Flood of the Fire by Evelyn Puerto

Author:Evelyn Puerto [Puerto, Evelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Water Books

Chin up, back straight, Tereka entered the yurt. Damira had to admire her courage, or at least her display of it. Did that confidence come from bearing powerful amulets? Her own amulets warmed the moment Tereka stepped over the threshold.

Tereka’s friends filed in after her. Tirk remained near the back of the group, his eyes wide and he shuffled his feet from side to side. Damira smiled to herself. At least she had one person out of that bunch properly cowed.

Syzyan looked up. “Oh, you’re here.” He pointed to the brightly colored cushions scattered on the mat-covered floor on the other side of the low table. The cushions’ scarlet, topaz, cobalt, and emerald squares were stitched with gold and silver threads that gleamed in the yurt’s dim light. “Please, sit. Would you like some tea?”

Glancing from Syzyan to Damira, Tereka wrinkled her forehead before sitting on a cobalt cushion. “Yes, Your Loftiness, if you please.” Her companions settled onto cushions. They kept their eyes fixed on Syzyan, their movements slow and wary, like a rabbit that sensed a predator.

Damira eyed them, careful to keep her expression bland. The one with coppery skin and tawny eyes that reminded her of Shagonar’s sat behind Tereka, the girl he claimed was his sister by his side. The brash one who seemed like he wanted to lead sat next to Tereka, the blond one they said could break a man’s neck with a twist of his hands on her other side.

Her eyes slid over Sebezh and the other two before returning to Tereka. Did the girl have amulets or not?

A servant filled teacups and placed them on the table. Tereka reached for one, but pulled her shaking hand back and didn’t take it.

So, she’s not so brave as she wants us to think. Damira suppressed a smile. She cast her power toward Tereka, sending just a flimsy, seeking tendril.

Other than the familiar sting of the power in her fingers and toes, she sensed nothing. Either Tereka didn’t have amulets or she was hiding them well. Damira twisted her hands together and sent her power around the other fugitives. No hint of a dragonfly.

She pressed her lips together. That girl had to be the bearer of the dragonflies. Why else were Damira’s scorpions warm and vibrating? There must be some way to rattle Tereka, to get her to drop whatever protection she had around her amulets that obscured their presence.

Syzyan leaned forward, unrolling a map of Tlefas. “We have a question for you.” He pointed at Litavye. “When we first arrived, the ephor of the southern region immediately embraced us as liberators. We had no problem in the south convincing people they would be better off under our rule.”

“Yes, that’s what we heard,” Tereka said. She picked up a teacup and cradled it in her hands.

“Here in the center,” Syzyan pointed to Anbodu. “It’s been a little more difficult, which we anticipated. The Prime Konamei doesn’t want to give up his power and the people appear to be loyal.

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