THE LAST FLAME RIDER(#1 THE LAST FLAME RIDER DUOLOGY)

FIRST DRUM-LIGHT

A boom made me snap my eyes open, I jumped out of bed, and as expected, Antas nowhere to be seen. I ran out of there heading towards the sound. I came to a halt and stared at the flaming leaves suspended in the air, floating during the leaves was Anta, her eyes gleamed with sapphire fire, her hair floats as if caught in a gust of wind.

She claps her hands, and I cover my ears just as another boom rang out, lifting my body in the air, and slam me on the wall. Foday was fighting with one of the Ravens, but he wont last long, Antas feet touched the ground, and in a split second she was on one of the Raven, she materialized a whip made of thorny vines out of thin air, cracked it at his neck, and pulled, and his head came off. His headless body collapsed to the floor, his head feets away from his body.

  "I told you to tell your Emperor that the flame has sparked, and soon he shall burn, all of you will burn." Anta cackles like an old hag, I clap hands to my ears again.

Lord Kario came hurtling in nothing but his loincloth, muscles bulging, eyes wide as he took in the scene, Anta crack her whip and takes another Ravens head. Kario flung out a hand, and a shock wave hit Anta, the whip disappears, and she stumbles back, gasping for breath a hand on her stomach. Foday screams her name but couldnt reach her as he clashes blades with the last standing Raven. With a twist of his footing, he had his blade to Foday's throat. Anta whimpers low in her throat.

  "What a night? There's always one of them during initiations. The ones who always run away. Thank you, Lord Kario, I know you will make sure that they are properly punished."

Something snaps in me, like my body was possessed I take a step forward, hands wrap round me and pulls me in the shadows, I come face to face with Mother. "What do you think you're doing? Do you want to end everything I have tried to hide all these years? There's nothing that can be done for them, go back to your room, if you do anything you damn all three of you."

Mother push me in the direction of the slave quarters. I obeyed, chased by Anta's cries of anguish. I nearly turn around and help her. But instead, I ran to our room. Jumping on my raffia bed, I put a fist on my lips, smothering my sobs, hot tears slide down my cheeks. Anta would never stay back if I needed help. Is my secret that important that I can't save her and Foday? When they would do so in a heartbeat. I pull the well-worn cloak from the hook and pull the blade from under the raffia bed. Stowed there for this very purpose, going to Antas bed, I retrieve her blade, bow and quiver of arrows.

I'm sorry Mother.

I sprint out of there, keeping to the shadows. Scrubbing these hallways has its advantages, you know which to take, when to stop in the shadows when sentries walk by. I head towards the dungeons, turning round a corner I came face to face with a guard, I knock him out with the pummel of my blade and drag his unconscious body in the shadows. The doors to the dungeons comes into view, I open it, surprise to find no one in the small, cramped stairs heading towards the very bowels of the castle. It wasn't a good sign; I knew what it meant.

The cells came into view, voices stop me in my tracks, I keep to the wall, away from the cell door and grabby hands.

   " I think we should give them a trial, the noble one deserves it."

   "Not when the nobles are in league with illegal practitioners of magic, especially a slave. They dont, their execution starts at first drum-light."

I vault for the ceiling and watch the leader of the Ravens walk past with one of lord Karios guest. The Raven stiffens for a second, nostrils flaring, body tense as if expecting an attack. Then he sucks in a breath and walk out. My heart rattles in my chest, I vault down, my fingers and toes taking the brunt of the jump. I run for the cells, looking for the familiar forms of Anta and Foday.