.
“I do. Letting go of KI isn’t the same as abandoning him. It’s giving the situation over to God, so He can rescue him His way.”
Vy smiled. “See? I knew coming to the grotto would help you.”
Fox laughed, despite the tears she felt pricking her eyes. Letting go of KI wouldn’t be easy. But it was possible. After living so many years with him at the center of her life, Fox couldn’t imagine how she would go on now. What her focus would be. What her purpose would be. She had only joined the Academy to get strong enough to protect him. Now, she was supposed to hand everything over to God and do what?
How can I move forward? she prayed inside.
There was no answer, but she wasn’t discouraged. In fact, Fox leaned back in the grass and stretched out beside Vy with a smile on her face. “This place really is blessed,” she whispered.
Vy nodded. “It is.”
“Can I stay here a little while longer?”
“You can stay as long as you want.”
Fox rolled onto her side, staring at the Living Water. Silently, she wondered what God would bring into her life now that she had finally made room for Him.
18
Evelyn
Chatter filled the small room as the Academy students sat together, waiting for Lieutenant Diaz to begin the meeting he’d called. They had been in the safety and comfort of the Ice Fortress for a week now, enjoying strange cold food and sleeping on frozen beds piled high with caribou pelts and bunty bear furs. Now that they had healed up, rested, and stuffed themselves full of fish soup and raw vegetables, it was time to get back to business.
After sitting through a number of boring meetings with the Northern Council, Diaz reinforced the longstanding alliance between the Farrons and the soldiers of the Academy. They would provide aid in whatever way they could to help the lieutenant accomplish what he’d been sent to do.
The only thing left to decide was what exactly they should do. They could go after KI. Or they could recoup and return to Babel.
The last time Lieutenant Diaz called a meeting, it’d become very clear that the superiors of the team were split. Lord Izzy thought it best to return to Babel with Lady Vehenort, his protégé, happily agreeing. Meanwhile, both lieutenants wanted to team up with the Farrons and go after the Nine.
“We don’t have the numbers or the strength,” Izzy had said. “We’re down to Gamma Division students and four experienced soldiers. That’s not enough to go after the Nine Births of Carnage.”
“But the trail is still relatively fresh!” Lieutenant Raven had countered. “It would be foolish to let it go cold after all we’ve been through.”
They had dismissed the kids to finish their debate, but days into the argument and still neither side had budged. That leaves only one option, the lieutenant decided as he took the floor before his team.
Lord Izzy had been in the background for most of the mission, only acting when called upon and spending far too much time licking his wounds and lamenting whatever had happened with him in Avanté Village. He had delivered his report to Diaz after the chaos had settled down, but the lieutenant knew there was more to the story. Lord Izzy had a history with the Nine. He’d fought them on more than one occasion and had a hatred of them so potent, it seemed almost personal.
But Lieutenant Diaz hadn’t pushed the issue. Izzy’s personal connection to the Nine wasn’t the focus at the moment. And it hardly made a difference in the decision they had to make, in fact, the Priest favored the idea of returning to Babel—not staying for the fight.
Lieutenant Diaz cleared his throat, earning immediate silence. The students squirmed in their chairs, looking very much like the inexperienced children Lord Izzy had accused them of being. They hadn’t even been enrolled in the Academy for more than a month before they’d set out on this life-threatening mission. Under any normal circumstances, they wouldn’t have been invited on the mission at all. But Cross Academy had suffered blow after blow before then, leaving them virtually no choice but to add fresh meat to the fight.
Fox Fire sat beside Dart with Syren next to him. Kohl hung around at the end of the cluster of ice chairs, seated just far enough away that it was obvious he didn’t want to talk to anyone, but close enough that he didn’t seem totally separated from the group. On the other end of the line of chairs sat Vyanna and her cousins—two Farron guards stood behind them, scowling like they didn’t trust the princess with such weak-looking people.
Diaz placed a hand on his hip. “We’ve got a decision to make regarding what happens next with the mission.”
No one spoke.
“As you know, our initial task was to get KI up North under the protective isolation of the Ice Fortress. We have failed. But we were also responsible for getting Princess Vyanna Farron up North—which was obviously a success.”
Vyanna smiled, exuding all the proper grace and manners a princess should have. The tiara on her head sparkled as she dipped her head in a very diplomatic nod. Diaz tried not to roll his eyes. She was only doing her job—being more of a princess than an Academy student now.
“The leading members of our team are split on the matter,” the lieutenant said. “We could ally with the Farrons and hunt down the Nine. Or we could return to Babel and start over. Both options have their pros and cons.”
“It would take us at least six weeks to get back to Babel,” Fox said. “We’ll lose whatever trail we’ve got now.”
“We don’t have a trail,” Dart said with a sniff. “The Nine appeared and disappeared.”
“Lord Izzy believes he can gather intel on where they might be headed,” Diaz said.
The children gawked at him.
“How?” Fox asked.
“I have connections and the North has very swift messenger hawks,” Izzy answered with a proud smile.
“Messenger buzzards,” the lieutenant muttered.
“If we have even a clue as to where they’ve taken KI, we need to act now,” Fox said—then, as if she’d just remembered something, she took a breath and adjusted in her seat. “But … I’m sure there’s wisdom in returning to Babel.”
“There is,” Diaz agreed, though he hated to admit it. “The truth is that we don’t have the manpower to go after the Nine. We were a thirty-man team when they took KI. With little trouble. We don’t stand a chance dwindled down to less than half.”
“My family will gladly assist us on this mission,” Vyanna offered.
“I know.” Diaz scrubbed his chin, feeling the stubble scratch his palm. The men of the North rarely shaved, preferring to look like white-haired barbarians. Razors were hard to come by, leaving the lieutenant with a dark shadow on his tan face. Even Lord Izzy had a patch of golden blonde fuzz on his chin, making his normally boyish face seem years older.
“There is a chance battling the Nine would be a mistake even with the help of the Farrons,” the lieutenant said. “We don’t know for certain where KI was taken. It could be across the Regions—and if that’s the case, we’re better off keeping tabs on them and attacking when we’ve got a better-suited team.”
“What about the Farrons is unsuited?” Vy asked, her tone stiff.
“Suppose KI was taken to the Region of Smoke and Ash where the heat is high enough to cripple seadancers.”
Vy didn’t respond.
“And if we’re going to chase the Nine all the way to the southernmost Region, we may as well go to Babel and recoup along the way. Plan properly.”
“The longer we wait, the more time they have to gather their strength,” Dart said. “Demonic activity will only increase as their Dark energy intensifies.
“That’s true,” Diaz agreed. “It sounds like you all are just as split as the four of us,” he motioned to Lieutenant Raven, Lord Izzy, and Lady Vehenort.
“I want to go after them,” Syren said. “But not just for KI. Lady Talon was also taken. And Slaine and Kressa need to answer for their crimes.”
The lieutenant gazed at the young student. Syren had been more than useful on their mission, being only one of two scouts, and a skilled one at that. But there was no question her emotions were deeply tangled up in the situation. Taking her along could be a mistake. But it wouldn’t be any more of a mistake than Diaz going.
His hands curled into fists as he thought of Lady Talon. Syren was right, KI wasn’t the only reason the team needed to move forward. He wasn’t the only one who’d been taken—and he wouldn’t be the only one they would rescue.
I wasn’t there, the lieutenant chastised. He’d been on the other side of the village fighting with the demons summoned by the Nine when Talon had been captured. It wasn’t until the dust had settled and he’d taken a head count that he’d realized she was gone. The news had torn a hole through his chest, threatened to send him spiraling into the familiar darkness he’d been in over Kotaro’s death.
But she isn’t dead, he told himself, digging his nails into his palm. She’s still alive.
She had to be.
A bolt of lightning tore through the lieutenant and he bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood. Not here, he thought, bringing a shaky hand to his mouth. Not now.
He had held off his emotions this long. Had focused on the mission. Focused on his horrible past—filled with forgotten memories of Seganamé and Zuriel and the death of his father. But now, within the confines of the Ice Fortress, with nothing else to focus on, he didn’t have to hide. He couldn’t hide from his emotions anymore.
Don’t let it in…
The words of his dead mother hissed through his mind, but they were useless now. He’d already broken his golden rule. He’d already let someone in, only to have her violently ripped away. Just as he’d feared.
“Lieutenant?” Second Lieutenant Raven blinked at Diaz. Wisely, she kept her distance and didn’t try to reach for him, lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. That would have driven him over the edge. The very thought of someone trying to calm the storm inside made him want to tear the room apart.
He needed his anger. Needed to feed off the festering rage. It gave him the strength to stay in the moment, instead of drifting into the dark corners of his mind. The parts that still yearned for the cursed power sealed away inside.
Just one drop of that power, and I would have the strength I need to take back what was stolen from me.
But he refused. Using cursed power to fight the darklings was no different from being a darkling. And the worst part, Diaz thought, is that this power came from him.
Seganamé.
He wanted to curse at the thought of his name. Wanted to—
“Lieutenant?” Now Raven was reaching for him, and he almost turned and snapped her wrist, but he caught himself just in time, biting down hard on his tongue again.
Raven patted him on the shoulder. “Are you alright?”
Diaz winced, swallowing blood. “I’m fine.”
Lieutenant Raven slowly nodded, not a single ounce of belief on her face. “You were saying the groups were split.”
“Yes.” He cleared his throat. Wiped his mouth. “Right. Well… Both sides have valid arguments. As the leading officer on this mission, however, the final say goes to me.” He took a breath, hoping his team would be willing to work with the plan he’d put together.
“We’re going to go after the Nine. And return to Babel.”
“Um…” Lieutenant Raven scratched her head.
“Lord Izzy,” Diaz said, turning toward his childhood friend. “You will track the Nine. I don’t care how you do it, you have full authority to make whatever calls you see fit. Do not take drastic action. Track them. Find their lair. And report back to me.”
Izzy nodded once. “I’ll be taking Vehenort with me.”
Of course he would. Who wouldn’t take their own walking shield?
“That’s fine,” Diaz said. He glanced out at the students. “The rest of us aren’t skilled enough or experienced enough to assist Lord Izzy in any meaningful way. That’s why we will remain here until we have sufficient information on how to proceed.” He cleared his throat. This would be the hard part. “In the meantime, I’m making the executive decision to promote all of you to Beta Division students.”
The room fell silent—so quiet, Diaz would swear he could hear the ice walls weeping around them. He’d expected as much. Most students spent years at the Academy before graduating into the next Division. Yet, these students had only been enrolled for a few months. The promotion was beyond drastic. It was nearly unheard of.
“You deserve it,” Diaz said firmly. “All of you here have faced the Nine. You have traversed the North. You have seen the Dreadful. And you’re here to tell about it.” He stepped forward, placing a hand over his heart. “I don’t need fresh students who crack under pressure. I need soldiers. You’ve earned this promotion. Take it.”
For a moment, no one moved. Diaz wondered if he’d taken things too far. If he had pumped them up more than even they thought they were worth. And then he heard the distinct sound of a chair scraping the floor and he glanced over to see Fox Fire standing, a determined look on her face.
“I accept this promotion,” she said in a fierce voice. “I’m ready to graduate.”
19
Roaring
Tendrils of smoke wafted into the air like grey streams as Lady Ina waved a burnt roll of sage back and forth. Roaring could taste the smoke on his tongue. Earthy. Dark. Bitter. When he inhaled, he felt his lungs heat and he almost panted, enjoying the smell as if it were a fragrance he could jar and save for later.
Every member of the council sat around the unlit firepit in the new Grand Chief’s Hall. It was small and incomplete, nothing more than a little cabin with windows and an unfinished carving of a sunrider on the far wall.
Roaring stared at the carving, at the wickedly sharp teeth jutting from its mouth. The rendition was beautiful, portraying the great beast in a vicious, snarling way. Scaled and winged and spitting fire as it emerged from a volcano. Born of the very heat the Grand Chief held in his palm.
He hadn’t forgotten the legends of his people. That the First Flames had been the ones to tame the sunriders, to mount the mighty creatures and ride them into battle against the darklings. Fretful humans had once wondered if the beasts were darklings themselves. But that was only fearful speculation.
Sunriders were sentient. Smarter than darklings, animals, and even most humans. They could channel spiritual energy just like Roaring could and were said to be able to communicate and form bonds with the sundancers who tamed them. There were even whispers that sunriders had come from God, that they were emissaries, guardians assigned to the Fire Tribe alone.
But all that had been centuries ago, when the Fire Tribe was at its strongest.
Now …
Roaring blinked at the unfinished Hall around him. There was still so much to do. So much work that always felt incomplete, like they were chipping away at a mountain with a gardening shovel. To make matters worse, the council had decided today would be a good day for a meeting, rather than letting everyone get to work and stay on track.
