When Hormiz woke up, he and Zeke were still in each other’s arms. Dim daylight leaked through the tent cloth above them. Zeke slept with his head nestled on the edge of Hormiz’s chest and shoulder. His dark wavy hair smelled good, almost sweet. His skin was soft and smooth. The contours of firm muscles were artfully painted down his body. One tone leg stretched across Hormiz’s waist.

Hormiz felt… happy?

He approached the emotion with suspicion and dread. He’d never felt this way before. He was afraid of it and afraid to lose it. He didn’t deserve to feel this way, not after what he’d done. He didn’t deserve happiness. He didn’t deserve Zeke’s…

Was this love?

No. Impossible. They barely knew each other. This was an exchange. They were using each other. Hormiz hated Zeke. Zeke got everything Hormiz wanted. But none of that was Zeke’s fault, was it? No. It wasn’t his fault. He was good and kind and generous. Zeke was everything Hormiz wanted to be.

Was this love? Did he love Zeke?

He held Zeke tight. His hair smelled so good. Hormiz wanted to protect this feeling, to protect Zeke, to serve Zeke and make him happy. He owed Zeke so much. He owed him everything. He was so afraid of losing this.

Meanwhile, Zeke was waking up. His beautiful face looked up at Hormiz. They were so close Hormiz could see flecks of gold and green in Zeke’s brown eyes.

“Morning,” Zeke smiled.

Hormiz’s molten heart melted. Surely, this feeling was love. He brushed his fingertips across Zeke’s smooth cheek, tracing the curves of his jaw, neck, and shoulder.

“I have a question,” Zeke said.

“Hm?” Hormiz answered.

“That thing we did… How often will you need to do that?”

There it was. Hormiz started to panic. Zeke didn’t like it. Hormiz had taken too much out of Zeke and left him exhausted. What was the longest Hormiz could go without feeding? He didn’t know how days worked on this stupid planet. Lilith used to make Hormiz wait for at least five sleep cycles between feedings.

“Maybe every… seven days?” Hormiz answered fearfully.

“Oh.” Zeke sounded disappointed.

“It could be less!” Hormiz hurried to say. “It could be every ten days, I think. And I can wait longer. I just won’t summon fire.”

“No, you misunderstand me,” Zeke said kindly. “I liked it. It felt good.”

“It did?”

“Yes!” Zeke was emphatic. “It was incredible. I want to do it again. As often as you want.”

“Really?” Hormiz was skeptical.

“I’m serious! And I want to do it for you, too. I want you to feel it.” He sounded so sincere.

“Why? You won’t get energy from me. It doesn’t work the other way.”

Zeke laughed. “I don’t care about that. I told you before. I have energy to spare. I just want to make you feel good like you did for me.”

Beams of broken sunlight shined onto Zeke’s bright face. Hormiz saw him as if for the first time. There was no deceit or artifice to Zeke. He was true and generous. He was good.

So much better than Hormiz. Hormiz was broken and cruel. He didn’t deserve Zeke’s kindness. The warmth in Zeke’s eyes hit Hormiz like a branding iron. He pushed Zeke away, collecting Rowan’s ingot and exiting the tent.

Hormiz had no idea for how long they’d slept. It was bright out. Hormiz hated this alien planet, its weird plants, and terrifying horned beasts. He hated the wind and the constantly rustling leaves. He hated the birds and bugs and crawling, slithering creatures underfoot. But there was something else. A familiar scent amid the onslaught of forest smells. What is that? Is it… smoke?

Alarmed, Hormiz looked around.

Zeke stepped out of the tent saying, “I’m sorry if-”

“Shh,” whispered Hormiz. “Listen.”

Zeke took a defensive position and a longknife appeared in his hand.

Hormiz jumped onto a high tree branch to see their surroundings. There! Across the valley, a forest fire engulfed a hillside. Hormiz understood fire as he understood nothing else on this bizarre planet. It would be upon them in minutes. He jumped down to inform Zeke, “There’s a forest fire. We need to move. Now. We won’t be able to outrun it. We need to find shelter, a cave, or a wide-open clearing.”

Zeke nodded and his short blade disappeared.

Then suddenly, something quick and small flew between them, demanding attention. It was the size of a small bird or large bug, with insect wings, but resembled a tiny green person waving its arms and signaling them to follow.

Zeke and Hormiz looked at one another as if to silently ask, ‘Should we follow?’

“Whatever we decide, we need to do it now,” Hormiz said urgently.

“We should follow her,” Zeke answered.

And so they did. They raced after the flying little person for a long time, but the fire was faster, and soon Hormiz could hear the blaze roaring at their heels. The little flying person finally led them to a river and motioned for them to cross it, but the river was too deep.

“I’ve never swam before,” he quietly confessed to Zeke.

Zeke said, “No problem. I’ve got you. Take my hands and close your eyes.”

Hormiz frowned but allowed Zeke to give him orders this once. He held Zeke’s hands and closed his eyes, trusting Zeke.

“Now step forward,” Zeke said, gently pulling him.

Hormiz took two steps and felt a sudden wave of vertigo. He opened his eyes to see the water was on his other side. Zeke had moved them both across the river.

Zeke looked radiant, smiling proudly.

Hormiz felt like he should say something, but he only managed to grunt, “Hm,” before the flying little person demanded their attention again, pointing, waving, and signaling to follow. They didn’t have to follow much longer. In an open mossy glade, they came upon another flying little person.

She was slightly larger than their guide and dressed in red flower petals. She had an air of superiority and floated effortlessly in the air. Her movements were smooth and regal.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“Well met, sons of Rowan,” said the little bug person. “Were that it was under kinder circumstances. We are Queen Titania the Eighth. You may address us as Queen Titia or ‘Your Grace.’

“We’ve been watching you. We know why you’re here. And we can help you. But first, you must do a thing for us. As you’ve seen, a fire rages in the forest. This is no common fire. The Brothers of the Church are setting the forest ablaze. They intend to burn down every tree on the island. We cannot help you resurrect Rowan if we are dead. You must stop the Brothers from completing their mission.”

Hormiz and Zeke both almost fell over.

“Wait, you can bring Mama back?” asked Zeke.

Queen Titia nodded. “She was wounded, but her ingot remains intact and warm, does it not?”

Hormiz remembered he was still holding his mother’s ingot to his chest. It was indeed still warm. He nodded back.

“Then she slumbers. We can keep her alive with infusions of heat and energy, but to fully recover, her ingot will need to be placed in the lava beds of Inari.”

Hormiz had never heard of the place. “Then we go to Inari,” he said.

“It’s impossible,” Zeke whispered sadly. “Inari was destroyed.”

Queen Titia answered, “With the Bone Gauntlet, Inari can rise again.”

Zeke looked devastated.

“How?” demanded Hormiz.

Queen Titia said, “There are two ways to bring Inari back: the first would be to use the Bone Gauntlet and do it yourself. The problem is, you don’t know how to use the Bone Gauntlet. It would take a lifetime to master even the simplest feat. You’ll probably fail spectacularly, and almost certainly attract Adam’s attention, dooming yourself and any hope we have of victory in the process.

“The other option is to free the Catalyst Ikon and raise her to master her powers until she can restore Inari. Of course, that plan has problems, too. We have over two hundred daughters, and they all pose a unique problem. But the Catalyst Ikon herself is more likely to succeed at this task than you are.”

Zeke looked relieved but Hormiz was not.

“How do we free the Ikon?” Zeke asked.

“You don’t,” Queen Titia told Zeke. Then she looked at Hormiz. “He does.”

Confused, Hormiz said, “What?”

“Soul transference is kitsune magic,” said Queen Titia. “Only Hormiz can free the Ikon’s soul and guide her into a new vessel.”

“No, I can’t! I don’t know anything about kitsune magic; besides, I don’t want to free the Ikon. I want to use the Bone Gauntlet to kill Adam now.”

Queen Titia sighed imperiously. “Were we unclear? The Bone Gauntlet isn’t a sword or a weapon. You can’t just swing it. You have to understand the Ikon fundamentally, which you simply do not. Go ahead, if you don’t believe me. Try to summon lightning.”

Was she bluffing? Hormiz was angry enough to test it. He looked at Zeke and said, “Give me the Bone Gauntlet.”

Zeke hesitated. “I think this is a bad idea.”

“Give me the damn gauntlet!” Hormiz ordered.

Zeke frowned but opened his bandaged palm. The Bone Gauntlet appeared from wherever he had it stowed.

Hormiz took the gauntlet and gave Rowan’s ingot to Zeke, who quickly wrapped it in his shirt so as not to burn again.

Meanwhile, Hormiz slid the Bone Gauntlet on. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he expected something; instead, nothing. No charge or surge or sensation, at all. He might as well have put on a heavy glove. Feeling foolish, he did as the little queen dared him. He tried to summon lightning, but nothing happened.

“Ahh! Lilith made this look so easy!” he shouted.

“Lilith had advantages you do not,” Queen Titia said while rolling her entire head. “Now are you done? Or did you forget about the fire? The river you crossed will delay the flames a day or two, but Brothers will come to inspect their work and finish the job, and remember: if the Brothers burn down the forest, there will be no one left alive to help you resurrect Rowan.”

Zeke spoke quickly, “We’ll do it. How do we stop the Brothers?”

The little queen at last seemed unsure of herself, wringing her tiny hands. “We… don’t know. We know why they’re burning the forest down: they suspect fae live here. But they don’t have proof. We can’t kill them because that would give them proof. Church Brothers are assigned familiars that record and document everything. If anything were to happen to them, Adam would learn of it, then he would come and kill us personally. The only reason he hasn’t destroyed this entire island and everyone on it, is because he doesn’t care enough to bother. He thinks Safo is irrelevant. That is the key to our continued survival. We need you to convince these Brothers to leave some of the forest alive. Even a small patch would be enough.”

“Convince… them?” repeated Hormiz incredulously.

“In the most mundane way possible, yes. It cannot seem like magic or force. The Brothers have to report to Adam their task is complete or that completion would be pointless.”

Zeke spoke up, “What made them fear the woods enough to burn it all down in the first place?”

Queen Titia frowned. “One of our denizens projected a vision into the dreams of everyone on the island. That was enough to rouse suspicions.”

“So give the Brothers what they want,” said Hormiz. “Surrender this denizen and hope that satisfies them.”

“Not only is that cowardly and awful, it would confirm their suspicions and provide evidence that fae beings live in these woods,” she responded in disgust. “You have much to learn if you are to be any use in the fight against Adam.”

Hormiz advanced on the little insect person and summoned blue fire in the palm of his hand. “You have much to learn if you intend to survive the fire out there or the fire right here!” The little queen flew up quickly.

“Hormiz!” Zeke shouted.

Hormiz stopped midstep and realized he was making a fool of himself. He put his fire out and stomped back to stand next to Zeke.

Queen Titia was floating high above them. “He is not ready,” she pointed at Hormiz while speaking to Zeke. “But you might be. We will send for you.”

Then Queen Titia flew away, leaving Hormiz and Zeke to discuss her offer and their options.

The thundering crackle of the forest fire could be heard nearby, but the river was wide enough, at least for now, they should be safe. Notwithstanding the dangers all around them. Also, Zeke was looking murderous. “You just threatened a queen and our only ally in these woods.”

Hormiz got defensive. His voice got loud. “Morgan said to seek out Drya. That bug lady called herself Queen Titia. We don’t need her.”

“She might have led us to Drya!”

“What does it matter?! She’s probably lying to save herself. And even if she isn’t, what she’s asking is impossible! I’ve visited the dreams of Brothers before. They are so rigid! You cannot ‘convince’ them to betray Adam. They fear and worship him. We should just kill the Brothers quickly and prepare an ambush for Adam. We still have two Ikons.”

“No, we don’t! I’m still learning my powers, and evidently, that gauntlet is unusable.”

“I can learn to use it!”

“It’s taken me twenty years and I can only move things from one spot to another! You think you can master a fundamental aspect of the world in less time?”

“You want to wait another twenty years hoping someone else can do it better?!”

“The alternative seems to be ‘or death,’ so yeah, I like the other plan more.”

Hormiz yelled in frustration and stormed away. He still had the Bone Gauntlet. He just needed somewhere to concentrate, then he could access the Ikon’s powers; he was certain of it. Lilith had managed it somehow, and it didn’t take her twenty years.

Hormiz sat on a large stone by the river and closed his eyes. He concentrated on the soul in the Bone Gauntlet. Hormiz was kitsune and the grandson of Lilith. Dreams were his first playground. Queen Titia said soulbending was kitsune magic. Connecting to a dormant soul should be easy for him.

He tried to focus, but the constant sounds all around him made it impossible. There was no wind in Lilith’s City. There was no birdsong or rushing river. There were no crickets or frogs. It was so easy to concentrate there. He never had to ignore a cacophony before.

Hormiz imagined an endless darkness, quiet solitude. He saw the Bone Gauntlet. He felt the thing in his hands, the centuries of wear on it. But it was inert. Hormiz needed to go deeper. He imagined himself flying down, shrinking between grooves and cracks, down into the Bone Gauntlet itself, until he was again surrounded in endless darkness.

But was it still quiet? Or was there a faint cracking in the darkness? Was Hormiz alone, or had he invited into his mind a fundamental aspect of change, destruction, and rebirth?

There were no words; Hormiz got the sense that the mind surrounding his own had grown insane beyond words; but there was an idea of loss, rage, and violation. That idea overwhelmed Hormiz like waves of mud, burying him alive. He couldn’t breathe. Then came the pain. Electric currents and psychic fire immolated his consciousness. An untrained mind would have collapsed into a coma. It took all Hormiz’s considerable willpower to open his eyes, rip the Bone Gauntlet off, and throw it on the ground.

He screamed and sobbed as he’d never done in his life before. The intensity of emotions Hormiz felt when his mind touched the Ikon’s seemed to open up new pockets of grief and pain that Hormiz hadn’t known before existed.

Lilith stole him as a baby. She stole his life. She lied to him and turned him into a monster. She killed his parents. And even now, he was suffering to make her happy, to kill Adam, like she raised him to want.

Hormiz was on his knees in the fetal position when Zeke threw his arms around him. He didn’t say anything or try to calm Hormiz down. He just sat there, quietly holding Hormiz as he screamed and heaved with his face in his hands in the dirt.