Wildfire Phoenix by Zoe Chant

Chapter 35

“Do it again,” Edith urged.

Obligingly, Blaise clicked her fingers. Spectral fire flared in her palm, blue and purple flames flickering up.

Diana sighed happily, admiring the dancing flames. “It’s so beautiful. Just like you, Blaise.”

“How does it feel?” Callum asked Blaise.

She had to think about that one. She looked into the Phoenix fire, trying to find words.

“Natural,” she said at last. She closed her hand, pulling the flames back into the glowing presence at the center of her soul. “Right. Like this is how I was always meant to be, deep down.”

“You were,” Fenrir said, smiling. “Fireheart.”

“Okay, okay.” Blaise bumped her shoulder against the big hellhound. “We get it, you knew all along. Say ‘I told you so,’ and get it out of your system.”

“We told you so,” her friends chorused in unison.

“Oh, you so did not.” Blaise folded her arms, glaring round at them all. “As I recall, you were all certain that all I had to do was mate, and look how that turned out.”

“Fairly well, I believe,” Rory murmured, casting a sidelong glance across the crowded hall. “In the end.”

Blaise looked that way too. Over by the kitchen, Zephyr was still deep in quiet conversation with Buck. Zephyr had his back to her, but as her gaze fell on him, he turned. Their eyes met.

“Yeah, all right,” Blaise admitted. She tore her eyes away from her mate, though she could feel the dopey grin lingering on her face. “In the end.”

“I will admit that we were incorrect on some details,” Wystan said. His mouth twisted wryly. “It was just as well I was utterly exhausted before you had your epiphany, or I might have ruined the big moment. Though by the time I realized what you were doing, it was too late to throw a shield over you, anyway.”

“You should have seen her big entrance, bros,” Joe said to Fenrir and Darcy. He mimed an enthusiastic explosion, like fireworks. “It. Was. Awesome.”

Fenrir chuckled. “Know. Felt it, even though wasn’t there. All of us did, even the cubs. Think it might have been felt all the way around the world.”

“I’m happy not to have been there in person,” Darcy said. She gave a theatrical shudder. “One close encounter with Uncegila was quite enough for me, thanks. Is she really gone for good?”

“Zephyr says so,” Blaise replied. “Though he thinks the horned serpents are still lurking, in whatever pit they call home. But Uncegila was the brains behind the operation. They won’t be nearly so much of a threat, now. Some of them might still try to crawl up for a snack sometimes, though.”

“And if they do?” Rory asked. “Can we count on the Thunderbird to deal with them?”

Blaise raised her eyebrows at her old friend. “Ask him yourself. He’s right over there.”

Hugh and Ash came in, their arrival instantly capturing everyone’s attention. All across the hall, heads turned, conversation falling silent.

“I,” Hugh announced into the expectant hush, “would commit murder for a cup of tea.”

“No need.” Rose handed him a steaming mug. “Which is just as well, since you’re the one who’d have to revive your own victim. Did you sort everyone out?”

“I’ve healed the crew’s injuries.” Hugh took a huge gulp of tea, waving one hand in Ash’s direction. “But I only fix bodies. You’ll have to ask him about the rest.”

“Please tell me I’m not going to have two whole squads rocking in the corner gibbering about giant snakes,” Buck said.

“I have burned the traumatic memories from their minds,” Ash replied. “Some of your firefighters appeared a little confused, though. It is possible that some traces of the experience may linger in their dreams, beyond my ability to remove. My strength is not what it once was.”

“Do you think it’ll come back?” Chase asked. “Your full power, I mean.”

“Perhaps, in time.” Ash shook his head. “But I think not. This new fire within me is bright, but it does not burn so hot. I am still a phoenix, but not the Phoenix.”

Rose took his hand, threading her fingers through his. “Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. You never complained, but having all that power was as much a burden as a gift.”

“It is lonely, to be the only one of your kind.” Ash looked over at Blaise, and smiled. “I am glad that is no longer the case.”

“So now there are two…” Chase stopped, scratching his curly head. “Wait. What’s the plural of phoenix?”

“Phoenixes,” Virginia supplied, and then frowned. “I think. It’s not something I’ve ever really had to consider before.”

“We’re so used to there only being one phoenix,” Hayley said. “It’s going to be strange to have two around.”

Maybe more than two,Blaise thought. Her father caught her eye, and his smile widened, just a little. She knew he was also remembering how those gleaming fragments had scattered.

“All it takes is a spark,” she murmured.

“What?” Edith asked.

“Never mind.” Time would tell whether any of those scattered embers would kindle in other souls. “I guess everything’s back to normal, or at least the new normal.”

“Except that I have to come up with an excuse for the training grounds looking like someone staged a full scale re-enactment of the Battle of the Somme,” Buck muttered. “Motherloving shifters. Even with their memories wiped, the rest of the crew are still going to notice that the next time we go out on a hike.”

“Then there’s no choice but to cancel all training drills until the trees regrow,” Joe said, sounding the opposite of crestfallen at this prospect. “Alas.”

“I think we can do better than that,” Candice said. “Leave it with me, Buck. I’ll talk to the unicorn herd. Some of them can regrow plants, and others are good at moving things. I bet they can have everything back in order in no time.”

Joe gave her a look of tragic betrayal.

“Sounds good,” Buck said, rather grudgingly. “But for dog’s sake, do me a favor and keep an eye on them, Candice. Don’t let them use their initiative when it comes to making ‘improvements.’ The last thing I need are crystal monoliths cluttering up the place, or whatever unicorns consider to be tasteful home decor.”

“Speaking of home, we need to be getting back,” Neridia said. She pursed her lips. “The knights are probably on the verge of mounting a full scale land invasion by now.”

Seren blinked at her Empress. “You… did not inform your guards that you were coming here?”

Neridia waved an unconcerned hand. “By the time I overruled all the polite objections and formal statements of dissent, Uncegila would have swallowed Thunder Mountain and gone looking for dessert. So I left a note.”

“Mom!” Blaise had never before seen Joe look utterly scandalized. “You snuck out?”

Neridia’s sea-blue eyes sparkled at her son. “It was rather enjoyable, actually. I understand now why you were so fond of slipping away from your guards, when you were younger.”

“Please do not take it up as a hobby,” John murmured. “For my sake. I am the Imperial Champion. I am supposed to be setting a good example, not climbing down knotted bedsheets in the middle of the night.”

Griff chuckled. “The rest of us should head off too. Some of us have to go to work in the morning.”

“Including us,” Rory said, to general groans from the rest of A-squad. “The crew is supposed to be heading for the fire lines tomorrow.”

“We saved the crew and defeated an ancient evil,” Joe grumbled. “We should at least get a day off.”

“I don’t think Boise is going to take ‘sorry, too busy fighting the mother of all snakes’ as a valid excuse for not showing up.” Rory cast a significant glance over at Zephyr. “It’s a busy season. Could always use another pair of hands.”

Zephyr smiled, but shook his head. “Technically, I didn’t complete the training. And in any case, the Thunderbird may still need to call on me with little warning. I don’t think a career in wilderness firefighting is in my future.”

“Good, because you were terrible at it,” Buck said, and then appeared to realise he’d just insulted Zephyr in front of the entire squad, not to mention Blaise’s parents. He cleared his throat. “Not that you couldn’t have improved, of course. With work.”

“A lot of work,” Zephyr said wryly. He put an arm around Blaise’s shoulders. “It’s all right. I didn’t join the crew out of a love of firefighting.”

She leaned into him. “Any idea what you do want to do next?”

His dark eyes gleamed down at her. “I have a few ideas.”

Grinning, she stretched up on her toes. He met her halfway, lips warm against hers. The glow of the mate bond filled her chest, as bright as her animal’s fire.

Joe let out a theatrical groan. “Guys, we are right here.”

Rory put both hands on Edith’s belly as though covering their unborn son’s ears. “And there are children present.”

“A shameless display of public affection,” Wystan murmured, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Quite shocking.”

Callum didn’t even try to hide his smirk. “Get a room, you two.”

Still kissing Zephyr, Blaise stuck her middle finger up at her friends.

* * *

“Do you know what you want to do next?” Blaise asked Zephyr again, much later.

He was quiet for a moment, his fingertips tracing spirals across her bare shoulder. Even wrung-out and exhausted, every muscle in her body limp in the aftermath of lovemaking, his touch still raised electric sparks along her skin.

“Yes,” he said at last. He propped himself up on one elbow, gazing down at her. “But you already know that.”

She did. She’d seen it for herself, after all.

“Why do you look worried?” She traced the small line between his brows. “There’s nothing standing in the way anymore.”

He let out a wry breath. “Apart from the inescapable fact that I don’t have any funds. Or experience. Or even a high school diploma. I don’t think banks are going to be falling over themselves to offer me a business loan.”

“We’ll figure something out.” Something occurred to her, and she grinned up at him. “Heh. I think I know someone who can help. In fact, maybe we can solve two problems at the same time.”

Zephyr’s eyebrows rose. “Oh?”

“Something Diana said a while ago. Leave it with me. I’ll put out some feelers, and hopefully set you up with a meeting.” Blaise groaned, letting her head thump against the pillow. “Shit. Except the crew is meant to be rolling out before dawn. It’ll have to wait until we get back from our next job. That probably won’t be for two weeks, given the size of the wildfire we have to tackle.”

A speculative expression crept across Zephyr’s face. “Are you very tired?”

She caught her breath as his palm brushed over her skin. “Keep heading in that direction, and sleep will drop off my list of priorities.”

He chuckled, bending to kiss her collarbone. “Tempting, but I didn’t mean that. I have an idea.”

* * *

The Phoenix flew.

Wildfires called to her. She swooped low over burning forests, calming the raging flames. Unseen by the tired crews working below, she herded the advancing fronts, turning firestorms back on themselves. The hungry flames searched for fresh fuel, and, finding none, started to die down.

And behind the Phoenix came the rain.

It fell softly at first, from storm gray wings. Exhausted firefighters turned their gazes to the sky, breaths held in hope. Tired but heartfelt cheers rang out as the rain thickened, washing soot from filthy faces and drenching the ground.

Wingtip to wingtip, the Phoenix and the Thunderbird flew. And in their wake, nestled in rain-soaked ashes between charred, blackened trunks, new saplings began to sprout.