Chapter 35

A bowstring snapped.

Never pulled Ayuni back as pain erupted in his leg. A shaft protruded, and blood poured down his thigh. Muka had already leapt forward to engage the spearman. Both fighters moved with the aid of their lunai, almost too fast to trace. Sparks flew when their weapons met, and they fought in and amongst the benches as if they faced off on level ground.

The Hammer with the tyrant was swooping in from the side, Never had already lost sight of the bowman when the bowstring twanged again.

A green burst of fire roared.

Something metallic hit the stones at his feet. Ayuni had burnt away the arrow’s shaft! He only had a moment to release it, forced to leap forward and meet the swordsman. Never flung a dagger as he did, but the man dodged easily. Never had already drawn another, crossing the blades to catch the whistling sword.

The blow drove him back and before he could react, the Hammer had swung his second blade, arm bearing its odd after-image, steel tearing into Never’s side. Pain jolted him and Never spat a curse as the Hammer pushed him to the stone, heading for Ayuni. From his knees, Never let his wings burst free and beat them in a mighty blast, throwing the Hammer off balance just as Ayuni flung a wave of blue and green flames at the man.

It wasn’t much but it was enough.

The scent of seared flesh filled the space between them.

A burnt husk fell to the floor, melted steel pooling on the stone.

Another arrow snapped and Ayuni cried out, clutching her calf. She hit the ground but flung another blast of flame, yet she was too slow – the Hammer was already moving in, bow forgotten, some manner of vial and cloth in his hands.

Never called the crimson-fire around him.

There was no way he could strike the archer directly. The Hammer would dodge any such attempt and more, the man was already upon Ayuni, cloth moving toward her face.

“No!” Never roared.

Burning blood exploded from his body. It tore through the air in all directions, there was no way to avoid it, and it covered Ayuni and the archer. Both were thrown back, falling in a heap. Never clawed his way to his feet, tearing the wound in his side further as he did, breath escaping in ragged gasps.

A figure stirred – Ayuni.

She stood, shaking her head as if groggy, but she was unharmed. Never shuddered with the relief; his gamble had paid off. No daughter of the Phoenix – doubtless with or without Amouni blood – was ever going to be harmed by the crimson-fire. The Hammer on the other hand was a sooty lump, unrecognisable.

Applause echoed in the Temple.

Never turned, using his wings to aid him since his injured leg was slow to respond. His body was afire with agony but at the same time, he was dimly aware of it working to heal, struggling against the onslaught of agony from his wounds.

But it was the man clapping his hands that held Never’s gaze.

Brother Hiruso had not moved. “Look at what such a small victory has cost you.” He gestured to Never and then off to the side, where Muka stood leaning on his tyrant, bleeding from half a dozen wounds. “Impressed as I am that you managed to defeat my best men, I will not accept further resistance now. Your blood has given me much, Ayuni but I will not be beholden to it forever. There is something I need from the Great Phoenix – and so I ask that you accompany me to the nest where you will call your Mother.”

She shook her head. “I will not.”

“I do doubt that.” The monk lurched forward, appearing before Never in a flash. Hiruso held one of Never’s own knives to his throat. “Final opportunity, girl.”

Ayuni gaped.

“Burn us both,” Never whispered to his sister.

Hiruso flinched.

A bloody sword point protruded from his chest. The monk glared at it as he fell back, spinning to backhand his attacker.

Muka flew across the chamber to crash to the ground, tumbling into the benches with a groan.

Pain and triumph warred across Hiruso’s features. He reached behind his back and jerked the blade free, letting it clatter to the stones. Blood ran down his robe, but it soon slowed to a trickle. “My my, how rich your blood, Ayuni. But it is a mere trinket to what I will soon possess.”

“You do not understand what you seek,” Ayuni said, her voice breaking.

“So young to preach,” he replied. “Now, let us try again. Call your Mother if you wish for Never to survive.”

Ayuni glanced to Never, then Muka and back to Never before her shoulders slumped. “You will spare them?”

“Ayuni, you cannot trust him,” Never shouted, even as his legs began to buckle.

She smiled down at him. “Never, let me do this for you. Let me protect you, now.”

Tears blurred his vision. “Ayuni!”

She looked back to Hiruso, lifting an arm to point at him. “Say it.”

“I will spare them.”

Ayuni closed her eyes. “Follow me now.” She started toward the huge nest of marble, moving around and out of sight, Hiruso close behind, his blood-stained back the last thing Never saw before collapsing.

But he held onto consciousness.

When he looked up once more, both were gone. He clawed his way after them, hauling himself across the floor. After a time, Hiruso’s voice rose in anger. Never growled as he dragged himself further, his limbs flagging. Even his wings were useless – he didn’t have the strength to rise anyway and darkness was sweeping in.

Large, golden eyes appeared before him.

“Hin?”

The fae crept closer, again moving soundlessly on all fours – only now it was so much bigger than before, like a mastiff made of leaves and shoots. It tilted its head in its questioning way, and reached out a hand, plant-like fingers twitching.

“Sorry... I... have... nothing,” he murmured.

But the hin did not turn away, instead, it hopped closer. Its hand wrapped around Never’s wrist and he pulled back – or tried to – but his efforts were useless. The sucker-like fingers found a wound.

Warmth rushed through him.

He gasped. New energy flowed into his body, pulsing as it filled him. Pain receded and the dimness to his vision too; he was able to move once more. As the power faded, Never blinked. The hin was now as he’d first seen it, little more than a butterfly – two green leaves with yellow dots beating in place as it watched him stand. “Thank you,” he said.

The hin bobbed, then faded away.

Never started around the black marble, his limbs responding slowly. It was enough, and by the time he reached the stair he was able to bound up them.

At the top, he froze.

Down in the centre of the nest, standing waist-deep in swirling ashes of black and grey, two figures were locked together. Ayuni blazed with blue and green fire, her features and form still clear where she clung to Hiruso. The monk was struggling to free himself, his face a rictus of fear and pain, his robes gone, seared away.

Clever girl!

Ayuni had played the man wonderfully – drawing him away from Never and Muka and into a place where she could destroy him.

Yet thus far, Brother Hiruso was resisting the flames.

As Never watched, parts of the monk’s face, his arms and torso would sear and blacken, only to restore themselves as quickly as the flames burnt his flesh away. Ayuni flared brighter and Hiruso cursed but could not free himself. Yet still he resisted. Her fire grew brighter and hotter still – Never crouched, shielding himself from the intensity, even as she cried out, the flame wavering now.

Hiruso tore an arm free from her grip with a laugh.

“I don’t think so,” Never growled. He sliced into his palms and called the crimson-fire. The globes snapped up around his hands. He flung both arms down. Searing blood shot forth, striking the monk in the chest.

Hiruso howled.

Ayuni’s flame brightened.

Never kept the stream blasting forth and Ayuni’s own flames roared anew, drowning out Hiruso’s shriek as his body shrivelled. Never began to pant, but he kept up the crimson-fire a little longer, until every scrap of blackened flesh slipped from the monk’s bones.

And then, as Ayuni gave a twist of her hands, snapping the mere skeleton she now held, Never slumped to his knees, cutting the flow.

“And now, we rest,” he said, collapsing once more.