Forged of Fire (30 page)

She slammed the Earth-bender to the ground before he could finish his sentence. “Now here is where you’re wrong, big boy!”

“Katara,” Ash said. “Our deal?”

“Is off! If your mate has escaped and my father is on to the fact that you are in his realm, then there is nothing in this for me.” She grinned. “Except you…” She lifted her head and yelled. “Guards!”

Ash flew at her. They collided into the opposite wall. She made for a blade tucked behind her back, but Ash was quicker and stronger. He pinned her to the wall by her throat as she kicked and scratched at his arms and face. “Dax, bar the doors!” He ordered.

“Dax can’t bar the doors…” A haunting voice from Ash’s darkest nightmares confirmed sinisterly over his shoulders. “Everything in here is metal. Your Earth-bender is worthless in my castle.” Ash squeezed Katara’s neck tighter. Her coloring began to change. He could feel the beast rising within him, begging to be set free. “I have your mate, Ashdon.” Dante said. “Put your sister down and we will talk.”

“Why should I believe you?” Ash hissed. Blood began to drip from Katara’s nose and ears. His vision was altering.
It would not be long now.

“See for yourself.” Ash whirled around to face him, his sister still held firmly in his grasp. Kielyn’s image cut through his Dragon’s transformation, slicing straight into his heart and halting the beast where he stood. She was chained beside Marsala to the legs of Dante’s throne, surrounded by numerous guards. Dante closed the hologram. “Put Katara down if you want her to live!” He said more sternly. “Your mate is weak and needs nutrients. Unless…” He raised an eyebrow. “Of course, you don’t mind if she starves to death?” His slithery tone held a measure of hope.

Ash slowly lowered Katara to her feet and released the hold he had on her neck. Her body crumpled to the floor as she coughed and gasped. “Take me to her!” He narrowed his eyes.

Dante smiled and it made Ash’s stomach roll. “In due time.” He stepped past Dax and the four guards that had blades drawn on the enormous Earth-bender. “But first, you will give me a public apology for all the damage you have dealt.” Dante continued to walk towards Ash. When he reached his side he leaned in and lowered his voice to just a whisper. “You owe the devil his due.”

****

Zander’s advancing tread across the polished marble echoed off the empty corridor walls as if confirming what he already suspected, there had been a summonsing. The castle had been cleared which only meant one of two things, either Kielyn had been captured by sources other than his own or Ash had finally arrived. Both scenarios pissed him off since they directly went against his original plan. Zander yanked his kidskin riding gloves from his hands. He had disbanded his men from their search when the castle sirens sounded. He was expected back and no good would have come from continuing the search and disobeying the warning alarms demanding a call to arms inside the castle gates. The deafening sirens served to signal either a threat or calling upon the realm. Regardless of which, townspeople were required to seek shelter indoors, all military personnel would surround the outer walls while all commanding officers and dignitaries would act without haste and gather immediately in the throne room.

Considering there was not even a hint of life within the castle when he arrived, it meant a second action had been ordered. Zander took a left down the main hall leading to the outside courtyard. His father must have summoned an audience which would also call out everyone that was housed inside the castle. No sooner did he think it, a second alarm resounded out through the hall. This one in chopped, short successions, signaling that all townspeople had fifteen minutes to arrive at the castle gates.

Zander picked up his pace just to be halted by maniacal laughter. He spun in place to search out his sister. Katara’s lithe form stepped from a shadowed doorway. “Should you not be running away instead?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh that’s right, you don’t know.” Katara smiled and walked towards him, mirth dancing in her eyes. “You have been out all night looking for Kielyn LaGoryen.”

Zander fought to school his features. How did she know? Had Kielyn been obtained by one of his father’s men? Had one of his own men ratted him out? Zander’s eyes raked her over for unspoken answers. She had what appeared to be dried blood on one of her ears and was that…A bruise? His gaze focused in on her throat where the faint outline of a large handprint was fading quickly from her neck. “Save the games and get on with it Katara.” He took one final step towards his sister. “Has she been found?”

His sister’s eyes grew round with excitement as she leaned in. “Indeed she has.”

“Where does father have her?” Zander snapped.

Katara rocked back on her heels, clearly debating with herself on if she should share her secret. “Father is having her and two other bender freaks brought out to the courtyard. I do hope you were not overly fond of her face.” She grinned. “You know there are only two reasons why father would call an audience of peers and subjects in the dead of night and I will give you a hint, we are not under a threat of war.”

Surely not
. Kielyn was too big of a bargaining chip to get back Ashdon. If Dante maimed her too badly or killed her, he would have no chance of getting back his favorite pet. “What are you not telling me?” Zander growled. “Father is not that stupid. He needs her to get Ash!”

Katara clucked and tilted her head. “Not if he already has him.”

Zander’s blood froze in his veins.
No!
It can’t be!
“How?”

“Ash came to me looking to ally against you and father. The offer was very temping until I learned that he had already been detected, his plot ruined.” She shrugged. “It’s too bad honestly, it was a really good plan.”

Zander turned and began to run towards the courtyard as Katara yelled after him. “I’m pretty sure you should be running the opposite way brother!” Her laughter chased after him.

****

Kielyn winced in pain as her arms were wrenched behind her back and tied to a pole on the elevated scaffolding erected in the massive yard. Marsala was tied to her right. Kielyn tried again in vain to create even a spark in her fingers. “Stop trying and conserve your energy,” Marsala said. “It’s no use. Trust me! The metal cuffs that bind our wrist are elemental insulators. We can think of the elements we govern, but the insulators inhibit the transfer of them outwardly. Even if we could, fire and earth are the only two that are strong here. There is not enough oxygen in the air for me to be able to garnish its strength to my advantage and water has an even greater disadvantage as the only source of it in Hell is likewise, in the air.” She shut up when a huge guard walked behind them and double checked their ties.

“There is lava beneath us,” Kielyn whispered when the male moved on. “That’s a liquid.”

“Yes, but it’s of a fire element,” Marsala answered. “Your insulator prohibits you from manipulating fire. The only element these cuffs do not affect is water, because it is useless here.”

The huge iron gate opened and the commoners began to file in. Kielyn looked wildly to her left and right. All eyes were glued to where she and Marsala stood. “Good God, what is he planning on doing with us?”

“I don’t know, Kielyn, but whatever happens you have to try and stay strong.”

The crowd began to part as a large metal box was rolled out from the castle doors and towards the scaffolding. “What’s that?” Kielyn asked under her breath. When Marsala did not answer Kielyn cut her eyes to her friend.

“Another insulator.” Marsala stared eerily at the encasement. “To control Earth-benders.”

Dax!
Kielyn grew apprehensive as no sound emitted from the contraption. She was both hopeful he had survived the tunnel being flooded and fearful he had been caught.
Had Ash?
The metal box was hoisted up beside them on the scaffolding. Three tiny holes were cut on each side of the entrapment. Kielyn guessed they were meant to allow for air but still too small to use for bending.

As soon as the guards exited the platform Dax’s voice called through the cage. “Are you two ok?”

“Yes,” Marsala answered. “What happened to Ash?”

“He is with Dante,” Dax said. “How did they find out?”

“Bane!” Kielyn hissed.

A loud thud hit the inside of the metal cage. “Mother fucker! I will kill him!” Dax growled.

“You will have to stand in line,” Marsala said. “Where did Dante take Ash?”

“No clue, but he did say that he owed him a public apology,” Dax answered. “I’m guessing this is to be it.”

Just then a horn sounded and the crowd divided again. This time soldiers made a path and lined it. One by one they cleared the length of a yard that led up to a tall pole in the middle of the courtyard. “Fuck no!” Dax said.

“What is it…?” Kielyn’s words dissolved on her tongue when the tall familiar frame of her mate emerged from the double doors and marching beside him was the devil himself.

Ash’s eyes found hers and for the first time since she had been taken, she heard him. “Be strong.”

“What’s happening? Are you ok? I love you. I’m so sorry.” She mentally bombarded him with her thoughts but he did not answer her back, just looked straight ahead towards the pole.

“My best warrior and strongest slave has returned home.” Dante’s voice boomed out into the crowd when the two reached the center. “To show his submission and remorse for his betrayal,” Dante began to walk around Ash as if he was sizing him up. “Ashdon LaGoryen, King of the Fire-benders, is willingly offering up his body and pride to serve as a lesson to all that think to rise against me.” He stopped behind Ash and in one quick movement, ripped the shirt from his back.

A guard walked up beside Kielyn and bent his head to her ear. “Don’t you dare shut your eyes!” He growled.

Kielyn broke out in a sweat as Ash walked up and willingly extended his arms. A guard bound Ash’s wrist in cuffs, similar to Kielyn and Marsala’s, around the pole, hoisted his arms high and positioned them on a large hook so that his bare back was exposed to the gaping crowd
. No!
Another soldier stepped up to Dante and offered him a long rod. Dante smiled as he snapped it loudly through the air, allowing the whip to uncoil and fly out. From the tip, large gleaming metal hooks lethally ran like barbed wire down to the end of the bullwhip. “No!” Kielyn cried out and yanked with all her might at her bindings as the spectators roared their approval.

The crowd seemingly all took a collective breath as Dante drew the weapon behind his back before whipping his arm back over his head and slicing it wildly through the air. It connected with Ash’s flesh like savage claws and raked giant gaping holes through his muscles like a plow tilling up wet earth. Kielyn screamed out as tears ran like rivers down her cheeks. The whip went back again and she shut her eyes. “Open them!” The guard snarled into her ears. “It’s an extra lashing added on for every time you close your eyes!”

Kielyn snapped her eyes open just as the guard held up one finger. Dante looked to the scaffolding, laughed and brought the whip down again even harder. Ash’s knees gave way and Kielyn could tell the pole was more or less supporting his weight. Over and over the whipping continued, each lashing harder and with more effort until Dante was sweating, his face focused in both anger and bloodlust. “He’s killing him!” She screamed to everyone and no one. Blood pooled around the base of the pole and dotted Dante’s face and clothes like it was raining the color red. Another lash, then another. Ash’s weight now only clung to the pole, kept up only by the hook at his wrist.

That was when Kielyn saw it. A way in…
Blood…
Her mind began to float away, leaving the gruesome scene as if she were inebriated but her vision grew as focused as a hawk’s, tunneling in through the blood soaking into the ground. Her eyes probed into where it ran in rivulets down Ash’s limbs.
Liquid…
Her gaze followed its trail to Dante’s feet, then up his body. She stopped at his chest and looked through the material of his shirt like she was seeing into a flame.

Suddenly, like magic, she was in! She saw straight into Dante’s chest cavity, her vision hastily seeking out his vascular structure. Kielyn latched on to the ebb and flow of Dante’s blood and began to bend it to her will, like water. She could feel his movements slowing, dragging down with her silent pull as if she were one with them, as if she were them.
Ice…
Kielyn summoned a winter’s chill into her own body. She could taste the crystals atop her tongue as she drew her lips together. Without a second’s hesitation and before the next blow could fall she blew a thin frosty breath towards the monster wielding the barbaric devise, freezing him in place.

Silence cloaked the castle grounds. Kielyn’s vision began to fade. She was too weak to hold on much longer. The courtyard came back into a blurred focus. Dante fell to his knees. Out of her peripheral she saw Zander charging forward, towards the scaffolding. Marsala was shouting something. All eyes turned and looked up, stunned and bewildered, to her. The scene before her began to swirl and once again the black took over…

****

Ash was only aware that the beating had ceased when the cheering stopped. His body had gone numb after the first ten lashings. The blessed dull would be short lived. Dante would douse him in alcohol next. He waited, mutely, too weak to care where he hung.
Nothing…
Ash could feel his mind lulling him to sleep and he fought against it. He had to make sure Kielyn was ok. He forced his eyes open.

Something was wrong. The courtyard was still full, but it had gone as quiet as a tomb. Ash used what little strength he had left to lift his head. His gaze followed the trajectory to the gawking crowd, towards the scaffolding that held Kielyn, Marsala and Dax. Zander was the only one moving as he stormed towards the stage. Kielyn went limp, slumping against her restraints as her head fell forward. “No!” It came out a whisper.