Serpent of Fire by D. K. Holmberg Page A

stood, glancing around the clearing. He stepped past the fallen Par-shon woman, his gaze trailing across the ground.
    “What is it?” Cianna asked.
    “There was a spirit shaper here,” Tan said.
    “Are you certain?”
    “I thought that I sensed spirit when I first arrived. Everything was chaotic, so I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.” He still wasn’t sure if he actually had sensed spirit or if it was something else. Maybe he’d been mistaken about that, the same way he’d been mistaken in thinking that he could shape spirit over the Par-shon woman. He hadn’t expected her to kill herself. Maybe there wasn’t anything he could have done to prevent it, but he would have tried.
    He made his way around the clearing. The rocks were darkened, some stained with blood from the shapers who had fallen. There wasn’t much left of the attackers, especially once the draasin got involved.
    What did it mean that there might have been spirit shapers among the Par-shon? Even if there was a single spirit shaper, that would be enough to present a challenge for the kingdoms. If Par-shon learned how to bind the elements together to forge spirit, it was possible that they would become even more powerful than they already were.
    And he couldn’t shake the words she had said. This is but a beginning. A beginning to what? What did it mean for the kingdoms?
    They needed to remove the remaining traps, and then they had to determine if the Utu Tonah had anything more planned. Only, Tan wasn’t entirely certain how .
    He stopped at the Par-shon woman and stared down at her body. His shaping had given him parts of her knowledge and experience. Maybe he could use that to understand a way to deactivate the traps without needing to risk the kingdoms’ shapers again.
    And he still had to help Asboel find the missing hatchling. What if they had taken her across the sea? What if she was in Par-shon?
    The hatchling cannot cross the sea on her own, Asboel said.
    Are you certain?
    She is not strong enough yet to separate from fire for such a journey.
    I don’t understand.
    Because you are not of fire. Making a crossing over the sea like that requires the draasin to store fire. The hatchlings are not ready.
    Will Par-shon know that? He sensed Asboel’s hesitation. Asboel?
    The others within the fire bond would know. Saa , he said the name of the fire elemental with lingering irritation, would understand.
    At least there was hope that the draasin remained, that Par-shon hadn’t dragged her across the sea. There was still hope of finding her.
    Why can’t we reach her through the fire bond? Tan asked. When Asboel didn’t answer, he pressed. Asboel?
    I… I do not know.
    That might be the most troubling thing of all.
    Tan tore his gaze away from the dead Par-shon woman and stepped away, turning to Cianna. “Come. We can go now.”
    Cianna nodded toward the Par-shon woman. “What of her?”
    “She can stay here.”
    “Tan—you should give her a proper burial.”
    Tan glanced back at her. “Proper? And what would a burial of Par-shon look like?”
    Cianna frowned at him. “Does it matter? She deserves to be returned to the earth.”
    Tan sighed heavily. Then he reached toward the earth with a shaping, asking it to swallow the Par-shon woman. With a steady rumble, it was done, leaving Tan weakened again. He continued toward Asboel.
    “They will know what happened when their shapers don’t return,” Cianna said as they neared the draasin.
    Asboel eyed him, raising his head and blinking at Tan slowly. We can hunt.
    No. You must find the hatchling. This is my task.
    You think you must hunt alone?
    Tan sighed. Not alone, but there is much that needs doing. You and Sashari must continue your search. If you need me, you will summon.
    Asboel breathed out heavily. You would command the draasin?
    There was a vague sense of amusement to the question.
    Only if you’re too slow to find her.
    Asboel roared against the night. The sound echoed