That left the town guards.
Tomas felt a coldness descend over him as the cloud moved closer. His shoulders tensed, Miss Farrow’s voice grew muffled. He even forgot about the terrible heat. The cold ran through his veins, storming toward his hands.
So he clenched his fist into a ball, just like Ma had told him.
A group of soldiers appeared around the corner, scarred skin, sharp swords and grizzled faces. Yelps of delight rang out from the group as they spotted their target.
A short man with a bulging belly stepped forward before the group of gaping children, drawing a folded sheet of paper from his chest pocket. ‘Miss Elizabeth Farrow?’
‘Yes?’
He eyed her with distaste. ‘By the grace of the two suns, I hereby announce you under arrest for suspected collusion with an Ice Honoured. As is custom, you will be taken to the cells, and the fires of the suns will determine your fate.’
‘What do you–?’ Miss Farrow began, as rough hands crowded forward, dragging her away from the school children.
The children looked at one another, their routine thrown, voices rising in panic. Tomas watched the cruellooking soldiers, as Miss Farrow’s screams echoed down the lane, the group and their cloud disappearing from sight.
His heartbeat began to thrum in his ears.
Suspected collusion.
I met with Miss Farrow last night.
His legs carried him forward before he commanded them to. Soon, he was sprinting, away from the stuffy school, ignoring the children, back up the dusty lane, past the curious faces of people now standing on their porches. All the way back to where he’d started.
The door to their house was ajar. ‘Ma?’ His voice came between heavy breaths, floorboards creaking as he walked into the kitchen. Step-pa’s coat lay forgotten where he’d thrown it. Ma’s mug was shattered across the room. ‘Are you here, Ma?’ The kitchen, usually a hum of activity, replied with a deathly quiet.
His step-pa’s voice broke the silence. ‘What’re you doing here?’
Tomas remained cool despite the shock, turning slowly. Step-pa filled the doorway to the living room, empty alcohol bottle in his hand. And he certainly wasn’t smiling at Tomas now.
‘I’m looking for Ma.’ Tomas took an involuntary pace back, as his step-pa moved toward him.
‘It should be you they’ve taken,’ he slurred. ‘They made me say it was ’er, but it should be you!’ He reached over to the side, grabbing for one of Ma’s kitchen knives.
Tomas raised his arm instinctively, feeling the ice coursing toward his finger-tips. Remember to clench your fist, like this, Ma’s voice echoed in his head, when you feel the anger rising. He hesitated.
He pictured her face.
And he turned, sprinting for the door. A crash and yelp followed him as his step-pa gave chase. Tomas didn’t look back. Along the dusty lane, red dirt rising in the air around him. Past the wooden homes, a right turn, a left turn.
The windows and porches were empty now. The people drifted along the lanes instead, their curiosity turned to excitement. Tomas dodged past legs as the throng thickened, until he reached the main square.
And there she was.
Raised on a platform so everyone could see. A large pole was erected in the centre, and Ma’s arms were tied up above her head, her ankles tied tight down below. A ring of guards circled the platform as though she might burst free. She held her head up, face ashen, eyes desperate, as she stared around the crowd. Tomas knew she would be looking for him.
A figure stood in front of her, eyes roving up and down – just like how step-pa looks at a bottle of alcohol. Tattoos clawed up the figure’s arms, they reached up his neck, but stopped short of his pale white face. The Fire Honoured, Tomas realised. The Fire Honoured turned to the crowd as Tomas reached the front row. Red lips flickered into a smile, but the smile did not reach the suspicious red eyes whose gaze roved the square. Razor sharp teeth shimmered in the sunlight, and Tomas gripped his fist tighter than ever, as the thing began to speak.
‘This woman will be trialled as an Ice Honoured by the grace of the two suns,’ the voice rasped, the crowd falling silent as he spoke. He bowed his head in worship, from one sun to the other. ‘Let us purge the evil from her body.’
Tomas did not understand. Ma hasn’t done anything.
The Fire Honoured raised a piece of glass into the air, angling two beams of light. The straw at Ma’s feet began to smoulder. Then an orange flame sprung to life.
‘The suns have deemed her evil!’
The crowd at Tomas’ back roared in response. The flames leapt toward Ma’s dress.
Clench your fist like this. Ma’s eyes found Tomas’. She shook her head at him vigorously, before her back arched, her head flung back, and a scream of agony pierced the air.
The flames leapt higher, smoke obscuring Tomas’ view of her face.
‘May your icy soul burn in sacrifice to the suns!’ The Fire Honoured was circling her now, his teeth glistening, the crowd roaring.
Tears rolled down Tomas’ cheeks, hands pounding as the ice filled his veins. When you feel the anger rising… He watched her body begin to writhe, as she sought to escape the fire. It should be you.
It should be you.
Tomas dived between the guards, who were too busy watching the spectacle to notice. He clambered up on to the platform, landing in front of the Fire Honoured.
The red eyes fixed on Tomas.
Tomas stared back at the white teeth through tear-filled eyes, hands raised slightly in defence. The twisted smile grew as Tomas’ lip wobbled. Ma’s scream sounded once more.
Then Tomas unclenched his fist.
The ice rolled from him in a stream, hissing through the hot air. Tomas saw the narrow eyes widen in panic as the Fire Honoured desperately raised a hand to reply with a blast of flames. The stream hit him regardless. Tomas could feel it, sensing the ice forcing the fire backward through the red-hot veins. He followed it, pushing it on until he found the heart, driving the ice home, stopping the raging inferno with a tight squeeze.
The Fire Honoured collapsed with a loud thud.
Tomas turned toward the blaze. He could sense the guards clambering toward him. A punch in the back, and Tomas lurched forward, his face hitting the wooden boards. A second thump, and Tomas let out a gasp. He rolled on to his side with a push, desperate to see his Ma. All he saw was the raging flames grown tall, and the guard on his periphery pulling back his knife for a third strike.
Sorry Ma, Tomas thought, clenching his fist tight once more. Just as she’d told him to. I’m so sorry Ma.
the end About the author
Ed Newbould was born and raised in Yorkshire, where he worked as a HR Manager until at age 27 he decided to do some travelling. Following the completion of a six-month campervan trip around New Zealand, he hopped around SE Asia, writing as he went, and was still trying to find his way back to Yorkshire as this anthology went to press.
Ed has been writing seriously for around three years and has completed a fantasy novel, The Honoured, which he hopes to see published soon. In the meantime, he continues to enjoy working on short stories and novellas, as well as retelling tales from his travels around New Zealand and Asia. Check out some more of his work at www.ednewbould.com.