DECEMBER 844 AQE
Water splattered Lian’s boots and the hem of her dress with every step she took. It had rained during the night, a heavy cleansing rain judging by how deep some puddles were. The warm front coming from the coast was the only reason it hadn’t been snow. That would have been more bearable. She didn’t particularly care for damp weather and hated the feel of being soggy. At this early hour, with her mood so bleak, the gloominess seemed rather fitting.
It’ll all probably freeze tomorrow… The glum thought was a whisper in the back of her mind.
She’d awoken much earlier than usual so she could slip out of the house without her father noticing. They hadn’t spoken to each other since their argument. Lian stayed in her room, even when Taoru had brought dinner. She’d felt too guilty to enjoy the meal she should have been the one to prepare but forced herself to eat it anyway. There was enough hurt between them right now without adding something else to the pile, and after all the exertion, her body was hungry.
This morning, she’d had to skip swiping something out of the pantry for breakfast. The sight of Taoru asleep in a chair in the main room of the house had taken her by surprise. She didn’t want to risk disturbing him and getting herself caught awake so early. Not only did she want to avoid a conversation, she also didn’t want him figuring out what she was about to do.
Lian’s resolve had never been more firm. She had made this decision of her own free will, and nothing her father said would change her mind now. Discussing it would only drive the wedge further between them. She hoped he would understand if the deed was already done and he could no longer do anything to stop it. Perhaps then he would see how much this meant to her…
Turning the last street corner, Lian wasn’t surprised to see young men were already gathered in the courtyard outside the warlord’s estate. She wondered how many, like her, had snuck out and how many in contrast were goaded into being here by their families. By a rough count, there were only five or six in attendance today. She had been present not so long ago when the recruits were squeezed into the open space like fish caught in a net. The irony of that comparison was not lost on her.
Standing near the gate, flanked by several soldiers, Captain Juzo stood at attention. His eyes surveyed the bunch that had shown up, but his face held no expression. If he had any strong thoughts on the matter, he kept them to himself. That is until he saw Lian striding up. For a second, he seemed pleased but embarrassment washed it away, his skin flushing.
Lian didn’t let this sway her. She didn’t care about his feelings; she was here to become a true warrior.
“I’d like to volunteer,” she announced boldly, stopping just in front of Juzo. “I want to serve Warlord Nagisa.”
Before Juzo could settle on a reply, one of the young men let out a bark of laughter. It earned him a withering glare not only from Lian but the captain as well. The heckler was not deterred.
“Go home and knit a sweater or something, girl.” He elbowed his buddies, who nodded, muttering agreement. “Little dolls like you have no place going to war.”
Fire flashed through Lian’s chest, reflecting in her gaze as she turned fully to face the pest. “What’d you call me?” she challenged.
“Oh, you heard me, doll.” His friends chortled, one patting him on the back like he’d just achieved the biggest accomplishment of his life. “I know who you are… You’re the sculptor’s daughter.” He crept toward her, not realizing he was only digging himself deeper. “Why don’t you run home and tell him to come sign himself up instead of sending a little girl in his place? Better yet, don’t. Warlord Nagisa needs warriors, not cowards.”
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Lian felt like he had reached into the depth of her soul and dragged the darkest, vilest thought from within her that he could find. It squirmed in the open air, goading her, mocking her, and she had no defense because it had come from her. She was dimly aware of Juzo trying to step in and tell the young recruit to back off, but his efforts came too late…
It happened so quickly she didn’t remember the exact moment she’d decided to swing. Fueled by her self-contempt, Lian was already in motion, her fist connecting with the jerk’s jaw so hard there was an audible crack.
As his body dropped to the flagstone with a thud, the rest of the men in the courtyard stared in dumbfounded shock at the small woman who had just laid out a man twice her size in one blow. Even Captain Juzo looked stunned.
Feeling good for the first time since nearly dying the day before, Lian quirked her lips into a frightening grin. “Who’s next?”
“Now, hold on—” Juzo raised his arms and started forward, but he was once again far too late.
One of the young man’s friends hurled himself at Lian, meaning to tackle her, but she sidestepped out of his path. Simultaneously, she raised her foot up, just enough so that as he flew by, it caught his leg, tripping him. By then, the others were leaping at her as well, all of them making a unanimous decision to teach her a lesson in respect.
Lian’s inner fire roared within her, yearning to be freed, to purge the courtyard of everyone and everything. Perhaps then the festering doubt that had been called into the light would also be snuffed out, and she would return to being the girl who revered and adored her father. She fought the tears that threatened to fill her eyes with the same ferocious strength she used to fight the young men.
She strained against the impulse to lose control, struggling to let her fire out in minuscule bursts. She’d been taught to use it as an accelerant, to increase her power and velocity, never to let the flames themselves show lest her true abilities be revealed.
Control your emotions. Anger has no place in your heart!
Taoru’s voice echoed faintly in her mind, but she could barely hear it over the inferno raging in her ears. She was drowning in pain, sick to her very core at all she had thought, said, and done. Her father’s hurt face flashed in her mind, tearing at her fragile control even more.
What am I doing here? When did I become a terrible daughter? I don’t want to be here! I want my—!
She caught a glancing blow from one of her assailant’s fists and felt the world rush back to her. Knocked off balance, she threw up her hand and conjured a gout of flame in order to compensate. The move kept her from being thrown off her feet and gave her enough momentum to deliver her own strike. Unfortunately, it had also given someone the opportunity to get behind her; thick, muscular limbs grappled her torso, locking her arms to her sides.
Lian started laughing, still half-crazed by her rampaging emotions. She summoned fire, imagining it boiling in her belly, penetrating through her muscle and sinew into her skin like a cast-iron furnace. Two of the goons raced forward, fists raised to deliver so-called justice to the stupid girl who had dared attack them all head-on. Not a single blow landed.
Her laughter turned into a cry of anguish and then was drowned out as a great plume of fire burst from her mouth. The young men in front of her yelled and dove out of the way, narrowly escaping the fire Zosara’s searing breath. The one holding her shouted as well and let go, his hands and clothes scorched by the excessive heat pouring through her body.
Though it only lasted seconds, Lian’s blatant display of magic was enough to stop the brawl in its tracks. None of the men looked like they wanted to keep fighting her, even as she collapsed to one knee, gasping for air. Likewise, the soldiers all hesitated, looking to Captain Juzo for guidance.
Barely aware of her surroundings, Lian didn’t see the brief, gleeful smile that flitted across Juzo’s face. She was just awakening to the realization of what she’d done, terror wrapping like black tendrils around her heart. In that moment, she understood what Taoru had been trying to teach her, why he had not wanted her to fight. It all fell into place far too late for Lian to take his lessons to heart.
“A Zosara…?” someone whispered, their voice caught between fear and reverence. The statement was followed by more murmuring and uncertainty.
Lian pushed herself back to her feet, ignoring the exhaustion caused by using all her energy in that one instant. She wasn’t sure what would happen now, but she knew that getting home was her sole focus; Taoru would know what to do!
“Easy now, Lian…” Juzo was trying to advance, his steps cautious, like he was approaching a wild animal. “By law, I must take you into custody…”
She was shaking her head, shifting away from him, knowing with absolute certainty she couldn’t surrender herself. “No, I…” She glanced around and saw the street openings were blocked by guards.
Damn!
There was only one way out now.
Lian spun on the spot and bolted for the courtyard wall.