Trial by Fire

She stared at Rowan, her thoughts turning over rapidly. “Lillian can do it? She can firewalk and live?”


“She started with little things, like holding her hand over a flame for five minutes.” Rowan paced in a circle, dragging his fingers through his hair. “And at first, she hurt herself. A lot. I had to heal her over and over again. It took years for her to be ready for the pyre.”

“But she was young, right? She hadn’t come into her power yet, had she?”

Rowan stopped pacing and looked at Lily, his eyes sad. “Just once in your life, please listen to me. You’re not ready to firewalk, Lily.”

Lily looked around at the camp. Men and women were focused and united as they prepared themselves for war. They had their scientists back and the promise of an independent future if only they fought for it. She could feel their optimism, their hope for a better life for their children, and she knew Rowan was right. They had no idea what they would be facing. Lillian’s bewitched army would mow them down.

“If I don’t go to the pyre, are you still going to fight?” she asked.

He looked away.

Answer me. Are you going to fight, even without my strength?

Yes.

Even if that means you’ll die?

Yes.

“Then what difference does it make if I die on the pyre or not?” she said, taking his hand. He looked baffled for a moment, and then his face changed suddenly to pleading.

“Don’t do this for me,” he said.

“I know. And it’s okay, Rowan,” she replied. She thought about Lillian, and how she was so willing to hurl herself across the universe and into the unknown for this man. She smiled at him. “I get it now.”

“There you are!” Juliet called out, relieved. She ran over to Lily and grabbed her arm, pulling her away from Rowan before he could protest any further. “We have to get you out of here. Lillian’s having a pyre built on the wall. The sachem told me he wants you and the scientists to hide in the woods.”

Lily paused. She looked over Juliet’s shoulder at all the people who would die tonight without her.

“Where is the sachem?” Lily asked. “I want to see him.”

“I’ll take you.”

Juliet led Lily and Rowan a short way through the camp. When they joined up with the sachem, they found all three of the scientists were with him, along with Caleb and Tristan. Lily also recognized a few of the faces from outside the sachem’s council carriage. She nodded at the elders in greeting.

“Lily. We all want to thank you and your mechanics for returning our scientists,” one of the elders said. When she came forward through the crowd, Lily saw that it was Dana.

“Just a simple tanner, huh?” Lily replied, shaking her head.

“I was once,” Dana said through a grin.

“I’m just glad we all made it out,” Lily said. She grimaced suddenly at the irony of the situation. “For what it’s worth.”

Dana nodded, her eyes glinting with understanding. “It was worth a lot. Outlanders are used to dying, but if we die tonight, at least this time it will be for something we believe in.”

Lily frowned in thought. “I’ve always been big on fighting for what I believe in.” She laughed at herself. “Which, in my world, means I wore a lot of T-shirts and donated my allowance to groups I wished I could join. I was always too sick and too weak to actually fight.” She looked over at Rowan. “Until now.”

“Lily,” he whispered, his face pleading with hers. “Don’t.”

“I have to, Rowan.” She reached out and took his hand again. “You know I do.”

“What’s going on?” Tristan asked.

“Lily wants to go to the pyre,” Rowan said, never taking his eyes off hers.

“That’s insane,” Tristan said with a laugh. A silence followed his outburst. “This is ridiculous,” he continued, his tone serious now. “Ro, she can’t handle it yet. You know she can’t.”

“It’s not my decision,” Rowan replied. “It’s hers.”