Inferno Page 16

  “Nothing’s going to happen,” laughed Iri. “I’ll keep an eye on our cute little birdie.” She grabbed my face and squeezed.

  I batted her hand away.

  “Stop fighting,” said Amber calmly. “It’s about to begin.” She looked to her sides and the other two girls joined her. “Let’s give them a good show, ladies and make the fire gods proud.”

  Fire burst from Amber’s back and formed giant wings. The other two did the same. I blocked my face from the wave of intense heat coming from all three. I moved to the side and stood by the wall. My spirits sank as I gazed at the three women. Amber’s wings were stunning. The majority of the flames were blue with small amounts of orange here and there. Ashleen’s wings had a purplish hue, and Iri’s were a light yellow. What did I have? Nothing.

  This was going to be embarrassing. A firebird that could barely create fire. I might as well watch this festival with the mortals. I had more in common with them than my own kind.

  The door started to open. My stomach twisted into a knot and I was really feeling sick now. I shouldn’t have over eaten earlier.

  “Iri, keep an eye on Fin,” said Amber. “This is his first appearance.” She glanced over her shoulder at me. “Very few mortals ever get to see a new firebird. They’re going to be very excited to see what a baby bird looks like.” A smile crept across her lips. “Good luck, Fin.”

  The space that had appeared between the doors steadily grew wider. I turned to the exit behind me and thought about making a run for it. Zoran wouldn’t be happy, and Aedus would probably put me in an ice block, but those seemed like okay options. I just wanted to get through this day so we could go back to the garden.

  The doors stopped moving. Through the girls’ wings, I could see an enormous courtyard. A huge crowd had gathered all around the sides and off into the city streets. This was it. I swallowed hard. This was really it.

  The girls took flight and shot out into the clearing. The people’s cheers grew louder as they soared over their heads. Amber landed and with a wave of her arm a flock of birds made out of fire flew off into the sky. She was amazing. She had so much control over what she was doing. I inched closer to the exit and watched them. I wanted to be able to do that. Looking at my hand, I sighed. A candle’s flame—that was about as advanced as I could get when it came to creating fire.

  I slipped outside and shuffled along the wall lined with doors, the majority of which were open. I stopped at one that was still closed. Water was leaking out through the cracks in the frame. They started to open.

  “Oh, no.” I jumped back as the doors burst apart and water poured out onto the ground.

  The people with the blue-toned skin glided out along the top of the wave. As the water spread across the ground, they summoned it back to them and kept on surfing across the courtyard.

  A man with white hair emerged from another door and slammed his foot into the trail of water. A clear lightning bolt shot towards the blue shifters. The water froze, and the blue water shifters either slid off or were stuck inside wave.

  Ice? My eyes grew wide, and I scooted back toward my door. I wanted to be nowhere near an ice shifter. I ran for it when the water shapeshifters started a full-on war with the white-haired shifter. Water and ice were flying in every direction. The people were loving it. I was terrified.

  I dove into a random room right as an ice spear slammed into the rock above my head.

  My ankle burned. I looked down to see ice coating my skin. Gritting my teeth, I brushed it off. It hurt almost as bad as the frost. I heard laughter and looked outside to see the white-haired man standing there with his hands on his hips.

  “So you’re the baby bird that hasn’t learned to fly.” He entered the room.

  Shaking my head, I stood. “No, I’m not... I just came to watch.” I hurried to the other side of the room to get around him. I was going to find Zoran, and we were leaving. No one had said ice shifters were going to be here.

  “Are you sure? That mark on your back says differently. Not to mention your clothes, and you kind of look like one, too.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not.”

  “I think you’re lying.”

  “Well, I’m not.” I made a move for the door.”

  “Where are you going?” A string of ice caught my wrist.

  I cried out and yanked my arm free.

  “Only a creature of fire would be so distraught over a little ice,” he chuckled.

  “Zoran will kill you,” I stated in pure desperation.

  He laughed. “If you’re looking for your master, you’re going the wrong way little bird. I can help you find him.”

  “No, thank you. I’ll manage by myself.”

  He watched me as I slowly inched my way around him into the courtyard. I darted outside and hurried down the path where multiple shifters were performing for the crowd on either side. The majority of them were animal shifters who were showing off their agility or wrestling with each other to amuse the crowd.

  I heard something crackle and looked back. The man was following me. He rose into the air on lacy wings made of ice. A smirk spread across his face when he noticed me looking. I started walking faster. He met my pace. That was not a good. I started running.

  The man laughed and rode a wave of ice over my head and landed in front of me.

  “The people want a show, little bird. We all have to do our part.”

  Ice shot out of the ground like daggers. I spun around, looking for a way out, but I was trapped.

  The man’s wings broke away, and he fell to the ground. Holding his arms in the air, he faced the people. “Look what I’ve caught. Zoran’s very first firebird!”

  The crowd cheer at his announcement.

  “It seems he has lost his flock, though.” He turned to me as the people shouted behind him. “I think we should help him find them.”

  The shifter waved his hand and the ice came alive. It latched onto my feet and started traveling up my legs. I couldn’t breathe as it encased my chest, pinning my arms to my sides. It slowly began to lift me into the air.

  “Do you think they’ll be able to see him or should we go higher?” he asked the crowd.

  “Higher,” they chanted.

  The yelling and screaming continued as I was raised into the air. I gritted my teeth as the pain grew. This was not good.

  “Not enough?” He walked around the base of my entrapment. “Then we should take him higher.”

  I rose into the air and felt the ice dig into my skin. It was the frost all over. The energy inside my core was building. I was losing control. I couldn’t hold it.

  “Maybe you should send up a flare, little bird?” called the man. “Make some fire for us. Come on.”

  Clenching my jaw, I closed my eyes. Aedus was going to be furious, but if that ice shifter wanted to see fire, I’d show him fire.

  I released the energy from my core and erupted. Ice shards were blasting into the crowd. I fell to the ground with my skin still boiled with flames. My clothes were singed and the marks on my arms flickered red for a moment. The shifter had thrown up a wall to block the ice from hitting the people, but many of the taller buildings had shards sticking out of them.

  I cursed under my breath at the sight of the mess I made. Aedus was going to lock me away for good because of this. It wasn’t even my fault, either.

  The ice shifter laughed. “I guess you are a firebird. Should we keep playing?”

  I shook my head. “I’m done. You’ll anger Aedus if you continue.”

  “I have my own master,” stated the man. “And he is not one of fire.”

  The ice snaked toward me, and I did what any sane person would. I ran.

  Chapter 39: Don’t Make Excuses

  I ran for my life straight into the crowd. They parted as I climbed onto a chart and jumped up to grab the edge of a balcony. Clambering over the railing, I toppled onto the floor and took a deep breath. That horrible ice demon—I’d have Zoran boil him
alive!

  Laughter came from below. I peeked through the railing and nearly had my nose taken off by a sheet of ice. I clambered to my feet, and from the corner of my eyes, I saw a white blur coming at me. I ducked out of the way and the ice crashed into the bricks. Pieces fell onto my back, making me hiss. I hated him. I hated that cursed shifter!

  My eyes met those of the ice bird standing in the courtyard. He was sitting on a throne and seemed thoroughly amused.

  “Better keep moving, firebird.”

  The ice was traveling along the ground toward me. Cursing under my breath, I raced along the balcony. I kicked open a door and hurried inside. I slammed the door shut behind me and pushed a couch in front of it. The ice traveled up the frame and spread onto the surrounding windows.

  “Thank the great creator.” Rubbing my face, I took a moment to breathe.

  The sound of wood beginning to shift filled the room. I froze and slowly looked up at the door. Ice was seeping in through the cracks.

  “Curse the gods, you have to be kidding me.” I ran into the hallway and found the stairs.

  I could see people standing outside the front door. There had to be another way out. I cut through a the living room and ended up in the kitchen. I opened the back door and peeked into the alley. It was empty. I slipped outside and jogged over to a stack of crates to catch my breath. The ice didn’t follow this time.

  I ran my hands down my face. This was insane. I hoped I’d never had to come back here again.

  There were mortals gathered not too far from where I was hiding. I could hear their cheers. This festival promoted insanity, and I was done. I wanted to go home. I started down the road, away from the celebration. I wove along different streets until I arrived in a small courtyard.

  Today had turned out horrible. Sitting down under an awning, I pulled my legs to my chest and laid my head on my knees. It hadn’t been a fair fight. I barely knew anything about my power, and the man was a master of ice. I glared at the ground. One day I’d be like Amber, and then I’d come back with Zoran and have my rematch.

  “Shapeshifter?” said a male voice.

  I glanced over my shoulder at an older man. His eyes grew wide, and he pointed at me.

  I quickly stood and held out my hands. “I wasn’t hurting anything.”

  “A firebird!” he exclaimed, jumping up and down. “It’s a firebird. Come, come quick, a firebird! The baby bird! It’s Zoran’s firebird!” he yelled down the street.

  “I’m not. They’re fake.” I rubbed my arms, but the markings stayed a solid black.

  The man ran off, calling down the streets for everyone to come and see. Footsteps sounded from all directions.

  Spotting an alleyway, I ducked into it and raced back toward Aedus’ palace. I could hear voices closing in on me. Dipping into a narrowed passage, I maneuvered my way through, hoping that was enough to lose them. Emerging onto a main street, I was hit in the face with a bucket of oil. It knocked me to the ground. I gasped for air and tried to clear my eyes. More was dumped onto my back. Barely able to see, I climbed to my feet and staggered on. A hard object was shoved into my back, sending me flying forward. I barely kept my balance and continued to run blindly down the street.

  It had been a torch, and the oil had been ignited. People were screaming and cheering as more things were thrown at me. The flames engulfed my body. I spun around, trying to find a way out. Every street seemed to be blocked by people, and more were coming.

  Oil and chunks of wood and hay were thrown at me. This was just a game to them, while my distress levels were dangerously close to reaching their max. It was only a limited time before I lost it again.

  I found my way back to the main courtyard and stumbled out past the edge of the crowd. I collapsed on the ground. It was too much. The performers nearby moved to a safer distance as the blaze grew higher. The crowd grew larger. I focused on keeping the raging fire inside me under control, but they kept throwing things at me. It was getting hard to breathe. The strain was tearing down my defenses.

  “Stop,” I begged. “Please stop.”

  They didn’t listen. They were far too entertained by the concept that I couldn’t burn.

  Gritting my teeth, I clutched my chest. I had to hold it together. The heat would kill them. I would kill them.

  The area grew still. I looked up as Zoran appeared and sent a shockwave of energy through the crowd. People were thrown back as he marched to where I was lying.

  With a wave of his hand, Zoran made the fire go out. The pressure in my chest decreased. With a sigh, I closed my eyes for a moment and felt my body relax. The god’s feet stopped near my head. I peered up at him to find the god staring back at me with his head tilting to the side.

  “What a mess you’ve made,” he breathed. He flicked his wrist and fire engulfed my body, licking away any traces of the oil from my skin.

  I glanced around to see the crowd kneeling with their heads lowered. He was a god in their eyes. Unlike the people of Gail, they honored his presence.

  “Fin.” Zoran gave me a stern look.

  I rose to my feet and wrung my hands together. “Sorry.”

  “You were supposed to stay with the others.”

  “They have wings,” I replied, motioning to the sky. “How am I supposed to keep up with them? Not to mention that damn ice shifter attacked me.” I rubbed my arm. “I tried, alright? I tried to do as you said, but that shifter wouldn’t leave me alone. I panicked.”

  Zoran snatched my chin. “Don’t make excuses. This near accident was because someone thought wandering through the city was a good idea.” He nodded toward a large tower aways down the road. “Go now, and you better not cause any more trouble.”

  “It wasn’t my fault.”

  “Now, Fin!”

  I nodded. “Yes, sir.” I jogged away from him toward the tower. My face was red. It wasn’t because I had nearly exploded and killing hundreds of mortals, either. It was simply from embarrassment. Why did Zoran always have to make me feel like a stupid child? This wasn’t my fault. The firebirds had abandoned me, and the other shifters didn’t make it any easier to catch up with the girls. I wiped my face with my arm and peeked back.

  Zoran had disappeared, and the people were whispering amongst themselves. The whispers spread through the crowd, and they watched quietly as I walked alone to the tower.

  Chapter 40: An Assembly of Gods

  I sat on the third floor of the tower and watched the crowd below. The evening’s events had moved to the large clearing surrounding the base of the building. People were even lining the boardwalks that reached out into the sea. Shifters were showing off their talents as water twisted and turned in the air. They had such precision over their ability. That was something I felt I might never be able to do.

  A playful battle was going on between an earth and wind shifter beneath me. The man would create a rock shield to be ripped apart by a tornado. Next to the pair, a man was lifting wagons over his head. The people loved it. They cheered and clapped.

  Amber had the largest gathering. The audience was mesmerized by her firework. I tried to ignore her because it only made my jealousy worse. I wanted to be like her. I wanted to be able to fold fire in my hand and be able to control it. Instead, Zoran had banished me to sit there alone because I was too big of a risk. I rested my chin on my knees. He was right, though. I was a risk. I could blow up at any time.

  The festivities continued as the sun started to lower behind the city buildings. I heard noise coming from the lower levels. I glanced over the edge. The performers were filing into the building. The water shifters had also dipped beneath the waves of the sea. The crowds grew quiet. I sat up on my knees and tried to see what was happening. It looked like nothing, but it appeared like they were waiting for something.

  The area was still as the last light of the day slipped away.

  A dim light glided along beneath the water. It grew brighter as the water god formed and was lifted into the air wit
h water flowing about him. Wind whistled through the streets and merged together to create three tornadoes in the clearing. A person appeared inside each of them, and the wind slowly dispersed.

  “The wind gods,” I whispered.

  They were nothing like the man I had met before. They seemed more solid. I didn’t even seen Notus among them.

  Gods of every discipline were starting to appear. A soft glow sounded each of them and made them stand out in the night. The mortals around each of them bowed their heads and throw coins and other valuables at the gods’ feet. A few shifters hurried out with baskets and started to collect the tribute. One of the wind gods walked into the crowd and allowed them to touch her.

  Rising to my feet, I walked around the tower to see what else was happening. It was a similar scene being played out all around me, just slightly different versions. A large, muscular man covered in hair was being given food and livestock. I was slightly repulsed when I saw people cutting their hands and letting their blood drip on the ground at another god’s feet.

  All my life I had been taught about gods, but secretly no one believed they were anything more than shifters. These people not only believed in them but worshipped them. There were so many gods, too. A warm red glow hit the side of my face. I touched my cheek. I knew this heat; the fire gods.

  I hurried to another archway and saw two of the fire gods. Masou and Aedus stood together as one of the larger groups threw coins and gold at their feet. The firebird didn’t come to pick up the treasures. A swarm of what looked to be sirens swept the area instead. After a couple minutes, Amber, Ashleen, and Iri emerged and went to stand with them.

  Zoran had never told me what I was supposed to do. He’d never told me anything, and then was mad when I failed at being his perfect little pet. That was all I was to him: a pet only meant to satisfy the lust of a god.

  A hand landed on my shoulder, startling me.

  I spun around. “Zoran,” I breathed.

  “Would you like to come?” He clasped my cheek and rubbed his thumb along it. “The people have waited a long time for my return, and they have been told of your birth. It was used as an excuse for my absence.”