Flames Like Vines

The King, Part 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This is a companion story to ICE LIKE FIRE, the sequel to SNOW LIKE ASHES. I say "companion" as it parallels the beginning events of ICE LIKE FIRE -- and as such, you will find a few minor spoilers for ICE LIKE FIRE.

If you are the sort of reader who screeches in horror at the thought of a spoiler of any kind, LOOK AWAY NOW.

But if you are the sort of reader who flips through the pages of a book, perusing lines here and there before you've quite finished it yet...well, read on, dear rebel reader. Read on.

***

Juli's palace had been grand once, built in an elegant mix of polished wood and sandy stone. But the years had not been kind to it, and with the creeping vegetation and harsh climate, each ruler of Summer had let their palace fall more and more into disarray. Only a few rooms were maintained—the king's chambers, the celebration hall, and Madame Tia's wing. The rest of the palace remained a mess of sun-bleached stones, intrusive green vines, and roots that shattered walls to dust. It was as if the very land had grown tired of its ruler's laziness and was doing its part to help Ceridwen tear it down, piece by piece.

Ceridwen hurried down one of the long, ruined halls, the dust of the palace sticking to the dust that already coated her boots. It was nearly nightfall; Simon would be starting his evening's entertainment, and if he noticed she hadn't been at court all day—

No. Simon would never be sober enough to piece together her absences with the raids on his caravans. Besides, he thought her trips into Summer were to patrol for raiders, not because she was one of them. She was careful, too—she always made sure a few raids took place while she remained in full view of the court so no one could connect her to them.

Though it would be all but impossible to mask the glares she wanted to throw at Simon now. Glares she should be directing at Jesse.

It had always been a chore to hide her disdain for her brother, but something about these particular slaves, from this particular kingdom—it felt like a challenge. Simon knew what Ventralli meant to her—or at the very least, what its king meant to her. But what Simon didn't know was that she was the one leading the raids against him, so how could any of this be a challenge? How could any of this have anything to do with her? It didn't, it couldn't. Ceridwen drew a shaky breath.

"Sister!"

Simon's voice exploded behind her, echoing down the hall. Ceridwen stopped, eyes closing before she turned and locked on the two girls under Simon's arms, both just as intoxicated as their king, wearing ill-fitting corsets and little else. They were Summerians, their "S" brands were long healed, their bodies accepting the fog of happiness Simon poured out of his conduit. He barely had to use any magic to make them pliable.

No amount of Summerian magic could ever affect any non-Summerian purchases, though. Nothing could make them enjoy the life Simon forced on them.

The trio stumbled down the hall toward her, kicking bits of broken ceiling out of their way, stray hands stroking dusty lines along the uneven walls. The glow from the few working sconces flickered over them, painting haphazard highlights into their red hair until they stopped, Simon beaming his usual dazed grin.

"Sister, clear your schedule this weekend. We're starting a week of feasts in honor of—" he paused, lips twitching. "—new arrivals. Should be quite entertaining."

He meant the Ventrallans, no doubt. There hadn't been enough time for him to hear that raiders had stopped his latest import.

She snarled at him, and Simon's eyes narrowed. But fighting him was too obvious, and outright denial could lead to suspicion, which could cast too much light on what she was truly doing. She couldn't risk it.

So Ceridwen inhaled, filling her lungs with the smells of her childhood. Dust and growing vines and heat, always heat, beating down on her and filling her up and dancing over her skin with the energy of a million suns. Heat to let her know she wasn't alone. She was part of Summer, and Summer was part of her, and this land wouldn't abandon her too.

"Of course, my king," she said, clear and loud. "Whatevermy lord wishes."  

***

Part 4 will be up this Thursday, and look for ICE LIKE FIRE, out 10/13/15!