Eagle's Guard

Chapter 6

“She won’t wake,” she said, her voice cracking. She wiped her cheek and Aiden wondered how she could look beautiful even with the layer of grime across her elegant face.

“Can you move?” said Aiden.

She pushed herself onto her feet, wincing as she almost lost her footing. Her gaze dropped to the woman. “She needs you more,” she said, her hands balling into fists. Her face was turned from him, her shoulders tensed. How could she be so brave?

“I’ll be back for you,” said Aiden. The fire was not so high yet. He would have time. She gave a tiny nod.

Aiden lifted the woman onto his shoulders, silently thanking his father for the hours spent lifting heavy reams of cloth. The woman stirred but did not awaken. Aiden moved quickly towards the stairs, sweat mixing with the dirt on his face. Dark smoke poured up the stairwell and he coughed, pulling up the collar of his shirt to cover his mouth. He started down the stairs, the crackle of flames growing louder. The building groaned again and gave a violent spasm. Aiden swayed to the side, straining against the weight of the woman. He righted himself and hastened on, the black tendrils of smoke becoming flickering reds and oranges as he descended.

A few feet from the ground Aiden pulled back. The bottom steps were gone. For a moment he stood frozen. The fire cracked to his right, spitting sparks, the air scorching his face. Aiden jumped. He landed heavily, staggering forward and twisting his body before both he and the woman fell into the flames. A few more steps and then he burst through the jagged gap of the doorway into the arms of a person. He could not get his eyes to focus, but he felt the weight of the woman lifted from his shoulders.

Aiden turned, shielding his eyes against the glare of the blaze. The image of the girl burned in his mind stronger than the fire. He had promised to go back for her.

A soldier of the City Guard caught his arm. “It’s too dangerous boy. I’m sorry, but whoever’s still in there is as good as dead.”

“No!” Aiden shook free of the man’s grasp. She would die if he did not go back.

Once more Aiden jumped through the flames. Ahead fire consumed the wooden boards of the stairs, glowing brilliant shades of red and white, threatening to crumble more of the steps to ash. The heat seared his skin through his clothes. It felt like the very air was being sucked from his lungs. He drew Peith, the swift, a zig-zag of light and threw the rune at his feet. He ran and leapt with all his might, urging Peith to carry him over the void where the bottom steps had been, the fire leaping after him.

Aiden’s feet landed solidly, the step splintering underneath him. Using both hands and feet he propelled himself forward taking three steps at once, the speed of Peith coursing through his limbs. Wood crumbled beneath his feet, flaking away in clouds of ash as the fire licked at his heels.

He passed the second floor, a tremor racing up behind him, cracking the already charred and weakened wood. Aiden pushed himself faster, muscles burning. Something snapped and jerked him to the side. Then the stairs dropped from underneath him.

Aiden jumped, reaching out with both hands as the speed of Peith carried him on. The floor above loomed closer and his arms caught the edge. He screamed as he slid back. His fingers clawed at the floor, finally snagging on a groove in the wood. He jerked to a halt, his body dangling over an abyss.

With a cry Aiden hauled himself up and crawled away from the edge. He looked down at his shaking hands. If he had missed… If he had fallen… He turned his head, swaying as dizziness washed over him.

“You came back,” whispered the girl.

Aiden got to his feet and took a few shaky steps towards her. They were not safe yet. Not by a long way. The way out was gone.

He grabbed the girl’s hand and pulled her to her feet. He drew Dair, strength, and placed it in her open palm, watching as the slanting line and wide zig-zag of the rune spread its golden light through her body. She pulled back from him, fixing him with an unwavering stare. Whether she was angry or afraid or just plain surprised, Aiden could not tell. “Can you walk now?” he said.

She took a hesitant step and nodded, glancing down at her leg.

The floor shuddered. A splintering crack ripped through the building. Aiden staggered forwards, catching the girl’s flailing arm before she tumbled backwards. He held her tight, a wave of dizziness washing over him. They were going to die. To jump down would kill them both instantly. To wait would be to succumb to the fire. He looked at the girl and saw the same thoughts reflected in her eyes. No. He forced the thoughts away. He was not going to give up.

A glimpse of silver caught his eye and Aiden saw what he had not noticed before. The stairs continued up.

With the girl’s hand clasped firmly in his, Aiden pulled her towards the stairs. Below them part of the floor cracked and broke off, crashing down through the flames. The girl stumbled, crying out and grasping her leg. Aiden pulled her back to her feet, dragging her onto the stairs as flames devoured another floorboard. He put her arm around his shoulders and half lifted her up the steps. Flames caught below them, racing up the dry wood, trying to devour them.

At the top they crossed the room to the nearest window which was somehow still intact, the glass shining with the heat. Aiden cast around for something, anything, that would clear their path before the fire reached them. He grabbed a chair and swung it, smashing the glass. The roar from below grew louder, as if the fire was straining to catch them. Aiden climbed onto the windowsill. Vague shouts rose up from the ground, but he refused to look down. The girl leaned out after him and watched as he pulled himself onto the roof. He rolled onto his stomach, reaching back down.

“Take my hands,” Aiden shouted.

She hesitated, then firmly pressed her lips together and climbed onto the windowsill, reaching up to grab his hands. Her grip was strong as she pulled herself up beside him. Together they crawled up the steep slope of slate to the top of the roof and stood looking out. A gaping smoke-filled chasm lay between them and the next building. There was nowhere else to go. They had outrun the fire into a dead end. All that remained was for the flames to eat them up with the rest of its prize.

A mighty crash sounded and the whole world seemed to tremble. Aiden took the girl’s hand in his, her touch cool after the heat of the fire. Their eyes met and for a moment Aiden could almost forget that he was about to die. The blue of her eyes was like a cloudless sky, her hair like autumn leaves swirling in the wind. Her grip tightened on his.

“It’s a good view from up here,” said Aiden, forcing a smile to his lips.

Her mouth twitched and if the circumstances had not been so dire he imagined she might have smiled back. “Yes,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the smoke.”

The roof shifted beneath their feet and they fell against each other. Aiden caught hold of her, refusing to let her fall even at the last.

Then the building collapsed.