Feudlings In Smoke (Fate On Fire Short Story) by Wendy Knight Read Free Book Online Page A

blew over his head. Dani leaped forward and pushed her hand to the doorway, letting the spell dissolve, and the doorway closed.
    “Ari's still in trouble. There aren't enough Edrens—”
    “Will! You almost died out there. Because of the Edrens!” Ward bellowed, pulling him to his feet. “Will you think about that for a second?”
    Will paused, breathing hard. He ran a shaking hand through his hair, grimacing as soot fell around him, onto his carpet. That would be fun to clean up. “I took a lot of those Edrens down though,” he finally said, grinning.
    Ward rolled his eyes and laughed, a nervous, frightened sound.
    “You almost died… saving me,” Dani said quietly.
    Will took her hand, running his thumb across her palm. “Always. Where are you hurt?”
    “Just my side. It isn't bad. I'm sorry, Will. My mom will send that e-mail soon and I don't know what else to do—”
    Will's head jerked up like a puppet. “E-mail.” He smacked himself in the forehead. “Carules get their orders by e-mail?”
    Dani frowned. “Yeah, didn't you hear my mom—”
    “Ward, heal her? I'll be back!” He turned and ran to his office, letting his fingers fly over the keyboard. E-mails. How had he not known this? Edrens used their cell phones, but it took forever to call every warrior, because they had homes all over the world. Usually, they utilized groups that were closest to the battle, but it still required advanced planning because they didn't live in barracks together. For the Carules, e-mail would be instant, and could contact thousands at once. All he had to do was block that e-mail.
    It was child's play.

Chapter Five
     
    Will felt pretty good about himself. He'd fought in a battle and hadn't died. That was always a bonus. It was the first time he'd been outside the colony in years. So that was fun, too. But the best part was that he had saved his sister from inside the colony. All in all, a good day.
    Until Ari came home.
    On the phone, requesting a saldepement , she sounded sweet enough. He should have realized it was all a ruse. As soon as the doorway opened she stormed through with all the power of a hurricane, shaking off a shroud spell as she did. “Have you lost your mind, Will?” She swore, twice, her eyes spitting fire. “Do you have any idea how close you came to dying?”
    He grinned at her.
    “Stop that! I almost lost you!” she bellowed.
    He tried to rearrange his face, but he wasn't fast enough. Sparks lit at her fingers, which was saying something since she only had so much magic and should have just used quite a bit of it fighting. “Ari, I had to do something. They could have killed you—”
    “I can't be killed, Will! The Carules Prodigy wasn't there! He doesn't fight!”
    “What if the prophesy is wrong, Ari?”
    She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “It isn't. How did you know to come, anyway?”
    “Dani's mother told us.”
    Ari paled, so much so that her dark eyes looked like orbs in her face. She paced, which was apparently a family trait. “Do you realize how much danger that put them in? If the Council finds out, Will, they'll use that against her. They'll use her family—”
    “I know. They'll use her family to get to me, to get to you. I told her that. She didn't believe me.”
    It was then that Will finally caught sight of the burns on her arm, traveling up her shoulder. The gear on her side was badly damaged, too. “You're hurt.”
    She threw her hands up. “Of course I'm hurt. I'm always hurt! Stop changing the subject.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “And don't you try to feed me any of that yucky tea again.”
    He laughed. He couldn't help it. “I'll ask Ward to come heal you. He had to heal Dani today so he's all warmed up.”
    The sparks died instantly. “Dani got hurt?”
    Oh. He probably shouldn't have mentioned that. “Yeah, she came with me…”
    “And. You. Let. Her?” she yelled.
    “She went first, actually. I was lucky to just get a