Light My Fire

“Out of twenty-four?”

Elina must have glowered again because the dragon quickly raised his hands as if to ward her off. “Not a judgment. Just another follow-up question.”

“My sister Kachka,” she said before he could delve any further, “accepts me just as I am. With all my many flaws.”

The dragon studied her for a moment, then asked, “What flaws?”

Elina quickly looked at the dragon, expecting to see that mocking expression of his. But, instead, all she saw was pure confusion. As if he had no idea what she was talking about.

She had to admit, it was a nice feeling. But she knew that his confusion would not last. Her flaws, like everything else about Elina, were out there for the world to see. . . .

After purchasing four extra loaves of the wonderful bread served at the inn and stuffing them in his travel bag, Celyn stood. “You ready?” he asked Elina.

Her reply was to stand and walk away from him. Celyn watched her for a few moments before he followed, stopping by the barmaid to place several gold pieces, including a fat tip, into her palm. He smiled at her and she blushed back, her eyes glancing toward the inn stairs that led to the bedrooms. It was a clear invitation, but Celyn didn’t bother to say yes or no. He simply winked at her and walked out.

Celyn quickly caught up to Elina as she moved toward the bridge that would take them back to the main road. He threw his arm around her shoulders and deftly steered her around to one of the shops in the main square. He stopped to point at something in the window as if that had been his plan all along.

“Why do you touch me?” Elina asked.

“Because we’re not leaving yet,” he said quietly, stepping closer to the shop glass, “but I didn’t want to make a big thing of it.”

“So you touch me.”

“Stop complaining. It’s not like I tried to fuck you right here.”

With a meaningless nod, he moved off from the window, bringing Elina with him. Now they were going in the opposite direction.

“Where exactly are we going?”

“To Temple Row.”

“What is that?”

“A row of temples.”

“Smart-ass.”

“No, no. Just answering your question. There’s no other way to explain it.”

“Then tell me why are we going to row of temples?”

“Because that’s all they were talking about at the inn. Didn’t you hear?”

“I could not hear much over your constant chewing. You feed like bear.”

“I was hungry.”

Elina stopped, forcing Celyn to stop with her. “You really heard about this in pub?”

“Yes. Isn’t that why we were there?”

“But between chewing . . . you were talking. Or asking me questions to make me talk. And you responded to my answers as if you were listening.”

“I was listening. I find your life fascinating.”

“Shut up.” Her bright blue eyes narrowed on his face. “You really listened to others while talking to me?”

Celyn shrugged and admitted. “It’s a skill. My mother can cleave off a dragon’s head by bringing two swords together simultaneously. We all have our talents.”

“Your mother did seem like cold, unfeeling viper determined to destroy world. . . . I like that in woman.”

Celyn was about to remind Elina that his mother was not “woman” but then, after glancing around, he decided it was in his best interest not to say anything about that. Instead, he led her down several streets until they reached Temple Row.

That’s where they both stopped, at the very beginning of the street, and stared.

“Horses of Ramsfor,” Elina swore beside him.

Celyn didn’t know who Ramsfor was, but he had to agree with Elina. He might not have traveled as far and wide as some of his kin, but Celyn knew the Southlands quite well. And he’d never seen such a thing before.

Whispering, Elina noted, “It is like giant cock pointed straight at the heavens.”

She was right. The Cult of Chramnesind had taken a relatively small piece of land between two temples that had been in those spots for decades and shoved in a building that . . . well . . . that resembled a giant cock. With balls.

It was set back from the street a bit so that it had a little more room for the “balls,” two rounded buildings attached to either side of the tower. And the tower that stood in the middle traveled straight up and seemed to go on forever. It was taller than he would be as dragon. Gods, the damn thing was taller than Éibhear as dragon! And that alone was shocking.

The entire building overwhelmed everything else on the street, making the other temples seem puny and weak in comparison.

Something Celyn was sure had been done on purpose.

Elina walked toward the building, taking Celyn’s hand and pulling him behind her. But the closer they got, the more unsettled he felt.

Unlike his royal cousins, Celyn didn’t have definite feelings about any gods. They served their purpose, they sometimes helped, and perhaps if he were more magically inclined, he’d happily turn to them for assistance during spells or whatever. But, in all honesty, he could take or leave the gods. Just like most dragons. So going into temples had never bothered him before.

Until now. Until this very moment.

Celyn tried to stop but Elina yanked him along.

Gods, she’s strong.

They reached the front doors and a pretty priestess, her hair cut so short that it barely covered her skull, smiled at them.