Free Treasure of the Fire Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 4) by Cassandra Gannon Page A

not entirely helpless, you know.  I’ve had some training
with a sword.”
    Frankie,
of the Heat House was the best swordsman in the realm and he oversaw every step
of the Fire Phase’s rigorous weapons instruction.  He taught all the greatest
warriors, but he always took special care to ensure that the Fire and Heat
Houses would be difficult to kill.  They were his family.  Frankie and Oberon
made sure Hope got an exemplary military education.
    She
just didn’t know quite what to do with it.
    “Yeah,
you look like a real killer.  The point is, I think maybe Kingu might help
you.”  Zakkery concentrated on dropping his cigarette to the ground and
crushing it out with his sneaker.  “I mean, I know he’s not someone a
girl…”
    “Really?” 
Hope’s mood soared.  “Do you think he’ll be at this fight thingie?”
    Wow,
even more reason she’d have to do well.  Super powerful gods would probably not
have a lot of respect for weakness.  He’d never agree to talk to her if she
died.
    Zakkery
gave her a mystified squint.  “Uh… You get that Kingu’s the… ya know,” he held
a palm up waaaay over his head, “big guy with the… um…” he hesitated, “face
issues, right?”
    “The
monster.”  Hope nodded.  “Yes, I know.  Do you think he’ll be there?”
    “Maybe.” 
Zakkery allowed warily, like he suddenly suspected she was crazy and he was
stalling for a psych evaluation to come back.
    Hope
ignored his attitude.  “Does Kingu have a Match?”
    “Not
yet.  According to him, he’s a god.  They don’t have anything as lowly as
Match.”  The tone was dry as the Heat Kingdom’s desert.
    “Really?” 
This just got better and better.  “Do you think if I beat the Spartacus
wannabes this afternoon, you could get Kingu to meet with me?  I’d like to
speak to him.”
    “I
think that would be a great idea.”  Zakkery agreed earnestly.  “Just
stay alive as long as you can and I’ll do the rest.”  He studied her for a beat
and then snorted.  “Unbelievable.”  He gave his head a slight shake.  “You
really don’t scare easy, do ya?”
    “No.” 
Actually yes , but Hope tried very hard not to show it.  That was another
fundamental lesson of being a Fire Phase.
    Rule
number twenty-two:  When you’re frightened, just hit harder.
    “Good. 
Remember that and you’ll be fine.”  Smoke colored eyes burned into hers.  “You
aren’t going to die today.”  He sounded positive about that.  “Just… try not to
look too pretty.”

Chapter Four
    The most
alluring clouds that mount the sky
    Owe to a
troubled element their forms, their hues to sunset
     
    William
Wordsworth- sonnet
     
    “She’s
too pretty.”  It was an accusation.  “We both know that.  This entire exercise
is a waste of time.”
    Kingu
had no idea why he’d agreed to this insanity.  Zakkery had showed up at the
fortress, insisting that Kingu watch the irrelevant, bungling assassin’s
execution.  And for some reason Kingu didn’t understand, he’d agreed to come
along.  It was unacceptable.  Especially, since the moron seemed convinced that
this condemned girl was the woman Kingu had been searching for.  Kingu could
tell from Zakkery’s incessant babbling about the woman’s charms.
    He
was automatically predisposed to reject this girl, just because Zakkery was
pushing for her so hard.  Not to mention the fact she was some unidentified
species of lower being, dressed like lunatic who’d robbed a thrift shop, and
had undoubtedly come to the Cloudland to kill him.
    And
she knew he was a monster.
    Kingu
scowled down at the arena floor.  He hated these boring fights.  Watching
creatures squander their finite lives somehow depressed him.  This arena had
once been an outdoor theater, but it was now retrofitted to look like something
out of ancient Rome.  The tacky gold columns gave Kingu a headache.
    He
was in a bad mood.  Worse than usual, even.  He had been since the