Flameseeker (Book 3) (33 page)

Kaijin frowned. “I didn’t say anything to you,
Omari, because I knew you would react this way.”

“Confound it! Of course I would! It was bad enough
to find out that you were my cousin. But now you are going to marry the sister
of that
murderer
?” He pointed at Tachus, who slowly crossed his arms.

Kaijin looked at the rest of his friends, who—except
for Jarial—looked equally shocked of the news. A wistful expression quickly
overtook the shock on Zarya’s face.

“Soddin’ ’ells, Kaijin!” Nester piped. “You’re
really gonna get married?”

“Well ...” Kaijin smiled. “I might.”

“All right! I didn’t know you ’ad it in you, mate!”

Beaming a menacing set of fangs, Aidan stuck out
his giant clawed hand. “Congratulations, Kaijin. Marriage is wonderful thing.”

Kaijin cringed and shook the giant’s hand. “Ah, thanks,
Aidan. But nothing is really official yet until she accepts.”
If she accepts.
He looked at Zarya again, who appeared lost in her thoughts. She caught his
gaze, then looked away.

Kaijin looked back at Omari, who was still fuming.
“I am going to marry her, Omari. Nothing you can say will come between her and
me, so deal with it.”

Omari scowled but said nothing more.

“Well said, Kaijin,” Jarial muttered to him. “You
really do love her.”

Kaijin acknowledged his master with a half-smile.
That,
I do.

Amil placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Let
the matter rest, Omari. Tachus is here. And Masrah. They will serve out their
punishment however the Council sees fit.” He looked at Jarial for confirmation.
“Will they not?”

Jarial nodded quickly. “Yes, though I do not know
what sort of punishment will be in store for them.”

“Fair enough.”

Jarial looked to the rest of the group. “Let’s not
delay any more than we have. It is a long journey back to Ghaeldorund.”

“It’ll take us a few weeks, at least, by foot,”
Nester said. “We don’t ’ave access to a boat this time.”

Kajin stroked his fiery charm in thought.
Maybe
...
He turned to his friends. “What if Za’thaak sends us back?”

“We should not push that creature any more than we
already have, Kaijin,” Jarial said.

Kaijin shook his head. “He will have to deal with
me if he intends to betray me now.”

“Do not do it, Kaijin!” Omari barked.

Ignoring Omari and the rest of his friends who
called out to him, Kaijin began walking toward the exit. “I will prove to you
all that he is bound to me.” He gently pushed past the attendants who stood at
the door and left. He walked a short distance down the mountain path, then
stopped and looked down at his charm. He felt the heat of Za’thaak’s presence
within it, and the heat emanated from the charm to his hand. He heard his companions
behind him.

“Kaijin! Wait!” Jarial called, but Kaijin didn’t
acknowledge him.

“This is not wise, Kaijin!” Amil shouted.

Kaijin kept his back turned to the group.

“I’m going to summon you again,”
Kaijin said
mentally, rubbing his thumbs along the glowing golden surface of his charm.
“Stay
loyal to me, or I
will
kill you.”

Kaijin heard a low, guttural growl in his head,
then Za’thaak’s voice followed.
“Yes, Master.”

The brand on Kaijin’s back singed, and he winced.
The charm glowed eerily, then burst into white flames. The fire traveled from
the charm to the ground, then began to increase and rise into a pillar of
swirling, white flames. Za’thaak appeared within the pillar, and the flames
slowly dissipated. He knelt before Kaijin, his head lowered.

Kaijin turned and looked at his awestruck companions,
and some of the mages who had exited and watched. “It’s all right,” he assured.
“Za’thaak is under my control. Please come. He will take us back.”

The group hesitated before slowly proceeding.

“Kaijin?” Amil kept his eyes on Za’thaak as he
drew nearer. “What have you done?”

Kaijin shook his head. “I cannot explain right now,
Uncle. But know that Za’thaak obeys me.”

Za’thaak remained silently kneeling, keeping his
head lowered.

“Can Za’thaak really take us all back again?”
Zarya inquired.

Kaijin nodded. “Do you remember before, at the
Pyre, when the flames sent you all back to Ghaeldorund? Well, I feel a similar
power from Za’thaak. He is certainly more than capable of performing the same
deed.”

Vargas gawked, clearly fear-stricken. “We ... We
cannot go back. Not without a dais at both points.”

Zarya looked thoughtful. “Kaijin, what about the
brazier at the Pyre? Would that suffice as a dais?”

Kaijin nodded. “It might. That was how you were
all sent back before, after all.”

“And the teleportation circle outside the
Citadel,” Jarial added. “Though it can only be activated by specific enchanted
items.”

“Za’thaak is probably capable of overriding that.”
Then Kaijin added mentally,
“If you are as powerful as you appear.”

Za’thaak didn’t respond.

“I dunno ’bout this, mates,” Nester said. “All
this fiddlin’ an’ someone’s gonna get ’urt, I know it!”

Aidan, who had his arms crossed, nudged the
brownie with his thigh. “Think of it as another adventure, Nester. Besides,
this seems like only way to get home right now.”

Jarial looked at Kaijin carefully. “Kaijin. Are
you certain about this? Are you certain he will not harm us?”

“I cannot say that I am entirely certain, but I
doubt he will be foolish enough to try and attack us again, after what we all
did to him before. Besides, I feel very much in control of him.” He turned to Za’thaak.
“Rise, Za’thaak.”

The afriti let out a small growl and slowly stood.
He faced the group, his turquoise eyes scanning each member.

Jarial’s hand glowed with magic, prepared for an attack.
He waited a few moments, then turned to the rest of the group. “It seems okay.”

Tachus exhaled. “If the creature is non-hostile,
then perhaps it is safe to allow it to transport us back.”

Omari shuddered. “This is insane!”

“Perhaps it is,” Jarial said. “But if we can get
back to Ghaeldorund sooner and get this over with ...”

Amil patted Omari’s shoulder. “Go on, my son.”

Omari looked at his father pleadingly, then
shrugged off his hand. In a huff, he went to Jarial and stood beside him.

“Za’thaak, you will send them all to Ghaeldorund,”
Kaijin ordered.

The afriti complied, and his hands began to give
off a fiery glow.

“What about you, mate?” Nester asked Kaijin.

“Vargas and I are retuning to the Pyre.”

Vargas cringed.

“So this is it?” Zarya frowned. “We part here?”

“So it seems, Zarya. Thank you for all your help,”
Kaijin said.

Nester rushed over to Kaijin and hugged him around
his waist. “Wait, mate! We can’t up an’ split like this! What if I never see
you again?”

Grimacing, Kaijin pried the brownie off of him.
“Hey, this isn’t good-bye forever. I will be at the Pyre. You are always
welcome there. And who knows? Maybe in a few months, you will all be at me and
Ranaiah’s wedding.”

Nester cast a half smile. “Aye? Well I’d like
that. Don’t forget about us, mate.” He returned to the rest of the group.

Kaijin looked at each of his friends in turn. He
stared at Jarial the longest, his master and mentor. Jarial smiled at him. It
seemed he didn’t have to say anything. Now that Jarial knew where Kaijin would
be, there was no need for good-byes. He would probably come visit Kaijin very
soon, perhaps once he’d taken care of his business in Ghaeldorund.

Kaijin also noticed Zarya’s wistful stare, but it
quickly faded once Jarial had held her hand.
They seem quite happy together.
I hope their happiness will be lasting.

Aidan stood in the mdist of the group, towering
over everyone. Kaijin was grateful for the giant’s help and wisdom, and he
hoped that one day Aidan would find the answers that he had been seeking about
himself.

Lastly, Kaijin stared long and hard at his cousin,
Omari. Kaijin was ecstatic to know that he had more family and he was not truly
alone after the deaths of his parents and brother. Despite Omari’s pompous
attitude, Kaijin couldn’t help but still love him like family, for he regretted
not being as close to his immediate family as he had wished. He vowed to not
make that same mistake again.

Finally, Kaijin nodded to Za’thaak.

The fire intensified in the afriti’s hands, and he
surrounded the group in bright, white fire. Everyone inside cowered in fear,
but they were otherwise unharmed. Za’thaak extended his hands toward the sky,
and sent the flames rising higher and higher, and then they disappeared. Kaijin’s
friends and Tachus and Masrah were gone.

Kaijin bit his bottom lip.
Good-bye, everyone.

Za’thaak lowered his hands and the flames disappeared
from them.
“It is done.”

Kaijin nodded and turned to Vargas and Amil, who
stood dumbfounded by the ordeal.

“Absolutely amazing magic,” Amil whispered under
his breath. “I’ve not seen anything like this before.”

“Uncle,” Kaijin said. “Thank you for everything.
But now I must leave, as well.” He called for Miele and tucked her safely in
his haversack.

“Of course,” Amil said. “Today has been a day that
I will never forget, and neither will you. You have done a great service,
Kaijin. You have brought great honor to our family.” He went over to him and
hugged him. “Until we meet again, Nephew,” he said with a smile.

Kaijin smiled as well, holding the embrace as he
thought about his parents and brother. To know that he wouldn’t be truly alone
made his heart swell with hope.

After saying their good-byes, Kaijin left Amil and
gathered Vargas. Kaijin willed Za’thaak to return them to the Pyre, and the
afriti did so without hesitation. As before, White fire surrounded Kaijin and
Vargas, emitting an intense heat but keeping them unscathed. The world around
them disappeared in a wall of swirling flames. Kaijin no longer saw Za’thaak,
but he could still sense his presence. The white flames became blinding bright
for a moment, then subsided from around them and converged around Za’thaak’s
body.

Za’thaak became one with the flames, and the fire
traveled back into Kaijin’s necklace and disappeared.

“Where are we?” Vargas asked groggily.

Kaijin looked around a moment, trying to assess
his surroundings. They were no longer in Ankhram’s vast desert, but they stood
before the massive, ornate, golden doors of the Pyre.

“Home,” Kaijin replied.

XXXIV

Kaijin knocked on the Pyre’s massive doors, and
moments later, an orange-robed acolyte answered it. His hazel eyes widened, and
he gasped.

“Kaijin! You’re back!” He turned toward Vargas,
and his expression hardened. “What is that traitor doing here?”

“He is not a traitor,” Kaijin said. “Let us pass,
and I will explain everything.”

The acolyte nodded curtly and opened the door
further for them. “I will fetch the priestess.”

The mention of the priestess made Kaijin’s heart
flutter.
I can’t wait to see her again!

Kaijin and Vargas made their way through the main
hall and into the atrium, where the massive, golden brazier sat. Orange flames
danced within, producing a soothing heat. A pillar of smoke rose from the
brazier and escaped through a large circular opening of the high ceiling. The
clerics gathered around Kaijin and Vargas and whispered amongst themselves.

The acolyte hustled out of the eastern wing and returned
to the circle of priests, and Ranaiah emerged from the hallway and strode to
the gathering, her face taut with concern.

She is even more beautiful than when I last saw
her,
Kaijin thought, smiling. “Priestess, it is wonderful to see—”

“Vargas,” she said, ignoring Kaijin. She strode
over to the old man and glared. “You were wise to return. Perhaps the guilt of
your atrocious actions has made you see reason. But your deeds will not go unpunished.”

Vargas lowered his head. “Priestess, I swear to
you, I did not know what had come over me. I do not remember all that happened,
but I assume it was not pleasant. My actions are inexcusable, and I apologize
for the problems I’ve caused. I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit
for me, Priestess. I am at the Firelord’s mercy.”

Ranaiah pursed her lips. Her eyes turned to
Kaijin. There was no love reciprocated in them as Kaijin had once remembered.
Instead, her gaze was hard and determined like the leader she was. “Kaijin, I
dare ask how you managed to acquire him, and what has happened that he has
become so humble—like the real Vargas I know.”

Kaijin retold his story, and everyone listened intently.
When he finished, everyone, including Ranaiah, looked taken aback.

“I ask for your forgiveness, Priestess,” Vargas
said, sinking to his knees before her. “I would never wish any harm to you or
anyone else here.”

Ranaiah looked down at him a moment, then reached
down and pulled him up. “No, there is no need for that. What worries me is if
this could happen again. If you are so susceptible to such corruption, what is
to say some other monster does not attempt to possess you again?”

“With all due respect, Priestess,” Kaijin said,
“this could have happened to anyone—including you.” It pained him to think what
might’ve happened if the afriti possessed her. “Za’thaak required a mortal host
to do his bidding. But a Firebrand has the ability to control rogue creatures
like Za’thaak, who have been released from the Firelord.”

“Yes,” Ranaiah said, tapping her chin. She called
over two of the gawking acolytes to her side. “As high priestess, I must ensure
what is best for the Firelord’s sanctuary, and His followers. For now, Vargas,
you will be placed on probationary status until you can once again prove your
worth to lead at my side.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Take him away.”

Vargas didn’t resist the acolytes’ hold. He walked
with them toward the western wing and to a set of stairs leading down into
darkness.

Ranaiah dismissed the other clerics gathered,
then, with a small tilt of her head, beckoned Kaijin to follow.

Kaijin said nothing as they exited the atrium and
walked down a familiar hallway leading to the same meeting room the two of them
had once met in. When they entered, Kaijin felt his bag twitch, and he opened
the flap to set Miele free. Ecstatic, Miele flew around the room.

Ranaiah gestured to a seat at the long, wooden table.
While Kaijin got situated, she started up the fireplace by placing a log from
an adjacent stack in it and extending her hand to the log, speaking a soft
prayer, and summoning a small ball of white flames that encompassed the log.
The bright light simmered to a deep orange, producing a calm, dim glow in the
room and a soothing heat.

Kaijin leaned his elbow on the table, the side of
his face rested against his fist, and watched admiringly. “You know, I could’ve
done that for you instead.”

Ranaiah finished and brushed dirt from her hands.
She stared at the fireplace a moment, then suddenly buried her face in her
hands. Kaijin heard light sobbing.

He blinked and scrambled out of his chair and over
to her. “Ranaiah, what is wrong?”

A tear in the corner of her eye sparkled in the
dim light. “They are going to kill him and Masrah. I know they will.”

Frowning, Kaijin wrapped one arm around her waist.
He took her hand in his. “They won’t.” His heart pounded and he thought over
his words a moment.
I hope I am right.

Ranaiah snatched her hand away and her body became
rigid. “How can you say that? They were both involved in a murder!” She looked
at him.

Kaijin bit his bottom lip. “My master has some
influence in the Council. I think he will be able to prevent death from being
an option. Besides, your brother proved merit when he helped us stop the
afriti. It will be difficult, but Master Jarial will take everything he can
into account.”

She folded her hands, and brought them up to her
lips. “I will pray that I will be able to see my brother again someday.”

“You will, Ranaiah. Please don’t mourn for him. He
wants you to be happy. And so do I.”

“How can I possibly be happy at a time like this?
To know Tachus is in the hands of the Council, who will do gods know what to
him.”

“Please trust me.” Kaijin paused and looked at her
hands, still clasped. He gently took her arm and pulled until her fingers
unclasped. He brought one of her hands to his lips. “I have some some good news
that may offset that.”

Ranaiah tilted her head to the side curiously.
“What is it?”

“Well the first part of the good news is that your
family’s honor will not be shamed as much as it could have been if Tachus
didn’t agree to turn himself in. As a result, your nephew, Saris is slated to ascend
as the new leader—the new
Shak’ha
—of Zebi in Tachus’s stead.”

Ranaiah blinked. “Truly? I suppose that is good
news that he is ascending. I only hope that he does not rule like his father....”

“Well, I don’t think you will have to worry about
any more family feuds. Both Tachus and Amil have seemingly settled with a
truce. And ...” His heart thumped. “They agreed on one other thing....”

Ranaiah furrowed her brow.

Kaijin closed his eyes and kissed her hand softly,
indulging in her sweet scent and taste that he’d missed. He mulled over his
thoughts.
What if she
does
say no?
Then his master’s words returned
to him.

Take that chance.

“Kaijin?” Ranaiah called when he didn’t speak
right away.

Kaijin opened his eyes, looking longingly in her
deep, brown eyes. He rubbed her hand gently with his thumb. “Ranaiah, I ... want
you to know that I ... I love you. More than anything in the world. You mean
everything to me. I would live and die for you.” He felt as though his heart
would pound right out of his chest.

Ranaiah’s eyes widened slightly, and she drew in a
small breath. “Kaijin,” she whispered.

His mouth went dry. This was probably the hardest
thing he could ever do. If she did say no, how could he bear to look at her the
same again? His mind raced about what he should do. The feeling of rejection
loomed over him like a heavy cloud.

“That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to
me.” Her eyes turned to his necklace. She hesitantly reached out and ran her
fingers over it.

Kaijin stiffened and willed the necklace’s power
to not burn her. He watched as her slender fingers glided along the flame’s
golden crevices.

“You could have killed Za’thaak with the power of
your rage, but instead, you calmed him,” she continued.

Kaijin smiled. “It is because of you, Ranaiah. I remember
so clearly at that moment of darkness. I heard your voice. I saw your
beautiful, smiling face. You were that advent of peace that I needed.” He
interlocked his fingers in hers. “Marry me, Ranaiah.”

It seemed to take a moment for his words to register
in her, but when they did, Ranaiah gasped, and she stepped back. “W—What?”

Just getting the question out had felt as if a
great weight had been lifted off his chest, but her shocked expression filled
him with dread. “I now realize that you are the balance that I need in my life.
You are the one who can quell my rage, be a light in my times of darkness. I
want to live the rest of my life in balance—and peace—with you. Please say
you’ll marry me.”

“Kaijin, I ...” She looked away. “I cannot. I have
many duties as a high priestess.”

Kaijin’s heart sank. “Duties ... You once said
that I was your highest priority. What if our union is what Ignis desires? A
Firebrand, and an Ignan high priestess? Together, we would be powerful, able to
transform the Pyre into something even greater. His flames would burn even
brighter.”

“That ... That is true, but ...”

Kaijin stepped closer to her, then placed both
hands on the sides of her face.
I can’t give up. Not yet.
He brought his
face closer to hers. “I’m scared, too. But I know we can make it work. It
shouldn’t matter what other people think about us. You are a great leader here.
Very strong. And I would be the luckiest man in the world to have someone like
you for a wife.” He glanced down at her lips, then leaned in to kiss them
gently. His eyes burned from the tears that welled up in his eyes. His heart
cried out for her. It was too late for him to hold back his feelings now.

She tensed a moment, then she relaxed in the kiss
and returned it a little more strongly. She exhaled through her nose.

“You have no idea how much I’ve thought about you
during my journey,” Kaijin continued between kisses. “And I must thank you for
loaning me this ring. It saved my life.
You
saved my life.” He broke
from the kiss and twisted the ring off his finger and handed it back to her.

Ranaiah looked at the ring blankly. She took the
ring from his palm, lifted his left hand and placed the ring on his fourth
digit. She kissed the ring, held his hand against her beating heart, and then
kissed his lips. “I will marry you, Kaijin.”