Burn by Keri Arthur

Author:Keri Arthur [Arthur, Keri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780648324676
Publisher: KA Publishing PTY LTD
Published: 2019-06-10T16:00:00+00:00

The man who appeared the next morning was small, weather-beaten, and bald. He walked with a stoop and at no great speed, which made me wonder how he’d gotten up the mountain in the two hours since dawn had broken.

His blue eyes narrowed when he saw me sitting in the shadows, and distrust crossed his expression. But he nevertheless gave me a polite nod before returning his gaze to Kaiden.

“Well, you’ve sure stirred up a hornet’s nest, haven’t you, laddie?” His tone was sharp, but amusement lurked in his eyes. “If you’d wanted to announce your presence, it might have been easier to simply write ‘I’m here’ on the clouds.”

“It’s not like we had any real choice.” Kaiden clasped the other man’s hand. “Good to see you again, Jance.”

The older man grunted. “In any other circumstances, I’d agree. What in the wind’s name have you been doing?”

“Trying to get to the coruscation.”

“Why?” He glanced at me. “Has your companion got anything to do with it? Because rumor has it there’s a woman capable of spraying fire like the kin of old on the loose—and she happens to resemble an ice prick.”

“I’m not,” I said.

“You certainly don’t sound like one, I’ll give you that.” Despite the amusement in his tone, his expression remained wary. “What’s so damn important about the coruscation that you risk blowing your cover and that of everyone you’ve contacted?”

Kaiden hesitated. “We believe the magic surrounding the coruscation is disintegrating.”

“And what if it is?” Jance said. “If it was at all dangerous, you can be sure the Mareritt would have either gotten out of the area or had their ice mages strengthen the thing again.”

“Have you seen it lately?” I asked. “Noticed any changes with the sphere’s external or internal structure?”

His gaze flicked to me again. “You can be sure that I haven’t, simply because I’ve no wish to either view the source of our downfall or to encounter the many patrols they now have around the area.”

“So they are doing additional patrols?” Kaiden said.

Jance nodded. “They’re on the hour. There’s also been a lot of heated chatter on the comms lines.”

Kaiden frowned. “What sort of chatter?”

“Stuff about escapees, checkpoint destruction, a woman capable of throwing flames, and an AWOL drakkon that may or may not be related.” Jance studied the two of us for a moment. “I hope whatever you’re up to is worth the heat you’re raising, because it’s going to be a difficult few months for the rest of us.”

“I wouldn’t be doing any of this if I didn’t believe it was vital.”

Jance’s expression was somewhat wry. “The problem with that statement is the very recent—and very foolish—risk that you did indeed take.”

Kaiden’s smile was countered by the anger in his blue eyes. “My niece is one of those with red fever. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same had it been your daughter or granddaughter who was ill.”

Jance gripped Kaiden’s arm. “Calm down, laddie. I meant no harm.”

The laddie in question didn’t look mollified.

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