![03] ES) Firestorm](https://fs.dianahicksbooks.com/551301/thumbs/152x264/03-es-firestorm.jpg)
looked at Peta. “And what do you think, cat? You think the queen will not bargain?” It wasn’t my only option, but I needed a way to buy Ash time. Time I needed to find a permanent way out.
“Cactus is right. She won’t bargain.” Peta shook her head, her ears twitching. “But it might buy us time if you offer her a traitor on a platter. She likes nothing more than to wield the Lava Whip herself on those she deems deserving of punishment.”
I didn’t want to ask what the Lava Whip was. I could easily guess. A shiver ran down my spine. “Time is better than nothing. See if you can find the Ender I described to you. But be careful.”
Peta bobbed her head and ran down the hallway, her tiny footsteps eaten by the moss. I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes. “Cactus, we may all end up in the fire if this goes wrong.”
He stood, moving to my side and draping an arm across my shoulders. “We all end up in the fire at some point, Lark. But if anyone can get us there sooner, it’s you.” At my incredulous expression, Cactus fell back onto the mossy mattress. “I’m kidding, Lark.”
I plopped onto the springy edge. He sat down beside me and brushed a hand over my hair, so gently I barely felt his touch; it was more a sense of knowing him, and his intentions. “You’ve always been special, Lark. When I heard about Cassava’s trickery . . . and how you faced her down with nothing but a spear; that you saved your entire family, I wasn’t surprised. After that some of my memories came back.” The last was said in a near whisper.
I swallowed hard. “You remember the day in the meadow?”
The day my mother and brother were killed.
He nodded, dropping his head to press it against mine. “I think maybe Cassava blocked some of my abilities too, keeping me weak. The longer I was away from her, the longer I was here in the Pit, the stronger I got.”
A shudder danced along my spine and I let myself relax against him. “I’m sorry she hurt you too.”
His hand rubbed along my back. “Meh. I’m tough for a fool.”
Laughing, I turned to face him, but the laughter died quickly. “Smoke said something that might save Ash faster than finding a traitor. Something that Lana confirmed whether she meant to or not.”
Cactus leaned back on his elbows, his eyes thoughtful. “If anyone has an inkling of a rumor, it’ll be Smoke. People don’t see her. They treat her poorly because she’s a half breed.” He jerked upright. “Wait, you saw Lana?”
“She was at the water. It was not a good scene.”
I leaned back beside him and we lay down at the same time, staring up at the ceiling and the wisteria that hung like pale purple bunches of grapes, the scent of the flowers flowing around us. “Smoke said something about the Enders who were killed. That maybe it wasn’t the injuries we—I—inflicted but something else. And Lana confirmed it. She said she saw her husband that night. He was fine and healing, and the next morning he was dead. His wounds opened and left to die.”
Turning my head to the side I stared at his profile, but he didn’t turn to me. He kept looking at the ceiling. “The question is, who would want to hurt them?”
That was the question I was asking myself. “I don’t know. Does Fiametta have anyone vying for her throne?” I was thinking of my trip to the Deep and the battle for the crown that had nearly taken my, Belladonna’s, and Ash’s lives. I was really hoping that wasn’t the case again. Two powerful battling fire elementals was not something I wanted to get in the middle of.
“No. Everyone is terrified of her. She’s a hard ass, in the truest sense of the words, Lark. There is no room for softness in her. If you’re useful, you’re good in her eyes. If you aren’t, she has no room for you.” He draped an arm over his forehead.
“And what is your use for her?” I reached up and touched his fingers. I wanted him to look at me. His voice wasn’t giving me any
“Cactus is right. She won’t bargain.” Peta shook her head, her ears twitching. “But it might buy us time if you offer her a traitor on a platter. She likes nothing more than to wield the Lava Whip herself on those she deems deserving of punishment.”
I didn’t want to ask what the Lava Whip was. I could easily guess. A shiver ran down my spine. “Time is better than nothing. See if you can find the Ender I described to you. But be careful.”
Peta bobbed her head and ran down the hallway, her tiny footsteps eaten by the moss. I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes. “Cactus, we may all end up in the fire if this goes wrong.”
He stood, moving to my side and draping an arm across my shoulders. “We all end up in the fire at some point, Lark. But if anyone can get us there sooner, it’s you.” At my incredulous expression, Cactus fell back onto the mossy mattress. “I’m kidding, Lark.”
I plopped onto the springy edge. He sat down beside me and brushed a hand over my hair, so gently I barely felt his touch; it was more a sense of knowing him, and his intentions. “You’ve always been special, Lark. When I heard about Cassava’s trickery . . . and how you faced her down with nothing but a spear; that you saved your entire family, I wasn’t surprised. After that some of my memories came back.” The last was said in a near whisper.
I swallowed hard. “You remember the day in the meadow?”
The day my mother and brother were killed.
He nodded, dropping his head to press it against mine. “I think maybe Cassava blocked some of my abilities too, keeping me weak. The longer I was away from her, the longer I was here in the Pit, the stronger I got.”
A shudder danced along my spine and I let myself relax against him. “I’m sorry she hurt you too.”
His hand rubbed along my back. “Meh. I’m tough for a fool.”
Laughing, I turned to face him, but the laughter died quickly. “Smoke said something that might save Ash faster than finding a traitor. Something that Lana confirmed whether she meant to or not.”
Cactus leaned back on his elbows, his eyes thoughtful. “If anyone has an inkling of a rumor, it’ll be Smoke. People don’t see her. They treat her poorly because she’s a half breed.” He jerked upright. “Wait, you saw Lana?”
“She was at the water. It was not a good scene.”
I leaned back beside him and we lay down at the same time, staring up at the ceiling and the wisteria that hung like pale purple bunches of grapes, the scent of the flowers flowing around us. “Smoke said something about the Enders who were killed. That maybe it wasn’t the injuries we—I—inflicted but something else. And Lana confirmed it. She said she saw her husband that night. He was fine and healing, and the next morning he was dead. His wounds opened and left to die.”
Turning my head to the side I stared at his profile, but he didn’t turn to me. He kept looking at the ceiling. “The question is, who would want to hurt them?”
That was the question I was asking myself. “I don’t know. Does Fiametta have anyone vying for her throne?” I was thinking of my trip to the Deep and the battle for the crown that had nearly taken my, Belladonna’s, and Ash’s lives. I was really hoping that wasn’t the case again. Two powerful battling fire elementals was not something I wanted to get in the middle of.
“No. Everyone is terrified of her. She’s a hard ass, in the truest sense of the words, Lark. There is no room for softness in her. If you’re useful, you’re good in her eyes. If you aren’t, she has no room for you.” He draped an arm over his forehead.
“And what is your use for her?” I reached up and touched his fingers. I wanted him to look at me. His voice wasn’t giving me any
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