Page 2 of Drawn in Blood
Fen groaned as he buried his head in his hands, but Ember couldn’t help but smile. The love that lived in their home used to overwhelm her, used to suffocate her and threaten to swallow her whole. But now? Now she couldn’t get enough of it.
“So, what are your plans today?” Otto asked, as he sipped his tea.
“We were thinking about going to the Rukr pitch to practice later,” Fen said through bites of bacon and eggs. “Professor Bjorn said the wards would be open for students, and Em needs a lot more practice at this point.”
Ember kicked his shin under the table, and he proceeded to choke on the too-large bite of eggs he had just stuck in his mouth.
“You’re trying out this year?” Eira asked from the kitchen.
“I think so.” Ember shrugged with a laugh. “I’m just not sure if I could handle taking orders from Killian if we’re being honest.”
Killian Vargr had been made Captain of the Rukr team, the first time a second year had ever been given that honor, and it did nothing to help his already inflated ego. He strutted around the orchard with his AirWave tucked under his arm, barking orders to Fen and Ember, and it took all her willpower not to peg him with the apples she was hovering beside at the top of tree.
“I’ll run and change and meet you at the door!” Fen almost shouted, as he shoved away from the table and made his way to the stairs.
“Actually,” Eira interrupted, as she grabbed him by the shoulder and redirected him back into the kitchen, “we have something we need to talk to you all about, as a family.”
Ember furrowed her brow as she chewed the last bite of her breakfast. Otto and Eira looked happy, ecstatic even, but their words coiled around the knot that was quickly forming in her stomach.
Maybe such a heavy breakfast wasn’t a good idea.
Fen made his way slowly back to his seat and slumped down, arms crossed over his chest as he tapped his foot impatiently. Eira sat beside Otto, tightly intertwining her small fingers in his.
“Ember,” Eira began, voice shaking slightly, “we?—"
A bright ball of red flew through the kitchen and hovered ominously over the top of the table. Ember’s mouth hung open, and her eyes grew wide as she felt the magic buzz around it, and then a voice echoed through the tiny space.
“Chief Thorsten has called a town meeting at twelve o’clock this afternoon. Attendance of all residents on Ellesmere Island is mandatory. Please arrive in Sigurvik at town hall promptly. Thank you.”
And then the ball of light, along with the booming voice, disappeared into a cloud of smoke. The table stayed silent only for a moment before Otto chuckled and finished the last sip of his tea.
“I suppose that solidifies our afternoon plans.” He smirked as he pushed himself up from the table. “Let’s go find you a clean jumper, Maevie.”
“We’ll talk more when we get home.” Eira smiled as she squeezed Ember’s hand. “Both of you better go get cleaned up. We’ll need to leave in just a few minutes.”
Ember nodded as she left the kitchen and climbed the stairs up to her room, the last door on the left. Worry ate away at her as she changed her clothes and re-braided her hair. In thelast year she had been on the island, she hadn’t so much as seen Chief Thornsten walk down the street, let alone go to a mandatory town meeting. Something told her this wasn’t going to be pleasant.
“Honestly,Fen, stop moving your leg so much,” Ember scolded, as she elbowed him in the ribs. Fen slowed his leg to a gentle bounce but didn’t stop fidgeting completely. The family sat in the drafty room in town hall and waited patiently for Chief Thornsten to come address the restless crowd. Eira, Otto, and Maeve sat near the front, Ember and Fen toward the back.
“Honestly, could he take any longer?” Fen grumbled. “I have better things to do than waste my Saturday in this bloody room. What could be so important?”
Ember shrugged. “How many times have you been to one of these?”
“I can think of exactly zero,” a voice about her said. “Howeyah, Starshine?”
Ember rolled her eyes as Killian took the seat to her right and smirked. The sleeves of his white button up were rolled to his elbow and his black slacks looked freshly pressed. He brushed away the white-blond hair that fell in his charcoal eyes and gave her a playful grin.
“Maybe the elves are finally rebelling.” Fen shrugged as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
“Maybe the British are invading again,” Killian joked.
“With their flimsy little wands?” Fen laughed as he leaned across Ember to talk to Killian. “They’d hardly stand a chance.”
“You two are insufferable,” Ember sighed, as she shoved them apart. “Can’t you be serious for five minutes?”
The room quickly grew silent as a tall man with slicked back, onyx hair stepped to the front of the room. He straightened his coat, running his hand along his hair. Killian scoffed under his breath and leaned over to whisper in Ember’s ear.
“Some chief. More worried about his hair than his people if you ask me.”
