slowly. He sunk into the chair.
“It’s Jessamine,” Mallorn answered as he set the cups down.
“For insomnia?”
The old man took a sip and set it on the stump. “For many things.” He moved towards the small fireplace. After striking the flint along the bricks he lit a fresh piece of wood. He closed the gate and turned to Krishani. “Elwen Tavesin is your ancestor. He should be able to help you with that.” He pointed at Krishani’s hand and the boy drew it into his sleeve.
Krishani hadn’t expected to be speaking of Ferryman business so soon. He glared at Mallorn and took a sip of tea. “Why does that matter?” he grumbled.
Mallorn sighed. “Elwen is a unique man. He has lived for thousands of years and has seen many Ferrymen rise and fall.”
“Again, I don’t care.”
“Elwen was chosen by Tor.”
Krishani choked on his tea. He gulped down the hot liquid and it burned the insides of his throat. “High King Tor?” He coughed.
“Aye.”
He gritted his teeth. “Why hasn’t he faced the foe?”
Mallorn’s expression turned forlorn. “I do not believe he is strong enough to do that anymore.”
Krishani stared at the fireplace, waiting for the salamanders to appear in the flames. He heard what Mallorn wasn’t saying. Crestaos would ravage the lands until he possessed every last Flame. He would kill thousands of innocent people until he achieved his goal.
Unless someone stopped him.
“Where is Elwen?” Krishani hesitantly asked. He had no intention of becoming a Ferryman, but he also had no intention of letting the foe triumph.
“Terra,” Mallorn answered.
* * *
11 - The Other Flames
“Krishani, I saw another one,” Kaliel said.
Krishani buried his head in her shoulder. Her bed in the Elmare Castle was much more comfortable than the grass in the cave. He enjoyed wrapping his arm around her, pressing himself to her side. The blanket provided cozy warmth, satisfying compared to their cloaks.
“Go to sleep,” he murmured in her ear. He wanted her to fall asleep so he could spend the rest of the night listening to her heartbeat and steady breaths.
Kaliel stirred. She rolled over and faced him. “I saw another Flame.” Her green eyes met his and he gulped. She was adamant about the situation with the Flames, and so scared of what was happening to them. He sighed and pushed himself onto his elbow.
“Another dream?” His mismatched eyes bore into hers and she dropped her gaze.
“Another one in danger, but—” She seemed confused. “I think she was in a lantern.
Krishani smiled. “If it wasn’t like the Emerald Flame, you shouldn’t worry.” He pressed his cheek into the pillow and put his hand on her side, drawing circles on the fabric. He wanted her to relax about the ordeal with the Flames, about her journey to see Mallorn.
Kaliel unwound her hands from his and pushed herself up. She hugged her knees and stared at the place on the embroidered rug where the moonlight illuminated it. “I know she may be next.”
Krishani sighed. He feared there was more to this story about the Flames than one being captured and killed. Even though the Brotherhood of Amersil executed him from their brethren, he still felt bonded to them. The same way Kaliel was bonded to the other Flames. What made no sense was how a Flame could be locked in a lantern and not corporeal like Kaliel.
“You need to sleep.”
Her expression remained serious and unchanged. “I can’t explain it. We were both orbs of light. I wasn’t me, I was …”
“Dreaming. Kaliel, you were dreaming.” He said it gently, but even from her expression, it made her upset. The moonlight cast shadows on her face, making her skin seem darker. He tugged at her hand, trying to get her to settle into his arms. “Please? Sleep?”
Kaliel eventually nodded and eased into the covers. “I suppose Mallorn will figure it out.” She let Krishani pull her closer and tilted her chin towards him. Her lips found his
“It’s Jessamine,” Mallorn answered as he set the cups down.
“For insomnia?”
The old man took a sip and set it on the stump. “For many things.” He moved towards the small fireplace. After striking the flint along the bricks he lit a fresh piece of wood. He closed the gate and turned to Krishani. “Elwen Tavesin is your ancestor. He should be able to help you with that.” He pointed at Krishani’s hand and the boy drew it into his sleeve.
Krishani hadn’t expected to be speaking of Ferryman business so soon. He glared at Mallorn and took a sip of tea. “Why does that matter?” he grumbled.
Mallorn sighed. “Elwen is a unique man. He has lived for thousands of years and has seen many Ferrymen rise and fall.”
“Again, I don’t care.”
“Elwen was chosen by Tor.”
Krishani choked on his tea. He gulped down the hot liquid and it burned the insides of his throat. “High King Tor?” He coughed.
“Aye.”
He gritted his teeth. “Why hasn’t he faced the foe?”
Mallorn’s expression turned forlorn. “I do not believe he is strong enough to do that anymore.”
Krishani stared at the fireplace, waiting for the salamanders to appear in the flames. He heard what Mallorn wasn’t saying. Crestaos would ravage the lands until he possessed every last Flame. He would kill thousands of innocent people until he achieved his goal.
Unless someone stopped him.
“Where is Elwen?” Krishani hesitantly asked. He had no intention of becoming a Ferryman, but he also had no intention of letting the foe triumph.
“Terra,” Mallorn answered.
* * *
11 - The Other Flames
“Krishani, I saw another one,” Kaliel said.
Krishani buried his head in her shoulder. Her bed in the Elmare Castle was much more comfortable than the grass in the cave. He enjoyed wrapping his arm around her, pressing himself to her side. The blanket provided cozy warmth, satisfying compared to their cloaks.
“Go to sleep,” he murmured in her ear. He wanted her to fall asleep so he could spend the rest of the night listening to her heartbeat and steady breaths.
Kaliel stirred. She rolled over and faced him. “I saw another Flame.” Her green eyes met his and he gulped. She was adamant about the situation with the Flames, and so scared of what was happening to them. He sighed and pushed himself onto his elbow.
“Another dream?” His mismatched eyes bore into hers and she dropped her gaze.
“Another one in danger, but—” She seemed confused. “I think she was in a lantern.
Krishani smiled. “If it wasn’t like the Emerald Flame, you shouldn’t worry.” He pressed his cheek into the pillow and put his hand on her side, drawing circles on the fabric. He wanted her to relax about the ordeal with the Flames, about her journey to see Mallorn.
Kaliel unwound her hands from his and pushed herself up. She hugged her knees and stared at the place on the embroidered rug where the moonlight illuminated it. “I know she may be next.”
Krishani sighed. He feared there was more to this story about the Flames than one being captured and killed. Even though the Brotherhood of Amersil executed him from their brethren, he still felt bonded to them. The same way Kaliel was bonded to the other Flames. What made no sense was how a Flame could be locked in a lantern and not corporeal like Kaliel.
“You need to sleep.”
Her expression remained serious and unchanged. “I can’t explain it. We were both orbs of light. I wasn’t me, I was …”
“Dreaming. Kaliel, you were dreaming.” He said it gently, but even from her expression, it made her upset. The moonlight cast shadows on her face, making her skin seem darker. He tugged at her hand, trying to get her to settle into his arms. “Please? Sleep?”
Kaliel eventually nodded and eased into the covers. “I suppose Mallorn will figure it out.” She let Krishani pull her closer and tilted her chin towards him. Her lips found his
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