Legacy of Fire (The Blaze Trilogy - Book #1)

Chapter 8

I squeeze my eyes shut, but the tears force themselves out. I run my mind through the events of the last few days, but my head spins too quickly and I have to squeeze my eyes shut again.

My father’s face is imprinted in my mind, his mouth open as if he’s about to say something, frozen in time with the words I will never get to hear. I bury my face in my pillow, and the gravity of my situation weighs down on me. My father is dead, murdered at the hands of one of our cities leaders, and I likely told his murderer exactly what he wanted to know, putting my grandfather in danger. And now my last hope is pinned on an unknown camp, my only guide there being a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with me. I’m suddenly struck by a sharp longing for my father’s wisdom - he always had the answers. 

The waves of anguish are crashing inside of me, and I close my eyes, pushing those thoughts out of my mind. Instead, I fixate on the Mendell’s book; the Terran text. I fish it out from the remains of my tattered dress, laying down on the cot as I carefully open the binding. Each page is thin, almost transparent, the indecipherable script printed delicately on each page. I run my fingers gently along one line, marvelling at the smoothness of the words. It was written with great care.

Suddenly I hear sounds coming from the kitchen, raised voices. I rise out of bed, tucking the book under it, and lightly press my ear to the door.

“This was not part of the plan!” Zander’s voice is muffled, but I hear his anger.

Tania’s tone is soothing, but firm. “I know. But I’m asking you to trust me.” 

But Zander does not calm down. “What’s a Western servant got to do in Everwood? Revealing the Drifters to her?” he growls. “How can we know we can trust her - she could be on their side!” I hear a fist come in contact with the table. “If the stories are true - if Max was right - then I have to join them. And if she messes things up because she isn’t ready to fight-“ He opens his mouth to say more, but Tania cuts him off.

“Zander, do you really think I would send my only son into the Wilderns with a Southern spy?” Tania’s voice softens. “I know it’s not what we planned. But the girl is not a threat, and more importantly, you need her.”

I listen to Tania, trying to understand. She didn’t tell Zander the truth. She didn’t mention Mendell either - his name must not hold as much meaning to him as it did to her. But that’s not enough, it doesn’t explain it. What did I do that made Tania trust me?

Zander seems to read my thoughts. He pauses. “What’s so special about her?” he asks quietly.

“She’s no one, just someone I-“

“Ma.” Zander’s voice cuts over hers. “I thought you said you would stop lying to me.” 

She breathes in sharply. “And I thought you said you would start trusting me.”

Zander shakes his head. “I do trust you, Ma. I just have trouble believing you.”  

I hear a stifled sob escape from Tania’s lips. “This is not what this is about. Your plan was flawed - you would have never been able to get past the wall on your own. You could have been killed - no, you would have been killed if you went alone.” Tania’s voice cracks, and it drops to a whisper. “I’m not loosing another son.”

Silence. 

At first I think it’s because Zander is anger, but then he speaks, and I can hear the tightness in his voice. “Ma, I’m going to find Max,” Zander says, his voice wavering. “I know he’s alive. He went to join them, I’m sure of it.”

Suddenly unfamiliar shouts echo through the house, but they come from the outside, paired with the shuffling of boots. I hear a fist pound on the front door - and the next thing I feel is Zander forcing his way through my door, two packs in hand. He sees me crouched by the door, and in an instant, he knows. He knows I heard them.