Mountain Fire

Belanore

Winter

The first rays of sunlight broke over the city like bright, glittering fingers of the gods sweeping aside the darkness. Inej shivered and pulled the worn shawl that had belonged to her mother tighter around her shoulders as she watched the city out the window. She had been sitting on the edge of the narrow, thin mattress she called a bed for the last hour, waiting for dawn.

She drew in a long breath and grabbed her bag as she stood. Her eyes scanned the living quarters that had been her home for the past four years. It wasn’t much. In fact, it could barely be called a residence. The walls were cracked and looked as if they might buckle at any moment. Her only lock was the chair she wedged against the door. Many might turn their noses up at the state of it, but it had been hers.

It had taken minutes to pack up her meager belongings into the bag. Now, as she looked about the space, she wondered where the past years had gone. She had fallen into a rut without even knowing it. Or maybe she had known.

She had a mundane life, cleaning the homes of the wealthy while scraping together enough coin to keep a roof over her head and food in her belly. Sometimes, she went without a meal, just to ensure she had a place to lay her head. Too many years without had made her cherish her teeny flat all the more. And she had sworn never to be without a home again.

Yet, here she was, walking away from all of it.

A part of her fought against the idea of leaving. To venture not just out of the city but into an unknown region. To do something she would normally never do. All her life, she had fought to have a home, food, and clothing. There was no assurance she would make it to her destination. Even less, that she would complete her mission.

If she did succeed, if she did return, then she would figure things out then. No use worrying about any of it now.

Inej turned to the window once more. A ball of red-orange rose higher, banishing the last vestiges of fog and darkness. Every night, she had gone to bed looking up at the stars. Every morning before heading out to work, she had gazed outside. Not at the people, but at the sky. Not to dream of a life that was out of her grasp—she was much too practical for that. Instead, she looked at the beauty above her. Whether it was raining or the sky was clear, day or night, it didn’t matter.

She didn’t have friends. She wasn’t the sort to open herself up to such associations, but Krata hadn’t seemed to notice. The petite girl, with her bright blue eyes and sunlit hair, seemed to be made of joy itself.

The opposite of Inej in every way.

No matter Inej’s tone, no matter her words, Krata’s smile never wavered. Nor did her insistence on them being friends. Krata only ever saw the good in others, and for some reason, that included Inej. She thought Krata a pest, someone who just couldn’t take the hint that they weren’t wanted.

Inej had no choice but to tolerate her since they worked the same cleaning job. Krata talked endlessly, spinning wild stories out of thin air. Never caring that Inej never commented. And somewhere along the way, Inej began to enjoy the stories and the way Krata always waited so they could walk to work together. Then, one day, Krata wasn’t on the street corner.

Unease gripped Inej as she walked to work alone, and it only grew when Krata never showed. When a second day passed without Krata, Inej went to check on her. But Krata never answered the door. The third day without her, and Inej began to fear the worst. Still, she searched the city, asking others if they had seen Krata. Their answers were all the same: nay. Inej had no choice but to acknowledge that Krata—the girl she had refused to befriend, yet had—had vanished like so many others.

Krata had been kind and good-natured. She deserved better. And fate had seen to it that Inej could get vengeance on her behalf. It was a poor apology for Inej being so horrible to her when Krata was around, but it was something she could give. And she did it willingly.

She looped the handle of the bag over her shoulder and walked out of her flat without a backward glance. The city’s streets were already teeming with people, and poverty was everywhere she looked. Yet it was also an area where others were the most giving to those in need.

Belanore was one of two cities in Shecrish. It was situated to the north, while Rannora sat to the south. Inej meandered through the streets heading east, in the opposite direction she usually walked to work. She rarely ventured out of the city into the rainwood. Now, she intended to not only leave the city but also head to the mountains. But she wasn’t going in blind. She had a map.

Her heart knocked wildly against her ribs with every step. It felt wrong, strange, not to show up for her job. Though now that she thought about being a human who intended to go up against an elf, perhaps that was why she was so anxious. It was insane to contemplate such an act, yet she refused to change her mind.

The closer she got to the edge of the city, the more apprehensive she became. She could turn back, go home. But she would always wonder what might have happened had she kept walking. So, she continued on. She hadn’t done anything for anyone after her mum died. Krata forcing friendship on her made Inej realize just what she had been missing.

She couldn’t turn back time and be a better person. The only thing she could do was get payback. And maybe, if she were lucky and the gods favored her, she would stop future abductions.

The alley narrowed as Inej cut between buildings. She turned the corner and drew up short at the sight of the Star Elf casually using the wall to hold himself up. He had one foot propped against the stone as he folded a small piece of paper, turning it around in his fingers. The top portion of his long, silver hair was gathered at the back of his head.

He didn’t look up as he asked, “Heading out on a journey?”

Inej glanced behind her to make sure no one else was there. Then, she eyed the elf. He wasn’t blocking the way exactly, but she would have to pass him to get where she needed to go. Elves controlled Shecrish because they had magic, and they far outnumbered the humans. She had seen them be cruel far more than she had witnessed their kindness. It was why she made a habit of never underestimating them. Or giving them a reason to turn on her.

“I am,” she eventually answered.

“You packed light.”

She frowned, confusion and disquiet building within her. He spoke as if he knew her, but she had never seen him before. She studied the stretch of space she’d need to use to slip past him. Even if she inched along the opposite wall, he could easily grab her. It might be better to turn around and find another way.

“I’m no threat,” he said. “To you,” he added, almost like an afterthought.

This was getting stranger and stranger. “I never said you were.”

Dark purple eyes briefly met hers, the color intense and bold. “Your body language says otherwise.”

“Who are you?”

He shrugged one wide shoulder. “I have many names.”

“Give me one.” She regretted the command the moment it was out of her mouth. Despite his relaxed appearance, the Star Elf reminded her of a coiled viper waiting to strike.

He chuckled as he dropped his foot to the ground and turned so that only one shoulder made contact with the building. “Names aren’t as important as many think.”

“Will you let me pass?”

“Of course. I never intended to stop you,” he replied, his expression still amused.

She wasn’t sure if he enjoyed toying with her or not. The more time she stood with him, the longer it would take for her to reach her destination. She wasn’t sure why she decided to walk past him, but she did. To her astonishment, he straightened and pressed himself flat against the façade to give her more room.

“Good luck,” he said when she drew even with him.

She found herself looking into his purple gaze for a heartbeat too long, then jerked her eyes away. She waited until she got to the end of the alley before allowing herself to look over her shoulder. But the elf was gone.

Inej turned in a circle, making sure he hadn’t snuck up behind her somehow. There was no trace of him, however. It was almost as if he hadn’t been there at all. She shook off her paranoia and continued on her journey.

The entire plateau was one huge rainwood. Belanore, like its sister to the south, Rannora, had been hacked out of the forest. It was easy to forget that as long as she was within the bustling metropolis, but the closer she got to the outskirts of the city, the more visible the woods became. Mammoth trees stood like daunting sentries around the perimeter, as if waiting for the time they could reclaim the land once more.

She usually saw the rainwood from the tower near the city center. It didn’t seem as imposing as it did when standing within it. Perhaps that was why she preferred to remain in the city. It was a world she knew well, from the dangerous animals who attempted to prey on her to where she could hide. The rainwood was a different jungle altogether. She knew little of the plants she should stay away from, and even less about the various animals that could kill her if she wasn’t paying attention.

Inej hesitated at the edge of the rainwood and stared into the dense foliage. Anything could be waiting to devour her just steps inside. But there was a looming threat all over Shecrish, and it wasn’t going away. It, in her opinion, was far more dangerous than anything the rainwood or the Dangerous Peaks held.

She squared her shoulders and stepped into the forest. The air changed instantly. Gone was the dirty, slightly heavy city air. In its place was air thick with sticky heat and rich with the scents of earth and green things. She tied the ends of her shawl together as she wove her way through the vegetation. She glanced at the sky every now and again to make sure she kept her bearing. The intersecting canopy made it difficult, but she found a way.

The map was secure in her bag, tucked between the food she’d scrounged together and the box that held her revenge. She put her hand on the outside of the bag where it rested against her hip. She kept her pace quick, her ears open, and her gaze vigilant. A few times, she heard voices and hid until they were gone. When she came to one of the many roads dissecting the rainwood, she hurried across and blended into the underbrush once more. She ate as she walked to make up the time she’d spent talking with the Star Elf. It wasn’t until she spotted the mountains looming ahead through the trees that she paused to tear off another portion of bread.

As she chewed, she allowed herself a sigh of relief for getting through the rainwood unscathed. One obstacle down. But the next hurdle was even more intimidating. She leveled her gaze on the formidable mountains, their white peaks disappearing into the thick clouds.

She dusted off her hands when she finished the bread and headed toward the foothills. They looked easy enough to traverse at a distance, but the closer she got, the taller and steeper they became. She forged ahead, no matter the cost. She put her foot on the first rock and started the climb.

Inej didn’t look back. Only one other knew where she was going. Whether she succeeded or not, no one would know her name, which was how she wanted it. She wasn’t doing this for glory or recognition. She was doing this because Krata had broken through decades of barriers and made her feel something again.