I dreamed of the burning man. I'd heard rumors of Cluniac who used the purifying fire on humans and assumed it was false. Apparently not.
In my dream, I'm the one brandishing the holy sword. The man writhed and pleaded, but I burned him anyway. As he fell, he morphed into my sister. Samara, flat chestnut hair framing a small face, rolled across the floor. I screamed and leaped forward, trying to drag her out of the flames. Tears puddled down my cheeks.
"Fallon? Fallon?" Someone shook me awake. I gasped as I left the dream behind, the shock of reality hitting me hard. Flynn held my shoulders. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"You didn't sound fine. You were screaming"
I shrugged out of his grip. "Well, I am." He stared at me, as though expecting me to change my mind and fall apart. My cheeks warmed.
My memories were fuzzy but just real enough to make me cringe. Had Flynn actually said he wanted to kiss me? Had I really said he could? It had probably been a joke that went over my head and now he thought I was a fool. I certainly acted like one. I groaned and buried my face in my hands. I would never drink liquor again.
Flynn's eyes lightened. "Hangover?"
I rubbed at my temple. "Maybe."
"Well, hopefully a healthy breakfast will prepare you for a fantastic day of riding."
I flopped back in bed. This was going to be a long day.
I was right, it was an incredibly long day. As was every day that followed. We rode hard for the next week, and by the second night everyone was ready for bed, no liquor required. I was glad because I had no intention of ever drinking again.
On the seventh day, we reached the channel that separated the Islands from the mainland. We booked passage on a boat, big enough to bring our horses aboard. I stared over the edge into the murky deep as the boat set sail. The water was near black and white crested waves flowed in our wake.
It was odd, the way the ground moved under my legs. For real, this time. I'd never experienced a sensation like it, unless you counted being drunk. I braced against the railing. My stomach twisted uncomfortably.
Flynn sidled up beside me, unaffected by the sway of the boat. We hadn't talked about the offer to kiss and I had no intention of doing so now. Lucky for me, he must have felt the same. All he said was, "You're looking rather pale. Need a barf bucket?"
"I'm not going to puke." I glared but it turned into more of a grimace as the boat lurched.
Flynn grinned, completely in his element. "If you say so. At least turn this way," he touched my shoulders gently and guided me so I faced the direction we were going. "And watch the horizon." I focused on the horizon. Open ocean stretched out before us. The sun sat low in the sky to my right. My stomach didn't quit turning, but it wasn't as violent.
Arawn strode up beside us. "I need to give you two the details of our mission. You missed the brief when I sent you to rest that first day."
Flynn nodded eagerly. I tried to look at Arawn but decided it was safer for all of us if I kept my eyes on the horizon. Leith strode over and stared out over the rail.
"We've been summoned because the demon population is getting out of hand," Arawn said.
"Isn't that the point of keeping it all contained to the Islands?" Flynn asked. "When I grew up there, people would be found ripped apart and devoured by demons in the streets every morning. It's what happens on the Islands."
Arawn tilted his head. "You're right, to an extent. But it's gotten worse in recent months. The guards haven't been able to keep up with the most recent influx of demons. The demons survive on the Islands longer and even seem to be evolving." The demon from the cave was right. Others were implementing her strategy.
"We're going in to assist the guards and exterminate as many demons as we can before they obliterate the guards or manage to reach the mainland. There's no telling how much havoc demons of this level are capable of creating," Arawn said.
Leith nodded his agreement. "We'll have to tread carefully. We may need to watch out for more than just the demons."
"The people of the Islands are delinquent and criminals. If we don't watch our back, they'll stab before any demon," Flynn said.
Arawn considered. "Are there any safe Inns you recommend?"
"Well, it's not an Inn. But I know my family would be happy to host us. Their estate is the safest place on the entire main Island."
Arawn shook his head. "It's not proper for family visits during Clunaic service. What about the guard's barracks?"
"It's a possibility, but the same criminals that make up the general population also make up the ranks of the guards. They're cut throat and only listen to my family's command because of promises to send them to the mainland at the end of their service. They could turn."
"I think the estate might be our best option. We need to speak with the Seznec family anyway, they'll best know what's going on. And we can't exactly complete our mission if we're watching our backs every night instead of sleeping," Leith said.
"But it's against protocol," Arawn reminded.
"This is an unusual mission. And I'm sure Torin and Flynn will remain fully dedicated to our mission," Leith argued. Flynn nodded his agreement.
Arawn didn't respond for a moment. When he did, he spoke firmly. "Alright. I see the benefits out weight the negatives. Leith, let's go inform the others." The strode across the boat, and the sound of wind and waves took them out of earshot.
"So you will visit your family." He deserved to see them after being absent an entire year.
"I suppose I will. It'll be nice to see them all again. I've missed them." I wished I knew what it was like to have a family who loved you.
"How did your family end up on the Islands?" I asked. Curiosity is a great distraction from emotions.
"Oh, it's a long story about times long past."
Flynn turned away, but I grabbed his wrist. "I'd like to hear it." His wrist was warm against my palm. I released him as the heat traveled to my cheeks. My stomach lurched and I forced my gaze back to the horizon.
He shot me a crooked grin. "If you insist. But don't say I didn't warn you it's boring." I nodded and he began. "My family fell out of favor with the crown when my great granduncle tried to over throw his King. It was a foolish attempt and had no hope of success. He was executed for his treason, rightfully so. Unfortunately, the treason was so sever my entire family had to be punished. My great grandfather was the King's trusted advisor, and so the King did the kindest thing he could without losing face. It wasn't quite a banishment to be sent to the Islands, after all."
"But that has nothing to do with you," I protested. "Why does your family remain?"
"I suppose the King needs someone to command the guards and control the Islands, even if that control is loose at best. Might as well be the descendants of traitors," Flynn said. "Torin and I are lucky our older brothers will continue to guard the Islands. It's why we're able to leave."
"What about your sister?"
Flynn looked off towards the Islands, which were just beginning to appear on the horizon. "We'll get her out. As soon as we're Holy Knights, we'll bring Gwenn to the Mainland." It was a sweet sentiment, full of a tenderness I didn't expect from Flynn.
"She's lucky to have such a caring brother."
Flynn looked at me and smiled softly. "I wish it could be sooner. The Islands are no place for children."
*****
The trek through the Island proved Flynn's claims correct. We were eyed with suspicion, jealousy, and greed by the citizens. I couldn't blame them, their faces were thin and hollow, their clothes ragged and worn. The buildings we passed appeared dilapidated. I doubted they were any better on the inside.
We arrived at the estate at dusk. A fence made of angelite kept out unwanted guests. Fortunately, we were wanted so a servant opened the gate. We hurried inside and the gate clanged shut behind us. My muscles loosened. I hadn't realized how stiff I'd grown.
The servant rushed off towards the house to alert the Lord of our arrival. We followed at a much more reasonable walk. I glanced around as we went, taking stock of our surroundings. The estate itself was large, but could certainly use repairs and management. Hedges grew wild, tall as trees. Weeds overran flower beds. From a distances, the house appeared to stand tall and strong, though judging by the patchwork, the roof likely leaked. Ivy and moss crawled up the brick walls like they owned it.
"Home sweet home," Flynn practically sang. I bumped my shoulder into his. It may not be the prettiest place in the world, but it must be nice. I would never be so excited to return to my father's manor.
The path from the gate stretched on and on, winding through the yard. We probably had about a 40 yards to go when a shadow flickered over us.
Leith shouted, "Demon!" as the beast dove at us with a shriek.
It plunged through the air from two stories above, faster than a hawk. Before I could blink, Maddox's ax found a home in the creature's chest. It squawked as black blood gushed from the injury. The demon howled and ripped the ax from its chest. It's face was spookily human. It must've bene a bit more than a mongrel.
Leith's bow was in his hands and notched with an arrow tipped in blue flame by the time I unsheathed my sword. He set it lose. The demon dodged the well-aimed arrow, but it didn't notice the second one.
The second arrow ripped through the demon's chest and set the creature ablaze. It's howls feral and dangerous, like an animal in its death throes. But the demon didn't couldn't hurt anyone anymore. It crashed to the ground in a nearby flowerbed. Weeds crisped and burned around it as it writhed in pain. Finally, it fell still. It's body blackened under the holy fire until only ashes remained. The human soul trapped within was free.
"These grounds are supposed to be safe," Torin muttered, already striding ahead. Flynn jogged at his heels. The Angelite fence should have created a barrier from demons. I swallowed past the pit in my throat and hurried after them.
As we drew near, the front door swung open and a man stepped out. Torin stopped in his tracks. Flynn took a few more steps then faltered. The man's right arm was gone at the elbow. A swath of white gauze indicated the injury a new one.
"Father?" Flynn questioned, voice raw. Lord Seznec's eyes were dark and his gaze swept over our group, settling on his sons for only a moment.
He found Arawn and said, "Come in. We have much to discuss."
*****
Lord Seznec led us through his manor with purpose. Each step landed without hesitation. He spoke as we went. "It's a relief the mainland finally sent support. We've been losing this fight for months now. Two of my sons are currently out working to the situation, but it's an impossible task. I apologize they're not here to greet you."
"There's no need to apologize," Arawn assured the man.
We entered a room with a table covered in maps and documents. Another man, a few years older than me, stood over it all. He glanced up and his eyes widened. He stepped around the table and wrapped Flynn and Torin in a hug. He looked like a slightly older version of them, with the addition of a beard.
"I'm glad to see you two alive and well," he said.
"You as well." Flynn wrapped his arms around his brother, while Torin didn't seem to know what to do with his arms. Up close, the similarities were remarkable. His hair and skin were a shade darker than the twins, but the cheeks, lips, and nose was all familiar. When had I become familiar with Flynn's features?
"Swejan, we have work to do," Sir Seznec commanded.
Swejan bowed his head and released his brothers. "Of course, father. Where should we begin?"
Before anything could begin, the door flew open so fast it smashed into the wall. A woman ran in, cheeks streaked in tears. "Flynn! Torin!" She threw herself at them and desperately clutched them to her. Flynn held her tight, but he paled. Even Torin softened and wrapped an arm around her, though his brow scrunched. "Thank the angels you two are safe!"
"Mom?" Flynn asked quietly.
"Glendyn, we have business to attend to. You can see the boys later," Sir Seznec commanded. Given her clearly emotional state, it seemed rather rude. But, I supposed, we did have demons to irradicate and an Island to save.
"What's happened?" Torin glanced from his father to his mother. His mother glanced to his father and bit her cheek. When no one gave an answer, he continued in a much louder voice, "Tell us what's going on."
Sir Seznec shook his head. "There will be time to catch you up on everything later. For now, we have to work." But even I caught the way his voice cracked.
"Where's Gwenn?" Torin demanded. Flynn's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Their mother let loose a sob.
Sir Seznec slumped into a chair. He refused to meet anyone's eyes. "The demons took her."
Flynn leaped forward. "We have to get her back. Where was she taken?" When his father didn't move, he raised his voice. "Now!"
Their older brother stepped forward. "It's been eight months, Kil. We tried to get her back, but they took her to the demonic realm. She's gone."
For the first time since I'd met him, Flynn went completely still. My chest tightened. Even when I thought I hated him, I never would have wished this upon him. I know the pain of losing a sister too well. I would give anything to be able to sweep all his pain away and return his little sister to him.
Torin glared. "Eight months? Why didn't you tell us?"
Sir Seznec looked up. He seemed to steel himself as he said, "You two were doing important work, we couldn't risk you trying to come home."
Torin laughed without any warmth, his eyes a tempest. "Gwenn is dead and you were more worried about our Clunaic positions. Good to see you have your priorities as straight as ever." Arawn leaned forward, then stopped and shook his head. We had work to get to, but I suppose even our fearless leader understood now was not the time.
Flynn began to shake and his mother wrapped her dainty arms around him again. I wanted to comfort him too, but I was unpracticed in these types of situations. I didn't know how and I didn't want to intrude. So I stood there, hands balled into fists, as Flynn's family fell apart.
Sir Seznec ran his hand over his face. "We did all we could. Your presence wouldn't have changed the outcome."
"You don't know that," Torin bit back. He turned away, done with his father, and faced his brother. "How did it happen?"
Flynn's mother brought a hand over her face and bit back a sob. Their brother ran a hand through his hair. "She was out playing in the garden. You know how much she liked the wild flowers. A demon flew right into our grounds and snatched her."
Torin cut in. "What happened to the angelite barrier? It always used to stop them."
"It's grown weaker with time. Not enough people tithing mana." Their brother took a deep breath. "The demons are getting smarter, too. Evolving." I cast my gaze to Flynn. He didn't notice, but I couldn't stop thinking about the demon in the cave. She said more would follow her lead and evolve in our dimension. This might only be the start. "They held her for a several weeks, keeping us preoccupied. We didn't notice that more tears had opened until it was too late. We've sealed as many as we can, but the more demons inhabit the island, the worse it is for the people. The easier it is to corrupt them and open a new tear."
"I don't care about that. I care about Gwenn," Torin snapped.
"Of course. In the end, we found her. We killed most of the demons guarding her, there was only one left. He was the most powerful I've ever seen, could talk and everything. But he wouldn't have been a match for our legion of guards. We almost had her back. But then…" He trailed off, voice breaking.
Sir Seznec picked up the story. "One of the guards with us corrupted. A tear opened and the last demon escaped, dragging Gwenn with him." I grimaced at the image of a little girl crying for her family, so close to safety, pulled into the Demonic Realm. "Her soul split from her body. We buried her and mourned her. But we still had work to do. As do the two of you."
Flynn spoke, his voice hoarse with tears. "The demons have her soul?" It was the world-shattering detail their father glossed over. A human soul only severed two purposes in the demonic realm. Their brother glanced to the ground. Torin caught the movement.
He spoke slowly. "That's not all. You're still hiding something."
Sir Seznec refused to look at either of his sons. "There's nothing more." His words rang hollow.
Their brother said, "There are rumors." He rubbed at his forehead as though he had a headache. Torin gestured for him to continue, impatience wearing at him. "People think they've seen Gwenn."
Flynn jolted to attention. "Then we can save her!"
Torin shook his head, eyes hard. "He means as a demon, Kil. Gwenn is a demon."
"They're unfounded claims, made only to hurt our family," their father declared.
Their mother's sobs were soft hiccups. Flynn trembled from head to toe. I took a single step towards him. I couldn't leave him alone any longer, but he turned and ran from the room. His mother trailed after him.
Their father said, "This is why I didn't want to tell him. I knew he couldn't handle it."
Torin turned on him. "We thought we were coming home to Gwenn. Your lies made this worse."
"I did the best I could with what few options I had. Now, are you going to run like your brother or help fix the Island?" Sir Seznec asked.
"I'm staying. The Island needs us. No wonder the Monik sent us to fix your mess," Torin said. If his words had an impact on their father, I couldn't see it.
Sir Seznec addressed Arawn. "I apologize for all this. Island life can be messy. But, if you're ready to proceed with discussions and plans, we can begin." Arawn gave a stiff nod. Leith stepped out of the corner he and Maddox had backed themselves into. The room was still hot with anger and we didn't belong. But we had a job to do, no matter how wrong it felt to stand there while Flynn delt with the worst news of his life.
Sir Seznec began, "The Island's population has grown more destructive in recent years, but especially in the past eight months. This has fed into tears becoming more frequent. We can't keep up. The number of guards has dwindled, as fewer are willing to do what's right. In order to control the tears, we first need to regain control of the population."
"Have the guards finally realized that your promises of returning to the mainland are nothing but a farce?" Torin commented.
"I do not lie to them," Sir Seznec snapped. Did he have no shame, no guilt?
"There are guards who have served longer than I've been alive, and they still have not seen the mainland. They were bound to catch on," Torin said.
Arawn cut in before it could get any more heated. "Why don't we begin promoting guards to the mainland? It will motivate others to join."
Sir Seznec shook his head once. "I've recommended many for promotion. The King hasn't allowed it. Or rather, his advisor won't." My heart nearly stopped. He couldn't mean my father. He wouldn't allow this much chaos to descend.
"So we have to figure this out without mainland assistance," Arawn said.
"The Monik sent assistance," I pointed out. It was odd. I'd be raised believing the Monik a monster, and my father a hero. And yet.
"Not much," Leith said. "Hardly enough, if things are truly as bad as they seem."
Arawn splayed his hands over the table. "We must address the needs of the people and prevent as much corruption as we can. But first, we need to restore the Angelite barrier around the manor."
*****
Restoring the barrier was simple, but drained us all. Flynn made an appearance to do his part, but he didn't speak or look at anyone. My heart hurt for him, I wanted to reach out. He didn't deserve a life of pain. Once the barrier was restored, he hurried off.
I wanted to drop into a warm bed and sleep the night away, but I couldn't. Not when Flynn looked like he did. I trailed after him through the manor, up the stairs. He knew his way well, I couldn't quite keep up. He strode around a corner, out of sight. When I turned the corner, he was nowhere to be found. A soft breeze danced over my skin. To my left, a window, open wide. I stuck my head out. A sky adorned with sparkling stars stretched out endlessly. Flynn stretched out underneath it, atop the roof.
I scrambled through the window and Flynn turned. His eyes lacked their usual light, and his lips their usual smile. But he didn't send me away, either. I was no good at comfort. It was a foreign idea, and as much as I wanted to provide it, I didn't know where to start. So I simply sat beside him, knees pulled under my chin, and watched a cloud pass over the moon in silence.
When the cloud drifted off into the distance, Flynn asked, "How did you forget your sister?"
"I haven't forgotten. I don't think I ever will."
"How do you keep going if by not forgetting?" Flynn whispered.
Every move I'd made since Zimara died, even joining the Clunaics, stemmed from my need to avenge her. She was at the forefront of every move I made. But that made me sound crazy, so I softened my response. "She's the reason I keep going. She'd be furious if I'd let her death stop me from living."
"I wish you'd met Gwenn. She was the same way, and would probably kick my butt if she could see me now," Flynn said. "But I can't help it."
I laid my hand on his shoulder. "I've had ten years to come to terms with my loss. You've had two hours. No one expects you to be an unfeeling weapon. That's not how people work."
Flynn chuckled grimly. "It's how my father works. How he expects me to work."
I shook my head. "Your father's a hard ass. Even mine gave me a few days off training when Ara died."
Flynn looked at me for the first time all night. I let my hand fall away. "A few days? For a ten year old?"
I laughed lightly, brushing the matter aside. "He might have been a bit of a hard ass too."
Flynn leaned in and tucked a stray tendril of hair behind my ear. I needed a haircut, it'd grown since I left home. But I didn't mind in the moment. All I cared about was the soft brush of his finger along my forehead and the warmth of his breath against my cheeks. His words from the drunken night a week ago ran through my mind and my cheeks heated.
"Thanks, Fallon." Flynn laid his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes. He was a spot of warmth on a cold night and I curled into his heat. This was better than a kiss. No complications between friends, only comfort.