The Firelands

Chapter 18 - Kano City II

"It's Young Lord Flare, were you not here last night? It was his birthday, this morning he's making his rounds and people are out to wish him good will," the man said, pointing down the street.

Kalen looked, and he could just about see a party of soldiers further down the street. He turned back to Incendio and grimaced.

Incendio looked positively sick.

Gently taking his arm, Kalen turned him away from the crowd, lowering his voice. "Everyone's attention is on Flare, we'll just slip through the crowd, no one will notice us, alright?"

Incendio didn't answer him so Kalen shook him, forcing a nod from him.

"Alright, let's go," Kalen said and pulled Incendio on, slipping through the crowd, going quick and quiet. They would have to pass the noble's party but they would pass in seconds.

Glancing up as he passed, Kalen looked as Flare. Gods above, they were so alike. Other than the black hair, they had aged exactly the same way. Incendio was right, he would be recognised in a second.

They had just passed when it all had to go wrong. A paper vender decided at that moment to move his cart out of the way of the young lord, right into the path of Kalen and Incendio and Kalen crashed straight into it. He recoiled backwards; newspapers flying and Incendio didn't have time to stop before they collided with each other, both hitting the ground, taking down three or four people with them as they knocked people's feet out from under them.

The commotion did exactly what Kalen had wanted to avoid. Everyone looked towards them.

"What's going on?"

It was Lord Flare, turning his horse in their direction, the crowd parting for him.

Kalen spun around, looking for Incendio and stopped, staring, just as Incendio's hood, which had been knocked askew, slipped from his head when he looked up at Flare.

Flare stopped, staring, everyone staring.

"In... Incendio?" Flare muttered, his voice barely audible as he stared.

Then there was a shriek of surprise from the crowd. "Lord Incendio?! The Twin!?"

"Where?!"

"Incendio?! How? He was jailed!"

The crowd surged forwards, everyone wanting to see, forcing Lord Flare backwards, his horse rearing in fright, making people duck and scramble out of the way as guards came running.

Kalen grabbed Incendio in the fuss, wrenching the werewolf to his feet. Incendio was white as paper, completely frozen, there was even a shine to his wide eyes.

"Hurry!" Kalen shouted, pulling him away, "Run, Incendio, RUN!"

"Incendio, wait!" his twin screamed, forcing his horse through the crowds, "INCENDIO!"

Incendio just blindly followed Kalen, his feet moving without seeing where he was going, all he could do was follow and listen to Flare's voice behind them.

"GUARDS! Stop them! Bring me my brother!"

Kalen looked back. Flare was following them, along with ten guards, all on horseback.

"Faster, Incendio, I know you can run faster!" Kalen shouted, itching to outrun the horses, but Incendio wasn't hearing him, wasn't paying attention.

And then suddenly Flare was on them, his horse charging between them, cutting Kalen off from Incendio, forcing the werewolf to stop.

"Incendio!" Flare shouted, jumping from his horse. Incendio skidded to a halt and suddenly it was like his mind had been switched on. He focused, he listened, he saw Flare, his twin brother who he hadn't seen in thirteen years, and he saw that his twin was in his way. And he saw the tears in Flare's eyes as Flare reached for him. Incendio swept backwards, keeping out of reach and the tears spilled over, pouring down Flare's face.

"Why are you here? How are you free?!" Flare cried, "Were you released? Are you coming home?"

"Flare, I have to go!" Incendio said, ducking his brother's reaching hands.

Flare stopped, horrified by the idea. "GO!?" he cried, "You can't go! You just came back."

"Sorry Flare," Incendio said.

"WHY?!"

"I... I have somewhere to be," Incendio said.

Flare stared at him, frozen and, in the blink of an eye, Incendio hugged him, locking his brother against him in a breath-stopping hug, pressing his face against his shoulder. "Sorry, little brother," he whispered and shoved Flare to the ground.

Flare fell with enough force to wind him and Incendio jumped over him, racing around the horse, joining Kalen.

"Time to go, Kalen," he said once he reached the vampire. Kalen nodded and they bolted, their speed finally picking up, fast enough to easily out run the horses, breaking all the speed limits as they tore across the city, eventually getting back onto the main road and leaving the city behind.

Neither of them noticed Dixon and Mica – attracted by the commotion – standing on the side of the road, leaning against a building wall, watching them go.

Mica looked over to Flare who was close to hysterics, wanting to go with the guards who followed Incendio, other guardsmen pulling him away while the public were in uproar.

"Hmm," he muttered with a slight smile, the corner of his lip quirking up.

"Hmm? What hmm?" Dixon asked, looking at him.

"Nothing, just hmm," Mica said, folding his arms, smiling at the vampire – making the Dixon narrow his eyes at him and hiss. 

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Next up: Monday