Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“What…”
I kept flying, suddenly feeling the flame. It was hot in an unnatural way, sucking the life out of that area. I hadn’t thought to set my inner alarms for fire or natural phenomena. I hadn’t known it was possible until this moment, quite frankly.
“Do you ever think that maybe your heirs die because you set them up for failure? Why didn’t you give me this information sooner so that I could protect this place and myself rather than letting it burn? Physically and figuratively.”
“That thought recently crossed my mind.”
“It just crossed your mind?”
“Well? No one has ever called me out like you do. The other heirs were too busy living the good life and loving bad men.”
They’d been too busy being young, was what she meant. They clearly hadn’t been jaded enough going into all this.
The sound of wings caught my attention. I glanced back, seeing Tristan rushing toward me in his gargoyle form. He’d been incredibly protective since the battle at Kingsley’s. He’d taken damage but hadn’t allowed Indigo to heal him, wanting her sole attention on me. He’d saved my life. Which was another reason I couldn’t care less about his secret origins. Whatever was discovered about him, it couldn’t alter my opinion of his loyalty and good heart.
Nearing the smoke, I saw and felt the basajaunak below, running with water. Before I could use my magic to pull the heat from the flame, Ivy House did it for me. She sucked the fire from the land, pulling it back into the ground.
I flew around the smoke as it quickly shifted from a lighter gray to white, trying to see down through the lush branches and leaves.
Only a small portion of the area had been burned. It was probably the area Cyra had sent a jet of fire into. The damage was contained to the ground or the base of the trees.
“How do you do that?” I asked, mystified.
“Magic,” Ivy House responded.
“Are you worried I’m going to learn how and then burn you down?”
“Now I am, yes.”
I landed near the toasted area and shifted, shielding myself from the lingering heat. Dave the basajaun met me immediately.
“I do not want to throw anyone under the rat,” he said, and I shook off the mixed analogy, “but someone lost her temper and caused this. She went to get help as we ran to get water.”
“It’s okay.” I touched his arm.
“Oh yes, the needed hug. Here.” He bent toward me suddenly, more of a lunge, really, and it took everything in my power not to zap him with a nasty spell. He enveloped me in a hug, and his hair tickled my face and stuck into my partially opened mouth.
“Thank—pfft. Thank you—pfft. I’m good.” I sneezed and rubbed my nose, trying to dislodge the hair. “Apparently Ivy House can suck the heat from flame. I found out about thirty seconds ago. So I guess we don’t have to worry about fire on the property?”
“I did sense some very old growth,” said Her, the young basandere working on the essence of the wood, trying to make it feel more inviting and homelike. “I do recommend a controlled burn through here to get rid of all the small things. But this magical wood is fantastic. I am glad we have made this connection with you.”
More basajaunak materialized around us, probably over three dozen. I’d felt presences but hadn’t counted everyone up. It was kind of a moot point with these creatures. If they weren’t visible to you, they didn’t want to talk. There was no better hint to get lost than that.
“Ivy House let it rage for a few minutes because it was trying to trim down the gnome nest,” I informed them. I edged toward the charred area.
“Oops.” Her put an arm out in front of me. “Here.” She then side-hugged me, cracking something and popping something else.
“I really am okay,” I wheezed. “But the gnomes stole Cyra’s magical brooch, and she is dripping fire all over the floor. It’s best for everyone if we find it.”
“Oh…” another basandere said, leaning forward and putting a hand above her eyes to block the nonexistent sun. It was caught in the canopy above. “I saw a gnome fighting another for a shiny thing earlier. There’s no telling where it might be. We can look.”
“Wait until it’s safe, obviously, but if you all wouldn’t mind…” I let my words trail away, looking at all the shrubs and char and leaves and… They’d never find it. That brooch was small, and the smoke and fire would cover the shine.
After accepting another dozen or so hugs, remembering to close my mouth those times, I finally wandered away, readying to head back.
“Jessie, a word?” Tristan waited close by in his human form, leaning against a tree.
“Yeah, what’s up?” I asked, trying to feel the land in this new way I was privy to.