Blowing Embers

Chapter 38

            “Shuu!” Kallai cried, horrified. “What did you do?”

            Her friend shook his head, staring at the bodies in front of them. “This I not did do. I them back to flying send did intend.”

            Movement in front of them drew both their gazes to the still standing soldier, who was now holstering his weapons. “We have to hurry,” echoed the light male voice from in the helmet. “The spell effects are only temporary. They’ll be awake within the hour, which means we need to be far from here. You two, follow me.”

            Even distorted, Kallai recognized the voice, not that she could believe she was hearing it. Not right then, at that very spot. “Sevilen?”

            Her cousin nodded, then, as if only just remembering the helmet he wore, pulled it off and dropped it beside the unconscious men. His uniform coat followed suite, revealing a plain white shirt and yellow plaid waistcoat. The sunlight reflected off the pale blond of his hair, tied back into a loose horsetail, his brown eyes bright as they watched her. “Please, dear one, we must hurry. If these men don’t return with you shortly, more people will be dispatched. Word of your ability with unfamiliar magic has spread even into the government.”

            Kallai raced forward and hugged him tightly. Sevilen hugged her back quickly, before grabbing her hand. A moment later, Shuu’s hand closed onto Sevilen’s wrist, his eyes on the man though the words he spoke were aimed at Kallai. “Sparrow, this who is?”

            “My cousin Sevilen,” she replied. “I told you about him.”

            “I take it this is the infamous Shuu you’ve written me about?” Sevilen said. “If that’s the case, it’s best that you come as well. We really must hurry.”

            It was the serious expression on his face and the way he kept looking around that really told Kallai how bad the situation was. Her cousin wasn’t known as a genius for nothing, and if something had him nervous… She nodded. “Alright. Where are we going?”

            Shuu was frowning, watching both of them carefully, though he did release Sevilen, if more slowly than was really necessary.

            “With me. I brought my automatic propelled vehicle since transport spells are banned in my building since they mess with the more delicate experiments. With that, we should be able to reach my lab well before anyone thinks to look for us there.” Her cousin strode off then without another word, towing Kallai gently behind him, while Shuu trailed after both of them, still frowning.

            The three of them hurried around the dormitory wing, drawing the attention of several of the students they passed. Kallai felt sweat begin to prickle her back and dampen her palms. They were attracting too much attention, and if more soldiers could be on their way, it wouldn’t take them more than a few moments to find them. Especially with pretty much the whole student body knowing Kallai on sight.

            Still, they reached the front archway without incident.Walking under the shadow of the arch, Kallai couldn’t help the faint shiver that ran through her body, part of her wondered if she’d ever see the school again. Or even if she’d still be able to remain in the country. Suddenly, she was very glad for Shuu’s previous offer. She might very well need to run away with him, to go live with the other elemental mages.

            They passed by an iron-bounded closed cart hitched to two horses, the vehicle making Kallai pale. She swallowed, feeling even more glad that Sevilen had come for her, had protected her. She glanced at him, taking in the way he was looking this way and that, before he hurried his steps down the small rise that that was the last hump before the top of the mountain here the school sat.

            He didn’t stop them there, heading down the dirt road that was the only path from the school. It was only when they’d followed it around the first curve, when the trees blocked their view of the school buildings, that Kallai saw what her cousin had them aiming for.

            It looked like a smaller, fuller-bodied carriage, without the traces. The wheels were smaller proportionally, but still, it had windows, including an extra one where the driver’s box should have been. Sevilen didn’t give them any time to study it, chivvying them both inside. Shuu slid in ahead of Kallai, his eyes sweeping the whole of the vehicle before moving in enough that she could follow him in. As soon as she was off the step, Sevilen was there, sliding in behind both of them.

            The interior was much the same as the exterior had been, like a carriage but on a lower, slightly smaller scale. Inside, the bench and walls had been thoughtfully padded, everything done in blue-greens. Shining in the paint, hidden in the embroidery of the seats, Kallai could see various spells worked into the vehicle. She only recognized a few for stability, balance, and speed. She could only imagine what else had gone into making it, and where Sevilen had found the spells. Or how he’d created them. She hadn’t forgotten her cousin’s propensity for creativity with regards to spell casting and spell creating.

            Sevilen shut and locked the side door, before settling onto the bench beside them. He nodded at the way they’d settled themselves in, well braced. He opened his mouth, chanting words even Kallai was unfamiliar with, then spoke a word of engagement. Without any further warning, the vehicle lurched forward, shoving all three of them against the padded back of the seat.

            They quickly gathered speed, before finally halting their acceleration, keeping to a pace that had the scenery flying past the windows at a dizzying speed. Shuu watched that, eyebrows up, a look of surprise on his face. Kallai turned to Sevilen instead and asked, “Will you tell us what’s going on? All we know is that some soldiers came, saying something about me being too dangerous, that the headmaster wanted me removed from the property.”

            Shuu nodded, his attention now firmly on them. “If resistance they had met, force they would have used.”

            Her cousin sighed, clasping and unclasping his hands. “It’s more than that. The Council is involved too. Rumours of what you’ve done, of what you’re capable of have gotten even as far as the government. The consensus so far has been that you are too dangerous to be left alone. This was an attempt to isolate you while they decided how best to proceed. We’re only lucky that some of my colleagues are terrible gossips and that they were unaware that we are as closely related as we are.”

            Kallai couldn’t help the tremors that went through her body. She bit her lip, trying to fight back the prickling of tears in her eyes. “I-I suppose we don’t have much of a choice anymore. We’re going to have to run, aren’t we?”

            “No!” Sevilen said, jerking upright. “I won’t have it!” He grabbed one of her hands and squeezed it, locking eyes with her. “Please, Kallai, don’t worry. I have an idea. You won’t have to go anywhere you don’t wish to.”

            While Shuu snorted, Kallai allowed herself a bit of hope. After all, Sevilen was a certified genius, and creative solutions were his bread and butter.