#booj

She paused her horse as a hostile voice began to snap behind her. 

“Who are you?” The voice asked. Miko turned around to observe the lady. She looked to be about Jace’s age. Fiery-colored hair that was extremely curly. There were blue streaks in the roots like the blue fire parts. It was interesting, how this lady’s hair mimicked flames so fiercely, and when the breeze fluttered the curls, they seemed to flicker like firelight. She had pale skin, dotted with lots of freckles, even on her shoulders and hands. Her eyes were glaring, with black… what was the word? Sclera? Black scleras and purple irises. She was wearing a black, tight-fitted, sleeveless turtleneck and pants that looked like Katana’s fighting gear. A seemingly discarded cloak laid on the ground beside a patch of purple flowers.

“Nobody important,” Jace said snarkily, dismounting. He always does that.

“I’m Katana Wander, and that’s Jace,” Katana said, shooting a sharp look at Jace. Miko grinned. At least Katana got it. Don’t anger the people who are already angry. But the conversation was boring Miko. There were flowers behind the girl that Miko thought Kyuni would like.

“My name is Ember Ignis-Chorus-Fulminare, and if you tell anyone I was here,” the girl said, “I will burn your homes to the ground.” Ember was really cool looking, but not as menacing as she probably thought she was.

Miko watched Ember scowl for a moment before deciding the conversation didn’t include her. She dismounted Jenn and went to look at the flowers behind Ember.

In a flash, there was a cold blade at Miko’s throat. Pain shot through her shoulders as Ember set a sickle to Miko’s neck and wrapped an arm around Miko’s midsection. 

“Wait!” Jace shouted. 

Maybe we can still talk our way out of this! I’m too young to die! Miko thought. 

“Help,” She croaked. “I’m sorry.”

“Let her go!” Jace said desperately. 

“We’ll answer your questions if you give her back!” Kyuni said hurriedly. No! Don’t answer her questions! What if she’s evil? Miko thought, fear coursing through her veins.

“Good deal,” Ember hissed. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re just dropping by! We’re from Adani!” Katana replied quickly. 

“Adani,” Ember murmured in Miko’s ear. “Wander. Wander. Your father banned magic,” She said suddenly.

“Only in Adani,” Katana said defensively. 

“Please let me go,” Miko whispered.

“Fine.” Ember dropped the sword. “I just needed to know one thing.”

Miko darted away, rubbing her neck reproachfully.

Ember grinned at Miko in an amused way, no regret in her eyes. 

Annoying b–

Katana

November 16, 5029

11:45 AM

“Sorry about that,” Ember said, “but sometimes Mother sends people in disguise to make sure I’m not ‘running from society’.” Ember made air quotes around the last words. Katana giggled. Jace glared heavily at Ember.

“So, Ember,” Jace spat the name as if it were acid, “What are you doing here?” Ember looked amused at his meanness.

“I needed to get– actually, I don’t owe you anything,” She changed tact at the speed of light, placing her hands on her hips. 

“Sorry about him,” Katana said quickly, shooting a warning look at Jace. He scoffed.

“No, no. It’s totally fine,” Ember replied, smiling sweetly at Jace and clasping her hands in front of her. 

“OW!” Jace shouted suddenly. There was a small flame on the backside of his pants. He hurriedly dropped and rolled around a bit. 

Ember raised an eyebrow, amused. Damn, Katana thought, another one. Jace jumped up again and whirled to face Ember. 

“Listen up, you little–” Jace began angrily.

“Jace!” Katana hissed, elbowing him in the arm. He frowned reproachfully at her. She mirrored the expression as best she could. 

“You’ll think twice before calling me that again,” Ember said, distaste plain on her face. 

Katana giggled nervously. 

“Um, hello? Can Ember help us into the city or not?” Kyuni wailed. 

“Hush, young one,” Ember snapped, picking up her cloak and fastening it over her shoulders. “I’m working on it.”

“I’m not young…” Kyuni mumbled, but Ember didn’t turn.

“Now?” Jace’s tone was skeptical.

“Yes, now.” Ember pointed at the wall. The torches slowly began to flare to life in the distance. Guards were shouting orders. Everyone was gathering at the front gate. 

“Now, hop on those horses of yours and come with me.” Ember grinned wickedly and shot away, down the hill and around the group of guards’ line of sight. Katana did what she was told and urged her horse to a trot, going right behind Ember, who was surprisingly fast. Jace joined her. Are we sure we can trust her? He seemed to be asking with his eyes. Katana thought pointedly, I trust her. He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled softly at him.

“Pause,” Ember ordered suddenly, holding a hand up. Katana pulled the reins on Hawthorn, and he nickered irritably. Jace also looked annoyed. “What?” He asked, frowning. 

“Shh,” Ember hissed, fiddling with something on the wall. “Found it. They always seem to move it.”

“Dare I ask what it is?” Jace asked, positively sagging with sarcasm. 

“Shut up!” Miko told him.

Ember looked ready to agree wholeheartedly with the younger girl, but Katana stepped in, placing a hand on Ember’s arm. She raised an eyebrow at Katana, which caused Katana to genuinely blush. Not like how she would blush at Jace’s little comments, stiff and usually paired with a grimace.

This was different somehow. 

Katana took her hand away hastily, turning away. 

“Let’s just stop bickering, please? You both know we need to get in there.” She had planted her face in her hands, so her normally softer–sounding voice was muffled. She heard a sizzling sound, and she took her hands away from her face and whirled. 

“Nobody better be cooking Jace, or–” Katana stopped short. A bit of the wall had opened, burned away from the stone, and there was smoke issuing from the sides of the arch. Katana fought back a gasp.

The town was on fire. Not really, of course. The buildings, though, when the sunlight hit them just right, gave the illusion of flames licking the sides of the architecture. She didn’t know what kind of stone it was, but it was beautiful. The buildings were tall, pointed at the top like turrets. There was a huge… not a castle, exactly. More like a capitol. The capitol was made of a material that looked like marble, but it held some type of sheen in the light of torches and sunlight. 

A small banner sporting the Ignis–Chorus family’s sigil was hanging on the wall of the capitol; a bird, spreading its wings, being just barely licked by a moving picture of fire. An also small but newer–looking banner beside it showed a different sigil, one Katana didn’t recognize. It was a lightning bolt magicked to dance and flame like real ones did. It glowed faintly purple. A large banner in between the two smaller ones sported a huge dancing, purple flame that someone seemed to have magicked to mimic the way real flames waved and swirled. Ember led them through the city, glancing back at them to make sure they didn’t get lost. 

Ember swore violently and ducked into an alleyway, momentarily out of sight. Katana rocked back and forth on her heels, gripping Jace’s hand anxiously. Where did I get his hand? She let go with an apologetic look. His face was redder than the flames dancing on the banners. 

Ember reemerged, tucking something under her cloak. She was stiffer and looked more regal, but Katana brushed it off. This was her hometown, after all, and Ember probably just wanted to be more presentable.

“Hey, uh. So… where are we going?” Katana caught up to Ember, gripping the fire elf’s arm. Ember shook her off and frowned.

“To the capitol. To get you out of those ridiculous clothes.”

“What’s wrong with our clothes?” Katana asked, looking down at her tight long sleeve and baggy pants.

“They scream royal.”

“That’s bad?”

“In this town, yes.” Ominous much? Katana thought bitterly.

“We just need water and food, then we’ll leave.”

“Sorry,” Ember said stiffly, “That’s non–negotiable. You’re coming to the capitol with me, for new clothes.”

“I don’t wanna,” Kyuni complained, but cut herself off. 

“Well, too bad!” Ember snapped, stopping abruptly, crossing her arms. “You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not!”

“Why!?” Katana burst out.

“Hush,” Ember hissed, pausing in her walk. “Don’t look back.” Katana narrowed her eyes, turning. Ember was at her side in a heartbeat, hand wrapped around Katana’s wrist and mouth by Katana’s ear.

“Don’t look back,” Ember whispered again and her voice was deeper, alluring. Katana wrenched herself free of the Fire Elf’s grasp and whirled. 

And she swore. 

Miko and Kyuni were being held by Fire Elves in silver uniforms and masks. Miko’s eyes were wide and fearful, darting from Katana to Kyuni. Kyuni’s were alight with anger, and the guard holding her kept having to jerk his legs away from her swinging ones that kept morphing from human to harpy and back again. Jace was nowhere to be seen. After a moment taken to absorb the betrayal, Katana’s hands curled into fists and she lunged for Ember, enforcing her knuckles with sharp shadows.

“YOU–” The fire elf caught her with a punch that rocked Katana’s head back. Sparks of agony burst through her head and Katana fell back. This was nothing like the movies and books. This was awful. Where were the shadows? There was a muffled cry from Kyuni’s direction, followed by a smack. 

“KY–” Katana shouted, but was cut off again with an elbow to her stomach. She coughed violently, and saliva splattered on the ground. 

“Pathetic,” Ember smirked, and Katana’s vision was blurred; where were her glasses? She reached for a glimmer of gold, but Ember kicked them away and Katana could hear a worrying crunch that shot more fear through Katana’s body than anything she had felt before.

“NO!” Katana screamed. Ember laughed harshly. Katana’s eyes were clouding with darkness. 

“Poor Kardata,” Ember crooned, kneeling before Katana. Ember’s blurred form shifted into a taller boy with dark skin and glittering eyes. The boy tapped shining sigils on his knuckles and placed his hands on Katana’s head. 

“Nighty–Night, Wander.”