Facing the Fire Read online

  Facing the Fire by Carol Beth Anderson

  Published by

  Eliana Press

  P.O. Box 2452

  Cedar Park, TX 78630

  www.carolbethanderson.com

  Copyright © 2018 by Carol Beth Anderson

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:

  [email protected]

  Cover by Mariah Sinclair

  Edited by Sonnet Fitzgerald

  Paperback ISBN: 978-1-949384-02-4

  First Edition

  Contents

  Be an Insider

  Characters and Places

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  A Note from the Author

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Be an Insider

  Insiders get updates on Carol Beth Anderson’s books, plus early cover and title reveals, notifications of sales, and more. Sign up at carolbethanderson.com.

  To the alpha readers and beta readers who improved every book of this series in ways most readers will never know

  Characters and Places

  The Golds

  Tavi (TAH-vee), short for Tavina Malin (Tuh-VEE-nuh MAY-lin), all-blessed

  Narre (NARR-ee) Holmin, touch-blessed

  Sall (SAHL) Almson, mind-blessed

  Tullen (TUHL-lin), stride-blessed and hearing-blessed

  Jenevy (JEH-neh-vee), ungifted

  Reba Minnalen (MINN-uh-len), sight-blessed

  Evitt (EV-it) Forning, mind-blessed

  Ash, real name Jerash Sheaver (JARE-ash SHAY-ver), touch-blessed

  Wrey (RAY), sight-blessed

  The Grays:

  Konner Burrell (Bew-RELL), ungifted

  King Relin (RAY-lin), formerly known as Aldin, stride-blessed

  Queen Camalyn (CAM-uh-lin), speech-blessed

  Remina Birge (Reh-MY-nuh BERJ), hearing-blessed

  Colonel Kav (KAHV) Stemming, ungifted

  General Tela Talger (TAY-luh TALL-ger), speech-blessed and touch-blessed

  Zakkur, royal guard, ungifted

  Rond, touch-blessed

  Osher (AH-sher) Vogan, Savala’s head safety officer, ungifted

  Curvis Sanno (KER-viss SANN-oh), royal guard, sight-blessed

  At the Meadow:

  Shola (SHOW-luh), twelve-year-old girl

  Urlo (URR-low), gate guard

  Elders: Aba (AY-buh), Bellika (BELL-ih-kuh), Huvlid (HUVV-lid)

  At the Monastery:

  Tess Malin, Tavi’s sister

  Bea (BEE), oldest monk

  Ven, monk, touch-blessed

  Deam Darrus (DEEM DAHR-us), a pilgrim

  Other Characters

  Duke Rogile (ro-JEEL) and Duchess Ora Gistler

  Tavi’s Parents: Jevva (JEV-uh) and Mey (MAY)

  Les Andisis (an-DIE-sis), safety officer in Oren, hearing-blessed

  Benisa Kariana (Beh-NEE-suh kar-ee-AH-nuh), Karian midwife

  Ellea Kariana (ell-LAY-uh kar-ee-AH-nuh), Karian midwife

  Kogar (KOH-gar), a butcher

  Rayel Shalsin (ray-EL SHAHL-sin), former tailor’s apprentice, touch-blessed

  Jarles (JARLS), safety officer

  Religious Names and Terms

  Sava (SAH-vuh), the giver of life, magic, and all that is good

  Kari (KARR-ee), the First Midwife who tamed magic when she gave her newborn son Savala a breath of life and blessing

  Savala (SAH-vuh-luh), Kari’s son, touch-blessed, the First Shepherd and first recipient of tamed magic. The city of Savala is named after him.

  Karite (KARR-ite), a sect of the Savani faith

  Kovus (KO-vus), a place of punishment in the afterlife

  Savani (suh-VAH-nee), the faith of those who worship Sava

  Savanite (SAH-vuh-nite), one who worships Sava

  Senniet (SENN-yet), a place of peace and joy in the afterlife

  Places

  Kingdom of Cormina (core-MY-nuh)

  Kovus (KO-vus), a place of punishment in the afterlife

  Oren (ORE-enn), a town in Cormina

  Savala (SAH-vuh-luh), the capital city of Cormina, named after the First Shepherd

  Senniet (SENN-yet), a place of peace and joy in the afterlife

  Tinawe (TINN-uh-way), a large city in Cormina

  The Meadow, a closed community thirty miles from Oren

  Chapter One

  Every life is a story crafted by Sava. We are each part of his massive, unfinished book. Its tales vary in length, and their plots are marvelously diverse. Yet each story shares an identical beginning and end. I am fortunate, for on most days, I participate in the beautiful beginning. Occasionally, I witness the tragic end.

  Birth and death: Both have taught me tremendous truths about life.

  -From Midwife Memoirs by Ellea Kariana

  Dying. I’m dying.

  Time-smoothed stone pressed against Tavi Malin’s back, the thick cotton of her clothing failing to shield her from the rock’s cold touch. It leached the warmth out of her skin, leaving gooseflesh behind.

  She lay across the seat of a stone bench, one foot on the ground. Her other leg leaned against the back of the bench, boot-clad foot in the air. Gravity had tugged the cuff of her pant leg all the way to her knee, and the cool wind tickled the exposed skin of her calf.

  One of her hands hung off the edge of the bench, and the other rested on the fabric of her shirt, over her heart. Thick, viscous fluid trickled from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were closed. An insect landed on her cheek, and she didn’t flinch or bat it away. Her slack lips parted just enough to release a low moan.

  Footsteps approached. Two pairs, if Tavi’s ears served her correctly. She moaned again, her wordless cry begging the pedestrians to notice her.

  The footsteps grew louder, then halted. From above Tavi, a man spoke. “She doesn’t look like she’s dying at all.”

  Tavi moaned again, even louder. She gripped the fabric of her shirt, her fingers rigid as claws.

  Another voice, this one female: “Not even a bit. I’ve seen plenty of dying people, and not one of them has managed to pass into Senniet with a foot spearing the air.”

  “The blood on her mouth is too bright.” The man sighed deeply as if this fact, above all others, offended him.

  “Ah, well,” the woman said, “what can we expect from an Outsider?”

  The footsteps resumed, gradually quieting. Tavi huffed, swung he
r top leg down, and sat up, nearly tumbling off the bench before she regained her equilibrium. She grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the thickened berry juice from her mouth. Looking at it, she had to agree with the man. It was far too red.

  “Judges came by already?”

  Tavi turned to her left to see Tullen approaching. She scowled. “Yes, and they weren’t very nice.”

  He sat next to her and gave her a serious look. “I agree; I’ve always found them to be terribly judgmental judges.” Tavi laughed, and Tullen grinned. “It’s your first year; most of the entrants have been doing this since they started school,” he said. “They’re experts.”

  “You really let five-year-olds pretend they’re dying?”

  “Meadow children start school at age four.”

  Tavi shook her head. “This is the strangest custom I’ve ever heard of. Why can’t you use your autumn festival to celebrate magic, like the rest of Cormina?”

  “Because we are not like the rest of Cormina.”

  Tavi recited the last phrase in unison with Tullen: not like the rest of Cormina. This was a common response to her questions. And it was true. In fact, she doubted whether the Meadow was like any other place in the world.

  Tullen’s hand came up to her hair, and she turned her face toward it. But before she could rest her cheek on his warm palm, he pulled his hand back, a brown leaf pinched between his thumb and forefinger. “This must have blown into your hair when you were doing your dreadful imitation of a dying contortionist.” He smashed the leaf in his fist and dropped the crumbling pieces on Tavi’s lap. “Autumn is when plants die, to be reborn in spring.”

  “True. But the Meadow could celebrate the beautiful autumn leaves, or the apple harvest, or any number of other things besides death.”

  “Well, yes. I suppose. But we only honor death as part of the cycle of life.” Tullen stood. “Care to take a stroll? You can see the master death imitators in action. Or rather, not in action.”

  In response, Tavi stood, and they began to walk. Sure enough, on this short street alone, at least a dozen people were simulating death or dying. Several lay on the ground, and Tavi noticed they all looked a lot more natural than she’d felt. The counterfeit blood she saw was a darker red, too. “Do you know how they get their blood to look so real?” Tavi asked as they passed a young girl lying in the grass with a frighteningly realistic fake wound on her forehead.

  “I have no idea; I never used the stuff.”

  “We’ll have to ask someone,” Tavi said. “For next year.”

  Tullen’s head swiveled, and his eyes met hers. “Next year?”

  Tavi shrugged and looked to her right. Stopping, she asked, “Is that boy attached to the tree with an arrow?”

  Together, they approached. Sure enough, what appeared to be a real arrow poked out of an adolescent boy’s chest. He stood straight, his back against a tree, and called to them in a hoarse voice, “I think they got me! The archers, I think they got me!”

  In the presence of such a performance, Tavi felt the need to whisper, like they were in a theater. She stood on her tiptoes and aimed her soft words at Tullen’s ear. “Will he win?”

  Tullen responded just as quietly. “I heard he got second place last year, so I’m sure he’s hoping to.”

  They moved on. After a few minutes, Tullen asked, “Do you really think we’ll still be here next year?”

  “Probably.” Tavi put her hands in the pockets of her trousers and grinned at Tullen. “After all, if I leave, people might tell me to wear dresses again.” When they’d arrived in the Meadow, it hadn’t taken Tavi long to realize the people there weren’t uptight about things like clothing choices. She hadn’t seen any Meadow women wearing pants, but she’d decided to take the risk. The first time she wore trousers and a shirt belonging to Jenevy’s younger brother, she’d gotten a few surprised looks, but no one had commented. Ever since, Tavi had worn that very outfit at least twice a week. She’d recently hired a seamstress to make her a shirt and pants of her own. Something that would fit just right.

  “I don’t think you’ll ever stop wearing pants, no matter what people say.” Tullen gave her a smile. “And there are a few other things to consider besides the comfort of your wardrobe.”

  Tavi released a small sigh. Tullen wouldn’t let her escape this conversation. “I can’t imagine having the plans and resources we need in less than a year,” she said. “Several years, more likely. I don’t like it any more than you do.”

  “If we’re waiting to have everything in place, we’ll be waiting forever. Konner’s monarchy will keep getting more powerful.”

  Tavi glanced Tullen’s way and found that his eyes were already on her. “You have no way of knowing that. Maybe the longer we wait, the more they’ll sabotage themselves. Anyway, we’re making good use of our time here. I think our meeting last week was particularly helpful.”

  Tullen didn’t respond. They’d had variations of this conversation countless times in the five months since they’d arrived at the Meadow with the other Golds. Tavi wanted to defeat Konner and the other Grays as much as her friends did. But they needed a better plan than they’d had on Liberation Day.

  They’d been so naïve, thinking they could defeat the Grays with little more than felt masks and optimism. Instead, Konner had murdered most of the Cormina Council and named a king, all in the space of a couple of hours. Eventually they’d fight the Grays again, but Tavi was determined that this time they wouldn’t move until they were prepared.

  So the Golds met as often as they could, analyzing whatever news came their way. Having Ash there was enormously helpful; he frequently remembered facts about the Grays that might help in the fight against the new monarchy. His willingness to help had convinced the Golds to trust the former Gray.

  The Golds also gathered for frequent training sessions to hone their magical and combative skills. Tavi knew they were all doing everything they could to prepare for whatever was ahead.

  “Want to go to the amphitheater and get a seat?” Tullen asked.

  “Sure.” They turned onto a wide gravel road and continued walking. To their left, the wooden fence of the Meadow towered above the trees. “It’s easy to forget there are enemies out there when we’re safe behind the fence,” Tavi said.

  “That’s exactly why I was hesitant to come here,” Tullen said. “The Meadow insulates us. And when the world out there is falling apart, it’s not fair or safe for us to be insulated.”

  A cry interrupted their conversation. “Help me!”

  It came from the side of the road, and when Tavi looked that direction, she couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s Shola!” she said.

  Shola was twelve years old, and Tavi had been tutoring her in reading each week. She was a sweet girl, feisty and funny. Tavi adored her, and Shola called Tavi her “new big sister.”

  At the moment, Shola was flat on her back. One of her legs stuck out from her short dress, but she’d folded the other leg beneath her. A vast amount of real-looking blood was on her bent knee and all over the ground under her. Nearby lay half a leg, complete with a long sock and a shoe. Tavi didn’t know how the girl had made a fake leg, but she wished she’d thought of it first.

  Tavi walked right up to her and whispered, “I’ve never seen a deader dead person, Shola.” The girl tried to repress the smile that tugged at her mouth in response. Tavi laughed and returned to Tullen.

  “She won last year,” Tullen said once they’d passed. Then he looked at Tavi. “We were talking about how insulated the Meadow is.”

  “No, you were talking about that.” Tavi gave him a bright grin. “I just made a comment about the wall, and then I was going to stop talking about politics and spend an afternoon enjoying these festivities.”

  Tullen raised an eyebrow. “You know we’ll discuss this later.”

  “I’m sure we will.”

  But Tavi couldn’t stop thinking about the world outside the walls. And about the utt
er absurdity of living in this community that had always been a mystery to her. Finally, she gave in to her whirring thoughts. “We didn’t have a choice,” she told Tullen. “We had to come here.”

  He sighed. “I know.”

  “And we’re lucky we made it out of Savala at all.” She blew out a loud breath, shaking her head.

  “Memories?”

  When Tavi nodded, Tullen put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a brief squeeze.

  Tavi still had nightmares of the terrifying evening when three safety officers bearing hand cannons had pounded on the door of the midwife house where the Golds were staying. It was just two days after Liberation Day, when Aldin had been introduced as King Relin. The officers were searching for Tavi and her friends and also for Ash and Wrey. Tavi had heard the armed men scream at Benisa Kariana, the head midwife, demanding to come in and look through the house.

  Despite the frightening parts of the memory, Tavi grinned. She looked at Tullen and saw the same expression on his face. “Narre was amazing, wasn’t she?” she asked.