Page 83 of Of Flame and Fury

“Then we have something in common,” Kel said. “I don’t want to see phoenixes hurt any more than you do.”

As subtly as she could, Kel fumbled for the metal pin. It fell into her fingers a few strained seconds later, cold and sharp enough tocut rope. Kel sent up a silent thanks for Rahn’s layers of premeditated protection.

“Then why are you working for a man who would see every one of them in captivity?” Bryna sneered. “But we don’t have time for that argument. We caught wind of this foolish race from some allies and managed to sabotage it overnight.” Bryna laughed. “Just when I thought CAPR couldn’t sink to new lows.”

Kel’s stomach dropped. On this, they agreed.

Bryna turned away, just a fraction, and Kel managed to pinch the bracelet bands together, stretching the leather until the metal pin popped free. She felt the emergency button jutting out of the hard fabric and pressed down on it—but her hands were at too awkward an angle to press hard enough. Instead, she squeezed the metal pin between her right thumb and middle finger, slowly beginning to saw at the thick rope binding her hands at her back.

Bryna shook her head. “We decided to use this race to try a first of our own. The Fume should no longer work in the shadows. If CAPR is growing bolder, then we must, too. After setting up the blockade, we lured a dawn of phoenixes here to cause a distraction. The plan was to free your phoenixes and leave any human survivors to find their own way home. But then we sawyou.” Bryna trailed the knife along Kel’s jaw. Kel stilled her sawing, halfway through the rope. “And we knew that you deserved a choice. Face trial with the Fume’s council, or teach us what you know.”

An absurd bubble of laughter rose up Kel’s throat. Her chest heaved, hiding how her shoulders rotated as she sawed the rope. She wasso close. “What could I teach you?Whywould I teach you? You’d uncollar every phoenix and let them annihilate the entire island.”

Even as she said it, though, she remembered the uncollaredphoenixes, so in control of their own power. But triumph quickly replaced her fleeting uncertainty, as the rope fell to the ground behind her.

Kel flexed her freed hands. The bracelet fell too, before she could catch it, and Kel was glad for the knife on her cheek, because Bryna’s gaze was locked on the same spot.

“The media calls you the ‘phoenix whisperer,’ you and thatfallen heroof yours,” Bryna snarled. “You speak to phoenixes in a way that few can. You’ve earned their trust, and you don’t try to remould their savagery. You can teach us how to speak with them. We want to protect them—but they don’t always let us. You can change that.”

Another short, manic laugh burst through Kel.This couldn’t be happening.The Fume, who criticized Cendor and CAPR and the media, had bought the ridiculous rumors that had been spread about Kel. They believed what the news outlets had told them. For the first time, Kel was thankful for the ridiculous media coverage.

She had no power. Not over phoenixes or her fate. Cristo was the one pulling her strings now.

“You’re trying to protect them, but only howyousee fit,” Kel spat. “Everyone believes thattheyknow best. Thattheycan be the solution. The truth is that phoenixes don’t want you to protect them, and yet here you are, going against your gods’ wishes under the guise of worship.”

Bryna sneered. “For all your knowledge, you’re still such a naive little thing. You don’t think we would leave the phoenixes alone if we could? Phoenixes can’t defend themselves against council technology. This is humanity’s mess. It’s not a phoenix’s job to clean it up.”

Kel bit down on her tongue. She hated that she agreed with anything this woman said. Itwastheir mess. But beneath the weight of CAPR and council tech, what power did any of them have?

“You can’t care that much about phoenix safety if you’re out here waving knives around,” Kel taunted, keeping her freed hands clasped at her back. She just needed Bryna toturn… to give her a chance to flee into the darkness surrounding the glade. The distant screaming would lead her back to Savita.

Bryna raised an eyebrow. She reached into a pocket and retrieved Kel’s tele-comm, waggling it in the air. “Youwere armed with a weapon, too. Something that directly controls your phoenix. But you weren’t planning to use it, were you?”

Kel opened and closed her mouth. “I’m not going to help people who threaten me.”

Bryna pursed her lips. Slowly, with a steady grip, she lowered the blade.

Emotion tangled in Kel’s stomach. Knots of confusion and something else—something the same color as pity, but sharper—tumbled through her.

But Bryna’s eyes were averted, and she half-turned as she slotted the knife into a holster at her waist. It was the moment Kel needed. Moving as fast as she possibly could, she grabbed the log to her right and swung it toward Bryna’s head.

There was a sickening crunch as wood connected with bone, and Bryna crumpled to the ground with a moan. Kel sprinted toward the path they’d come along.

“Free your phoenix, girl,” Bryna rasped, as Kel fled into the darkness of the forest. “You know she wants it. She deserves it.”

Kel, swallowing the lump in her throat, refused to look back.

“If you ever change your mind,” Bryna cried, “you know where to find us.”

THIRTY-SIX

Kel leaped over fallen logs and slipped over hot moss as shadows hissed at her sides. She hurtled down the path until the ground opened up like a maw, and smoke and orange gales greeted her.

The clearing’s fire had calmed. Or, at least, new flames weren’t adding to the bright storm. A few wild phoenixes lazily picked at the ground at the edges of the clearing, though Kel couldn’t see a single rider or collared phoenix. She couldn’t see any other Fume members, either. Had the others managed to escape? Kel couldn’t bear to think of the alternative.

A symphony of unholy screeches echoed down the abandoned CAPR path in both directions. Phoenixes. But which ones? Distant trees ignited and flurries of orange streaked the air.

She glanced around the clearing once more, heart pounding in her throat—and sucked in a sharp gasp. Relief almost made her knees buckle. The Alchemists hadfinallythrown her a scrap of luck.

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