Page 118 of The Study of Fire
“She’s stubborn, intelligent, and determined, she’ll find a way. In the meantime, the only thing I need to know from you is if the Sitian Council can be trusted.”
Valek appreciated the pep talk. “At this point in time, they can be trusted.”
“And in the future?”
“That’s harder to determine. The councilors are elected; new people might be voted in. The master magicians are down to three. Zitora Cowan is now Second Magician, but she’s very young and impressionable. She looked up to Roze, swallowed all her lies. Zitora could become bitter and disillusioned, or she could learn from the experience and become stronger. Time will tell. And another magician, who we know nothing about, might pass the master-level test and join their ranks.”
Signe dismissed him soon after. Valek crossed to the Keep. He spotted the dining hall and wondered when he had last eaten. When he couldn’t remember, he altered his path.
Halfway there, Leif ran up to him. “Yelena! I contacted Yelena!”
Joy energized him in an instant. “What did she say? What’s going on? Is she coming back?”
Leif held up his hands. “I only want to say this once, so let’s go find Irys and Bain.”
Within half an hour, they’d assembled in Bain’s office. Valek sat on the edge of his chair.
“It was my turn to try to contact my sister. And like the billion and one times before, no response. I was about to disconnect when she said hello.” Leif pressed his hand to his chest. “I nearly fell out of my seat. I asked her to come back, but she said she can’t. I asked her why, but she wanted an update on what’s going on here first.” He huffed. “Typical. I told her everything and then she finally said she couldn’t return because someone has to keep the Fire Warper from regaining power.”
Bain interrupted. “Did you tell her about the texts? That we burned all the books on blood magic to prevent anyone else from learning those rituals. It about killed me, but it had to be done.”
“I did. But she said there are others like Roze and Gede who know how to perform the ritual, and, after we execute them, their souls will be sent to the fire world and will be able to communicate to anyone in our world who is determined to seek them out. Like Gede did with the Fire Warper. She’s afraid it will happen again. So, I responded by saying she was the Soulfinder, and asked her why she couldn’t send those souls somewhere out of reach.”
“And what was her answer?” Valek asked.
“That those souls don’t deserve to be in the sky.” Leif threw up his hands in frustration. “Then she ended the communication.”
They remained quiet for a while.
Bain broke the silence. “Bright side, we can talk to her. Perhaps we can help her figure out a way to return.”
Valek had mixed feelings. He wanted to be selfish and tell her to not worry about someone else contacting the Fire Warper, that they’d deal with that person like they had with Roze and Gede. On the other hand, Roze and Gede had killed so many before they could be stopped.
Over the next few weeks, Yelena talked to Irys, Bain, and Leif through the glass animals. Irys figured out that the magic encased inside the statues would eventually run out. It was a sobering discovery.
The trials of the Daviian Warpers began. For once, the Sitian Council was in complete agreement. All six were sentenced to death, including Roze. They would be hanged on the same sands where they had killed Moon Man and so many magicians. The sound of hammers striking nails as the gallows were built competed with the roar of the bonfire.
After the bodies of the traitors were burned into ash, the fire would finally be extinguished. Valek tried to argue, but even Yelena had agreed that it was time. It helped that she thought she could use any fire to cross over, but she still intended to ensure Roze, Gede, and the other warpers didn’t try to reach out from the fire world.
They committed the crimes, Yelena saved the world, and she was being punished for her heroic deeds. Valek hated the world sometimes.
He lay on the bed that still smelled of Yelena and stared at the ceiling. Valek didn’t know if he could survive in a world without her. Would extinguishing the bonfire douse the burning in his heart? Would he return to the cold, emotionless assassin he was before she entered his life. Or would that pain be with him forever, consuming his soul until there was nothing left but a hollow husk of a man?
Someone banged on his door. Valek jumped to his feet and opened it. Leif stood on the other side, bouncing on his toes.
“She found a way! She thinks it might work, but it might not. No sense getting our hopes up.” He grinned. Obviously not taking his own advice.
“Slow down. What might or might not work?”
“Sorry. Yelena’s return from the fire world. Let’s go wake Irys and Bain.”
Valek trotted after Leif, trying and failing to keep his expectations in check. They woke Bain and he mentally called Irys, who joined them in Bain’s office in record time.
“Wow, did you fly here?” Leif asked the Third Magician.
“On wings of magic,” Irys said. “Now, talk.”
“Yelena figured out a way to return to our world, but she isn’t sure it will work,” Leif said.
