Rhea: Fire of the Last Sea Kingdom

Fire

"M-move back," said Rhea to the orphans.

Lady Nyllostos caught her eye. "Why should they? There's no danger here." She smiled reassuringly at Rhea, but Rhea was still doubtful. She didn't want to burn anyone, least of all one of the younger girls.

The rest of the Sisterhood looked dreamily at the ceiling, eyes half-open and marked by long nights without sleep. This was the last girl to present her craft this Autumn, and they were all ready to take a break before the winter set in.

A few of Rhea's classmates were more than interested, however. Her best friends, Tava and Celesa sat in the middle. Tava clenched her hands and Celesa ground her teeth in nervously, hoping that Rhea would pass her First Bearing. But where was Quinn?

They all see me. 

They all see me. 

I can do this. I can.

"We are ready," said Lady Arrynel.

No! Thought Rhea. We have to wait for Quinn...

"Lady Arrynel," she whispered. "Please let us wait . . . "

"For what?"

"For Quinn."

Lady Arrynel's eyes narrowed. "No," she said. She let the infant girl down in the arms of another member of the sisterhood. "Let her be late. Someday she will learn her lesson. We must begin now. Everyone else is here. Set a good example for the younger girls."

Lady Arrynel raised her arms in the air, palms facing her audience. Lady Nyallostos did the same. They each brought their arms down slowly, and every girl caught the hint. The room filled with an eery silence that shook Rhea to her roots. Lady Arrynel nodded for her to start.

Do not stutter, Rhea thought. Do not stutter. 

"Craft-bearers," Rhea started. "Craft-bearers, I p-present to you, th-this day..."

Rhea paused, frowning slightly. She wished she was thirteen again, just to have another year to prepare. If only Quinn were there early enough to calm her down. 

Where was she? Why was she always late? I will not be defeated by this. Not tonight.

"I p-p..." She stopped completely. 

Why now?

The five-year-olds from Lady Arynnel's class smiled with toothy grins, while teenagers looked on anxiously. Even the older craft-bearing students shifted uneasily in their seats. It was not easy to watch Rhea speak to a crowd. 

She scanned the faces of the Sisterhood. These were warriors, scholars, sorceresses, and holy women. She was one of them or would be someday, yet she could not find the words to even start her First Bearing. 

She tried to speak again, but no words came. 

Not one.

The heavy doors of the Great Hall swung open and Quinn walked through, along with the High Matron Rajel. The High Matron nodded as if to excuse Quinn. 

Rhea watched, silent for far too long as Quinn took her seat. It wasn't until a few seconds passed that she realized how awkward her silence had been. 

From the back of the hall, Quinn nodded slowly. Rhea smiled, letting out a small noise, not unlike a nervous laugh.

Matron Rajel and the other craft-bearers eyed the stage softly. Anyone could understand what a challenge Rhea faced. Not only had Rhea wanted to summon fire, she had tried to invent a device for doing so. Not a firesteel or flint, but a device for summoning real fire. 

No other girl in the Stellaria had ever come close to creating a device for harnessing magic. 

The eldest women of their sisterhood would have forbidden the thought, but her favorite teacher, Lady Nyallostos, insisted. Even now, the eldest women looked on, dissapprovingly. 

Rhea was not an advanced student in any specific class or craft, but she was still brilliant. At least, Lady Nyallostos said so. You can do this, Rhea, her eyes seemed to say.

Rhea breathed out again, resolving to finish her speech:

"This day... for my F-First Bearing," said Rhea. "I present my c-craft." She stumbled through the formal words, trying to find her own. "A way to summon fire without wood or forge," she said.

She reached into the folds of her cloak, pulling a small object from her inside pocket. She held it up for all to see - a tiny black stone no bigger than a walnut. It rested in the palm of her hand.