Aiko was suddenly at my arm. “We have more fires, Mistress,” he said quietly.
“Lead the way,” I said.
Aiko led me through the city, and at each spot, we were able to put the fires out with the water that Rilen held aloft for us to use. It was also very clear that there was no pattern. The arsonists were wandering everywhere and anywhere and setting things alight.
In any spot we found people, we led them back to Frontier Square, and made sure they were seen to. Our third trip, Aiko asked about his father—and with no answer, he asked each time we were there.
Yuuto and Aoi had moved to the square to help supervise what was going on. Most people were safe. There were only a few homes that suffered real damage. With three druids rushing through the city, pouring water on things, it wasn’t hard to keep the fires under control.
The guards were exceptional—they were trained well and were quick to find and roust the arsonists. The arsonists were arrogant, and once we all saw what they looked like, wearing the livery of Savion’s Stronghold with some bizarre crown on the breast, it was then easy to spot them and collect them.
Belshazzar and Dorian didn’t bring quite as many back as Roran, Aiko, and me.
After fighting the fires for nearly two hours, we were able to stay in the square and leave to put out whatever flames rose up. A few people still trickled in here and there.
“Where are my parents?” Aiko asked. He turned and faced the large crowd behind us. “Has anyone seen High Master Reo Elkthorne or his wife, Suri?”
A murmured ripple passed through the crowd, but no one had an answer. Aiko glanced at me—I knew what he wanted to do. I nodded, and I motioned Roran to follow.
We were at the Elkthorne house in moments.
It was consumed in flames that didn’t reach into the sky. There were houses on either side burning the same way. I couldn’t decide if it was a new or old fire.
We hadn’t seen it because it was a lower house at the bottom of the rise. And without the billowing flames and smoke, there was no chance with all the rest of the city on fire.
“Mother!” Aiko screamed at the building. “Father!”
The crackling of the flames, along with the creaking of the house, made it nearly impossible to hear if there was any response.
“Mother!” Aiko walked closer as he yelled, “Father! Answer me! Mother!”
Then, just barely over the sounds, I heard the answer. “Aiko…”
Aiko tried to charge the front door, but Dorian was suddenly in front of him, shaking his head. “No. You can’t go in.”
“My mother is in there! Let me go!” Aiko snapped into full vampire.
Dorianflickeredand held himself over Aiko. “Don’t threaten me, boy. You cannot go in there.” He glanced over to the shadows next to us.
“Ugh.” Belshazzar walked into the firelight. “I’m only doing this because we need you to help get Gwen back and you’re going to be useless—”
“Bel!” Dorian snapped.
“Fuck off, little brother.”
But Dorian’s twin was gone in the next moment, disappearing through the flames.
Gwen wouldkillhim for this. I just knew it.
We watched silently as occasionally, a new sound would filter out. A grunt, a curse, a bang. The flames seemed to be growing, and I realized that this had probably been the last house they’d set ablaze.
I grabbed Aiko’s hand as he stared blankly at the inferno that had been his childhood home.
There was a great heaving sound through the fire, and the house creaked, shook—
—and collapsed.
Aiko screamed like no one I had ever heard before. Dorian’s eyes went wide with shock, and I could see a look of pure terror in them and felt it in mine, as well.
