The Firelands

Chapter 18 - Kano City II

8th day of the Second Month, Love's Moon

9:30 am

Kano City

Incendio was all but glued to Kalen's back as they made their way through the streets of Kano, his head down and his hood so low over his face Kalen wondered how he could see, and he jumped every time someone brushed passed them.

"Incendio, would you relax, you're more suspicious when you behave like that," Kalen said.

"You don't get it, vampire, I need to keep my face hidden."

Kalen rounded on him and Incendio walked straight into him. Starting, Incendio looked up, and Kalen glared, using the whole inch he had on the werewolf to his advantage. "Look, wolf, I haven't done anything to you. If Zedkiel spoke to me the way you do, I would understand, I'm not charming to him, but I haven't done anything to you." He poked him in the chest. "I have a name, now use it."

Incendio looked down. "Sorry," he said, "I'm just, um, on edge? I haven't... had to deal with people in a while."

"I noticed," Kalen muttered as he turned away. "Just stop with the 'vampire' attitude, I know what I am, you know what I am, leave it at that. Stop using it as an insult, I get that enough."

"You do?"

"Yes, I was raised by humans, it's not nice to hear what you are being said like it's an insult, so stop it."

"Why were you raised by humans?"

Kalen shrugged. "I don't know, I don't remember anything before the age of five so your guess is as good as mine."

Incendio opened his mouth.

"That wasn't an invitation to take a guess," Kalen said. They were silent for a moment, then Kalen added, "Though I think it might have something to do with this Dragon Knight thing."

Incendio looked at him, then changed topics. "That vampire in the forest, who took your jewel."

"Dixon?"

"You have a history with him?"

"I do, he was sort of like a big brother, in a way, taught me things about being a vampire that humans couldn't..."

"Do you think he'd really kill you with a history?"

Kalen looked away, thinking back to just hours before at the Wist Tree. "Yes, he probably will."

"So we should avoid him?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course we should."

"Then should we turn the corner here, because Dixon is over there," Incendio said, pointing.

Kalen looked at Incendio, then his eyes slid across the street before him, looking around, until they fell on Dixon who was talking to the werewolf, Mica.

Again?!

That was too many times to be a coincidence; Dixon had to know Kalen was still close by. Kalen quickly gestured and they turned down another street, taking them off the main road. Heading down the street, they came out onto the main shopping street where crowds had gathered, lining the pavement.

"What's going on?" Incendio asked, not daring to look up.

"I'm not sure, I can't see. Excuse me," Kalen said, tapping on a man's arm. "What's happening?"