The Fire Keeper (The Storm Runner 2) - Page 61
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We left the jungle and ran back to the temple, where Hondo and Ren were waiting.
“Where’s Ixtab?” I tried to catch my breath.
“She was here,” Hondo said. “Left a few minutes ago for the battlefield and didn’t look too happy. Hey, you okay?”
Questions flew at me, questions I didn’t have time to process, think about, or answer. Brooks gave Hondo and Ren the SparkNotes version as I rushed out to the platform and scanned the area. There. Ixtab stood near the waterfall across the field. I raced down the steps, followed by Hondo, Ren, and Brooks. We weaved between the sparring demons, who glared at us with murderous eyes, and made our way toward the waterfall.
“You can’t die!” Hondo shouted after me.
“Told you!” Brooks said.
I ran ahead, ignoring them both, thinking about Hurakan’s plea to trust him. “Ixtab!”
The demons’ shouts and grunts and clanging weapons were too loud for her to hear me. Ren tripped over a spear. Hondo helped her up without missing a stride.
By the time we got to the waterfall, a minute later, Ixtab was gone.
“Where’d she go?” I asked. I needed that death magic!
Brooks started to say something, when I spotted a flaming arrow zinging across the field. I watched in paralyzed horror as it zoomed right toward her back.
“NO!” I threw my hand up and leaped through the air, knocking her out of the way just as the arrow veered right. We tumbled to the ground, me landing on top of her.
“Zane! What’s wrong with you?”
I propped myself up and looked down at her reddened face. “The arrow—it was going to hit you! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
With a grunt, she shoved me off and rolled away. “What arrow?”
I pointed at the weapon, its flame now sputtering on the ground. “That one.” I looked around to see who had shot it. It was impossible to tell. Arrows zinged all over the place, and I realized we had just gotten caught in the middle of another drill. Or maybe the demon who fired it had wanted a moving target.
“Our clothes are like armor,” Ren whispered to me. “Remember?”
Hondo helped me to my feet. “Dude, I thought you said fire doesn’t listen to you.”
I went over to the arrow and was about to stomp out the fire with my foot, when I heard familiar faint whispers, but I couldn’t make out a single word.
“You made the arrow change course,” Ren said. “I mean, it all happened so fast, but you screamed and…it turned at the last minute.”
“I knew it!” Brooks said. “You have to be stressed out for the fire to listen to you. Let’s do it again. Maybe have a demon charge you or something.”
“But I didn’t even try,” I muttered. “And no, I’d rather not get attacked by another demon.”
It was like Ren said—everything had happened quickly. I hadn’t even thought about the fire, only that I couldn’t let Brooks get hurt. I picked up the arrow. As the flame died, I pulled its heat inside me and let it expand. Power raced through my body so fast I was sure I’d explode. The fire blasted out of my fingertips like a huge firecracker, throwing me back at least ten feet. I landed on my side with a bone-aching thud.
“Zane!” Brooks shouted, running over as I rolled to my feet.
“Are you okay?” Hondo said.
“That was awesome.” Ren was smiling. “Even the demons ran for cover.”
Trembling, I stared in shock at my fingertips—they were still smoking.
Quinn marched over, glowering. “Are you trying to blow up Xib’alb’a? We’re practicing our kill shots here and you’re shooting fire missiles?!”
“I…I didn’t mean…” I shook off the surprise, trying to stay focused. I wondered if I had gained power from being in Xib’alb’a, or did it have something to do with seeing Hurakan again? Stretching my fingers, I could still feel the aftershock of the eruption. Amazing!
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