Vira's Fire

Chapter 1

I sit impatiently, waiting for the members of the council to arrive. I sent the summons for them last night, after a long dreadful day. The council members live in each of their provinces, over the mountain range, and some even as far as the northern sea. It will take time for them to arrive. I have known this fact since I was a small boy. Yet, the patience I once had is lost to me now. I need them here now. I need this horrible nightmare to be finished by sunset.

Agitated, I stand and stare out the window. The sun is rising on the horizon. Its golden rays climb over the snowy peaks of the mountain range, coloring the clouds a soft pink. Below me, I spot Hector, the lamplighter, blowing out the lamps in the village. I watch as he replaces candles that have burnt out in the night. He has been the village lamplighter for several years. Every morning, I watch as he faithfully keeps our village burning bright. The sight reminds me that time has not stood still since yesterday. No matter what happens in the walls of this castle, life must go on. An important lesson for a King to remember.

A sour odor drifts into the room suddenly. My pupils dilate as I recognize the stench of black magic. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and my ears twitch. There are loud footsteps in the hallway. Suddenly, the door across the court bursts open and Ezra barges in. There's sweat and speckles of blood staining his forehead and neck. His dreadlocks are tied back out of his face and there's a look of steel in his eyes. Black magic radiates from the blood on his arms, hands, and face. An uneasy feeling washes over me, but I square my shoulders.

"It's the girl," he announces, marching closer. "We need to move her."

"You know we can't do that," my gaze remains passive.

"If I don't get her to the infirmary right now, she will die," he argues. If someone sees a human on our land, let alone in our castle, the whole kingdom will panic.

"No."

"Iridis, there's no time to argue."

A light flickers under the door behind him. My ear twitches again as I hear more footsteps grow near. Ezra's ears tilt, too, listening in on the same noise. The footsteps are followed by low murmuring. Ezra steps closer.

"We are running out of time," he whispers, "now is our only chance."

"There's no other way?" I question, leading him to a corner further away from the door.

"Would I be here if there were?" he huffs and raises an eyebrow at me. If I didn't know him better, I would be taken aback by his attitude. Instead, I nod.

"Send Brienne to fetch what you need," I tell him, "discretely. Use my quarters, not the infirmary." Walking to the lefthand wall, I search for the spot I need. Finding it, I place my hand on the wall and push in firmly. A door swings open.

"Take the tunnels," I command.

After a very quick nod, Ezra turns and enters the tunnel.

"Ezra," I stop him. He pauses and turns to face me, his body half-hidden by the shadows in the tunnel. "I'm sorry about Meadow."

Her name sparks a memory; her long golden locks flowing behind her as she runs through the corridors laughing. She was trying to catch the wind in her sleeves. So, that she could fly like the rest of us. I haven't had the chance to talk properly with Ezra about her. With everything going on, this is the best time.

His expression turns sour. "I'm sorry, too." Ezra glances at the door, sees shadows walking up to the door, and quickly pulls the wall shut.

I walk over to the long counter at the front of the room and pretend to shuffle through some of the resources I have gathered for the trial. They are mostly volumes of law on the punishments for murder that I had flipped open and marked on various pages. Chief Ezra's autopsy report is among the pile of other documents and written statements about the case.