Fragile Destiny (The Aether Chronicles) (24 page)

Twenty-Three

Salamanders

Shrieks filled the ballroom. Steven’s hand found the hilt of his sword as he looked around the room for Noli, who’d been flitting around speaking to everyone in a way that would make her mother proud. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a shadow; then the wedding cake burst into flames. He jumped back. Noli. Where was Noli?

“Salamanders,” someone whispered behind him. “We should go, Your Majesty.”

Someone else replied, “No, if we leave now, they might think we’re behind it.”

Steven spun around to see Ciarán and Kevighn.

“
Are
you behind it?” he demanded of them.

Ciarán didn’t have his hood up, and Steven had never seen him up close up like this. It was difficult not to stare at the scar marring an otherwise handsome face.

Kevighn scowled at him, his eyes narrowing, and Ciarán shook his head. “Why would we do that?” Ciarán asked.

Oh, let him list the ways. Instead, Steven just glared.

Noli ran over to them, an exasperated look on her face. “Stop bickering and help me. We need to work together.” Without waiting for an answer, she hiked up her skirts and ran off.

“She’s right, you know.” Ciarán pushed up his sleeves. “Kevighn.”

Kevighn sighed. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Noli, wait.” Steven ran after her, dodging the people running and screaming. Salamanders were fire elementals—dangerous, tricky beasties who had the ability to become partially intangible and slink in the shadows.

Everywhere he turned, little fires were set as the buggers slid from place to place wreaking havoc as they went. A delegation from the water court worked to quench the tiny fires popping up all over the room, but it seemed that for every one quelled, two more started. Guards tried to evacuate people in an orderly fashion, but it didn’t stop him from nearly being trampled.

Where was she? Steven craned his neck.

A shriek pierced the air and he turned just in time to see a little girl standing there, frozen, as a flaming tree fell toward her.

“Hold on.” Noli swooped in, as if to push the girl out of the way.

“Noli!” Steven rushed toward her. What was she doing?

Her hand went out, and the flaming tree
stopped
mid-air
as Noli and the girl escaped harm’s way. Where had she learned to do
that
?

“V, help me,” she called.

What could he do? Earth
could
quell fire, though that wasn’t really in his area of expertise. They worked together to quench the flames, glad the smoke wasn’t thick.

“Everyone, do what you can,” Noli commanded. “If you can’t, get out and help anyone hurt or afraid. Also, can anyone in fire court catch those blasted things?”

People stood there, watching. “You heard her,” Steven told them. “Fire court, try to catch them. Water court, take the largest fires. Earth court—and anyone else—take what’s left. Go.”

They worked together to both put out the fires and keep everything flowing—delegating tasks, ordering a room set up for the injured, and such.

When the fires seemed to be extinguished, and no new ones popped up, Steven surveyed the area. Giant charred patches pocked the room. Most of the greenery had burned. Food was strewn across the floor. The party was officially over.

He just hoped there weren’t any casualties. This wasn’t how he wanted to start their reign. How
had
salamanders snuck into the palace … or had they been
let
in?
By whom
and
why
were the next questions that sprang to mind.

Uliam, king of the fire court, trudged over to him, fine red and black clothes singed, soot on his face. “Your Grace, the salamanders have all been caught. I would like to assure you that we had nothing to do with this.”

“We appreciate your court’s assistance,” Steven replied. Of course they’d say that they didn’t do it. That’s what the fire court did.
Deny, deny, deny.

“It was the dark court that proved most useful.” Uliam frowned and rubbed his red beard.

“They did?” Surprise flowed through Steven’s voice.

Uliam shrugged. “Considering everything, it makes sense; I just never expected them to actually
help.
I’d think they’d slip out the back door at the first sign of trouble.”

“Indeed.” Considering what? Oh, Noli mentioned that Kevighn had once been fire court. Had the dark king been fire court as well? Out of the corner of his eye, Steven caught Noli trying to move something heavy by herself.

Uliam’s eyes followed Steven’s own. “I will follow your reign with great interest.”

Sure, so he could find their weaknesses and exploit them.

“I beg your pardon, but I believe my assistance is needed.” Steven scurried over to the entrance to the garden; two trees had fallen, blocking the door. “Noli, what are you doing?”

“Someone’s trapped. I can’t lift it.” Noli’s dress was torn, her hair a mess. “Hold on,” she told someone.

Little cries came from … somewhere.

“Let me help.” Steven wished James was here, but he was with the children, which was the better scenario. He took a deep breath, then put his hands on the tree. “On three … one, two, three … ” Grunting, they lifted it, but only a few inches.

“Can you wiggle out at all?” Noli asked whoever was stuck.

The only answer was more cries.

“We need to lift it higher,” Steven told her. “On three …
one, two, three … ” Putting his back into it, he tried to lift it even higher. Suddenly, it got lighter, rising several more inches. He looked over to see Ciarán assisting them. “What are you doing?”

“Helping. I agree with Her Grace—we should work together,” Ciarán said as he helped lift the tree.

“Exactly.” Noli gave a satisfied nod. “Now, can you wriggle out of there?”

A little nose peeked out, followed by a furry, pointed face, little ears, and several tails, though he couldn’t see how many. It limped over to Noli and made a little cry of thanks. They let go of the tree and Steven exhaled in relief.

Noli crouched down and peered at it. “Oh, you’re hurt. Please don’t be offended, but I’m going to pick you up and carry you to where they’re tending the wounded. It will be faster that way.” She gathered the little red fox-creature in her arms and swept toward the door.

“Is she
carrying
a kitsune?” Amusement tinged Ciarán’s voice.

Steven glared at the dark king. Generally, one didn’t carry a fox-elemental like a pet, but it was a child, injured, and she did ask. Sort of.

“We’re not enemies.” Ciarán wiped his hands on his dark cloak.

“We’re not friends, either,” Steven hissed.

The dark king shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

A boom rumbled through the room with the force of an earthquake and a ball of exploding fire engulfed the part of the room where Noli had headed.

“Noli!” Steven called.

Ciarán swore. “You need to get everyone out of here. Uliam said his men killed no salamanders; apparently they lied. As a defense mechanism, salamanders leave behind an orb that explodes shortly after death.”

Elric hustled over to him. “Your Grace, thank the Bright Lady I found you—”

“Not now, evacuate the room, there may be more explosions,” Steven ordered. “Noli, Noli … ” He ran
toward
the explosion right as another orb exploded, sending bits of burning wood careening toward him. Holding out his hand, he deflected the fragments, carving a pathway.

But it did nothing to quell the flames and smoke.

“Noli, where are you?” he yelled. The thick black smoke choked him and the heat burned his face. This was different from the small fires. This grew rapidly, creating noxious fumes.

“V, help me. I can’t hold it back … ” Noli called from beyond his vision.

Steven ripped off part of his shirt and wrapped it around his face to keep out the smoke. “Noli, where are you, talk to me?”

“I’m over here.” Her voice held a frantic edge.

Flames surrounded her. The kitsune was cradled in one arm, and her other arm was out in front of her, glowing green. Separating her and the kitsune from the flames was a shield of green light. What was she doing?

Miri appeared beside him, her face smudged with soot. “Tell her to put it out. She’s already tapping into the magic; she can use it to put all the fires out.”

“What?” He eyed the very odd sprite. “Miri, you need to get out of here. Go help those who are injured.”

“She can do it. I believe in her.” Miri turned and disappeared.

T
apping into the magic?
Steven’s hand went to his forehead. Of course. Noli was a ruler in distress. Theoretically, the magic that composed the court itself could answer her—though, to his knowledge, it hadn’t come to the aid of an earth court monarch in generations.

“Noli, tap into the magic,” he called. Was that how she’d been doing everything? Unconsciously tapping into the magic?

“What?” She shot him a desperate look as the green shield flickered.

“Ask the magic of the earth court to come to your aid and use it to put out the fires.” He wasn’t sure what else to do. Taking a step backward to avoid the flames, he used his arm to shield his face from the heat. But he wasn’t going to leave her. He’d sooner cross the rapidly building wall of flames himself.

Her face contorted and she gulped, nodding slowly.

“I believe in you,” he added.

The green light imploded, becoming a glowing orb in front of her. She
threw it
like a golden ball in a courtier game. The moment she hurled it, the light spread, tendrils creeping out like fog, smothering the flames.

Steven took a step toward Noli, but saw the look of total and utter concentration on her face as she shone with shim
mering green light. The fog coated the room like a blanket, filling every corner and crevice, pooling around their legs and limbs. It was cool but not cold, dense but intangible, smelling of oak trees and moss as it covered him, obscuring his vision. He peered through the fog and could see the flames dying out. For a moment the room held nothing but silence. Finally, the fog lowered and the smoke evaporated, leaving breathable air.

Elric stood at his side, eyes focused on Noli, who still glowed. “Is she … ”

“I believe so.” Pride rang through Steven’s voice. “That’s my Noli. She’s going to be unconventional. At times she’ll make the both of us want to tear out our hair. But no one tries harder.”

Noli’s eyes closed. As her hand moved, the fog shrunk toward her as if she were a magnet.

“
Look, Your Grace.” Elric gestured to a wall that had been charred earlier and was now flawless.

“Flying figs.” As the fog receded, the wood
healed
itself, as if she were calling on the magic to cure the living trees that formed the palace.

Elric’s face screwed up in confusion. “While I have heard Your Graces and Prince Séamus say that, I don’t quite understand what the phrase means.”

“It’s a swear—a silly, mild, made-up swear.” His eyes stayed focused on Noli as she gathered the fog to her. The room was still a mess with things strewn everywhere, but no longer were there any holes or charred bits in the walls.

The fog shrank until it was nothing but a small orb hovering over her hand. She closed her hand around the ball and it disappeared.

Her eyes snapped open and focused on him. “V.”

Immediately, she sank toward the ground.

“Noli.” In a few quick steps he reached her, his hand gripping hers as he pulled her to her feet. The kitsune was still resting in her arm, looking up at him with curious green eyes.

She gave him a small smile. “I think I overextended myself.” Her words were shaky; actually,
she
seemed to be shaking. “Let’s get this little one to the healer—and its parents. Sorry, I don’t know if you’re a boy or a girl.”

“Come on.” Steven put an arm around her waist and led her to the room that had been designated the infirmary. Her face was quite red, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the fire or exertion. Noli leaned on him heavily, and he prayed to the Bright Lady that she’d be all right.

“Your Grace, you’re injured.” Elric came up to them, a worried look on his face. “Please, come with me to the healer.”

Noli scowled. She didn’t like doctors. “I need to find its family. Also, there are people far more injured than I. I should be helping, not using valuable resources unnecessarily.”

Elric’s lips pursed. His eyes fell on the tiny kitsune in her arms. “Ah, I believe I know where his parents are—and they’re quite worried. I suppose you wish to bring him to them yourself.”

“I do.” She smiled at the little kitsune. “He’s also hurt.”

A sigh of resignation shuddered through Elric. “Come with me.”

Not knowing what else to do, Steven stayed by Noli’s side.

Elric led them to a worried-looking couple. They were in hybrid form—fox ears and tails, slightly pointed noses, creamy skin, green eyes, and dark hair—hers almost black and intricately braided, his a dark brown.

Steven tried to discreetly count their tails, since that was a mark of rank. Nine, the highest rank—which would be why they were in attendance. Kitsune were generally affiliated with either the high court or the dark court, and he was unsure which they hailed from.

“He’s hurt.” Noli held the kit out to his parents.

The father bowed. “Your Grace, we are most grateful to you for saving our son.”

“Yes, we are in your debt.” The mother bowed as well, then took the kit from Noli’s arms.

Noli smiled at the parents. “It was nothing, but he’s hurt. Elric, please make sure they see a healer.”

With that, she turned and went off in another direction.

Steven caught up with her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Noli, where are we going?”