SALT MAGE

Sometime before the events of Fire Mage…

CHAPTER ONE 

Even in the dim light of the cavern tunnel, the rockfall is clearly visible ahead. The path has been partially covered, and there’s a stream of lava pushing its way perilously close to where I have to go. The creaking and sighing of its slow movement echoes around the rocks. 

Just what I need. 

For a tiny moment, I consider turning around. Going back to the safety of the outside world, to Master Jorgen and the others. But then I feel the weight of my leather salt bag against my hip, and the glimmer of excitement in my chest. This just makes my day a little more thrilling. 

I clamber up and over the rocks, keeping as far away from the lava as possible. The heat is already making me sweat, and my clothes are starting to stick uncomfortably to my body. All the same, I don’t think I need a demon just yet. 

The tiny lava salt patch I’m heading to is just up the path, maybe another hundred yards. But down here, in the bowels of the volcano, even that kind of distance can sometimes seem an impossible task. 

I narrow my eyes at the lava-decorated path.  

Not today, however. 

Today, I’m going to get the salt, no matter what. 

Why? 

Maybe because I’m determined. Maybe because I’m a bonded salt mage and I have no choice. 

Maybe because it’s my grandfather’s birthday and I want to show him—and myself—that I’m still here, still living, despite everything. 

Despite him. 

Even now, his voice still echoes around inside my head, gruff and gnarled: You’re useless to me. Can’t even do a basic mage spell. Your skills are so pitiable, your mother must have whored herself out to a field hand. 

My hand clenches at the remembered words. 

My mother disgraced my grandfather. She held silent on my father’s name while she waited for my birth. And then she died in childbirth, before she could ever tell anyone who he was. 

Sometimes I think she must have had a good reason. 

Other times I despise her for it. 

My whole life, I’ve been a source of irritation to my pride-filled grandfather—salt in an open wound, if you will. It might have been bearable for him if I’d had an ounce of mage talent. But he’s right. I am, at best, a talentless mage. Luckily for me, surviving in the volcano salt mines doesn’t require much actual mage magic. 

Carefully, one by one, I place my feet on the rocky path. Inches away from me is the lava, spitting off heat so intense that I feel like I’m going to burn up. If any of the lava were to hit me, it would melt away my skin like I was soft cheese. 

That’s the downside to working in a volcano. 

There’s definitely an up-side to collecting salt, though. 

The salt in these mines is the finest, rarest salt in the Kingdom. It has magical qualities that ensures extended youth to those who use it and it commands a massive sum in the open market. I get paid a pretty penny to work the mines, and so do the other mages who are here with me. When our bonded term ends, we’ll be rich men. 

It’s just a pity most mages don’t last that long. 

Like I said, a dangerous occupation. 

I edge my hand along the rock wall beside me, using it to keep my balance. 

Truth be told, I hate salt. It’s gritty, grimy, gets stuck under your nails and in between your toes - not to mention all the other cracks in your body. And don’t get me started on salt in an open wound. But—

Help me. 

The voice comes from my left and I jerk my head, too startled to be careful. A floating figure is half sticking out of the rock wall, his face transparent and mournful. He’s got a rugged brown beard and beady little eyes. 

I catch his gaze and his outline shudders. Dammit. Usually I manage to ignore them, but today I wasn’t thinking. Too distracted by the past. 

As soon as he realizes I can see him, the ghost speeds up his recital. You must help me. Lives depend on it. He’s putting on a special ghost-voice, low and whispery. He doesn’t know I’ve heard it all before. 

“Go away,” I say, annoyed that I’m even interacting with the damn thing. It’s been a long time since I talked back to a ghost. I keep shuffling along the half-destroyed path, trying to concentrate on keeping myself alive. 

The ghost moves fully out from the rock wall. It’s not fair. I didn’t want to be in the mines. 

“No one wants to be stuck in the mines,” I mutter, moving a little faster away from the ghost and trying not to fall into the lava. 

My family forced me. They said it was my duty to find the treasure. 

I hesitate. “Treasure?” 

CHAPTER TWO 

The ghost moves closer. They gave me a map. But I died trying to find it. It’s not fair. 

“Do you still have the map?” Treasure is treasure, after all. And as much as I’d like to be a rich man, I’ve realized in the last few months that becoming a bonded salt mage was a mistake. As far as I can tell, only a very small number of salt mages ever survive to the end of their term. 

The only way to get out of these volcanoes before my five year term is up is to buy my way out. 

In front of me, the ghost has become agitated. Of course I do. It was the one thing my father loved most. He didn’t care about my honor, or even my life. He just wanted me to find the blasted treasure so he’d be rich. At least he’s not rich because of me.

Ghosts can be tricky. Almost as bad as demons. It’s always best to clarify what they’re saying. “Can I see the map?” I ask. “Maybe I can help.” 

The ghost holds out the map. Because of the heat and the nature of ghosts, the piece of paper wavers in front of me, and at first I have trouble reading it. 

Then I concentrate, and focus my senses. My eyes are fixed on the ghostly paper in front of me, and the various pieces come into focus. 

I recognise our volcano, the one I’m in, and several other landmarks. It’s not a complicated map. “You didn’t get past this point?” I say. 

The lava overflowed that day as well, says the ghost. 

I wince. It’s not a good way to die. Your skin and bones melt off your body, until you’re part of the lava flow along with the rocks and anything else unwise enough to have gotten in the way. 

At least it’s pretty fast. I’ve seen bodies that have been trapped by rockfalls where the mage hasn’t been able to get themselves free and has died slowly from lack of food and water. 

We’re not allowed to do rescue missions down here. 

“What precisely do you want me to do?” 

I want you to find the treasure and take it to my family. 

“I thought you just said you were glad they didn’t get it.” 

Not my father. My sister. 

“What would she do with it?” 

Escape my father, he says simply. 

It’s a mission I can feel empathy for. I’m only here, doing this to escape my grandfather. And maybe to punish him a little. Having to say that his grandson is in the salt mines is a bitter medicine for the old man. 

I gaze up ahead where the patch of salt is waiting for me. My tiny salt pick-axe weighs heavily against my thigh. Sweat drips from my body, and a part of me knows my luck isn’t going to hold. 

Any more than it held for the ghost in front of me. Or the other mages before me, doing this job. Master Jorgen made sure to tell me not to get attached to anyone while I was here. For their sake, as well as for mine. 

A little knot of emotion fills my chest. That treasure could help me as well as his sister. “We’ll go halves,” I say.  

The ghost rises up in the air. It’s not your treasure to take! It’s my map, my treasure. 

“Then go get it on your own.” I turn back to the path. It’s probably better— 

Fine! We’ll go half each. Just promise me you’ll deliver my half to my sister. 

I let out a breath. Wiping the excess sweat off my face, I try to think through what I’m proposing. The smell of melted rock fills my nostrils. I’ve seen so many deaths in the last few months, and none of them have been pleasant. Salt mages come and go with disturbing regularity. 

I don’t want this Flames-damned place to be my last resting place. “I’ll do it.” 

The ghost looks at me with such gratitude, I almost change my mind. 

Instead, I nod impatiently. “Which way?” 

The ghost points to a small side tunnel that leads away from the main track. Away from the salt mine. It’s small and dark and I’m going to have to crawl to get into it. 

Crouching down in front of the low tunnel, I peer into the darkness, trying to see my way forward. It’s disturbingly dark all the way down, and I have to work hard to suppress the shudder that wants to overtake my body. 

It’s time for a demon. 

I close my eyes and concentrate, pulling energy from the air around me. “Demon rise!” Heat, fire, and smoke fill my senses, burning my throat and chest. “Rise to my will.” A light appears, the faint outline of a fiery shape hovering just above the tips of my fingers. A boom of thunder echoes around me, shaking the rocky floor. A whispering sound fills my ears.

My hands stiffen as I drag a reluctant fire demon over from the Edges. I whisper a final incantation, focusing on the widening ball of light at my fingertips. The world around me goes quiet.

A tiny demon appears as a light in the air above where I’m crouching. Its power emanates from its fiery centre.  

“You called, Master?” Its voice is a mix of brimstone and fire. 

“I need you to come with me down this tunnel. Light the way and alert me of any dangers.” 

“Yes, Master.” 

Its easy acceptance makes me pause. “You have to help me get away from any dangers as well,” I say. 

The demon light dims. “Yes, Master,” it says. This time it seems more reluctant.  

Demons are tricky. They don’t want to serve anyone other than themselves. In fact they hate me for drawing them out of their realm and into this one. They’re always cantankerous and looking for a way to serve me a bad turn. They can’t lie to me, but they can turn my instructions to mean almost anything, if I’m not careful. 

It’s a precarious thing, using demons to help you. They’re more likely to kill you if you let them. 

I gesture for the demon to go first down the tunnel, and then crawl along on my hands and knees after it. The ghost hovers somewhere behind me, his expression hopeful. 

The rocks are scrabbly and rough, and my hands, despite the callouses, are soon bleeding from various scrapes and scratches. But I’ve become used to living hard, and not expecting the usual elegancies of living in a castle. 

Something small scuttles across my hand, and I manage not to jerk my hand back, or make a sound. It wouldn’t help, not this far down the volcano. 

The smell of sulphur is overwhelming, and I start to wonder if it’s actually poisonous. Perhaps I’m going to die from the fumes? 

“Demon, is the air fine for me to breathe?” I ask. 

“Yes master,” it says. “It is more the trail of lava that has just started flowing into the tunnel that will kill you if you don’t hurry.” 

I jerk my head up. “What?” 

“You need to pick up your speed, or you will be killed by the lava.” 

I start crawling faster, ignoring everything else but getting out of the tunnel. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I did tell you.” 

“I told you to keep me away from dangers,” I say. 

“The lava flow has only just changed direction. It was not a danger before now.” 

The demon’s bland reply could be correct. I’m fairly certain they can’t lie to me. But I look up suspiciously at the creature, the light so bright I have to look away almost immediately. 

Never trust a demon. 

CHAPTER THREE 

The crackling sound of the lava fills the tiny tunnel. 

How did I not notice that before? I scrabble down the tiny shaft, my heart thumping unsteadily in my chest. The heat from the lava is filling the narrow space, and the rocks under my hands are starting to get warm. 

Even creaky slow-moving lava can kill me. 

The demon hovers just ahead of me, glowing into the tunnel, lighting up the cracks. I keep putting my hands one in front of the other, trying not to think about the flow of lava behind me. It’s only when the demon rises up and out of my line of sight that I realize we’ve arrived at the end of the tunnel. 

I lean out and suck in a couple of breaths of slightly fresher air. Then I peer around. 

There’s a massive chasm in front of me, with only a narrow path against the rocky cliff to the left as my escape. The creaking sound is louder here. I glance up. A massive clump of lava is cascading down the rock face above like a slow-moving fire monster. 

I scramble out of the tunnel, and manage to get a few yards along the narrow track before the lava drips down over the tunnel entrance. The lava hits the rocks where I paused, and sizzles. 

My motto has always been: Don’t look back. Keep moving forward. 

But it’s pretty hard not to look back when your only exit is being covered over by boiling lava. 

I glare at the demon hovering not far from me. “Did you know about that?” I ask. 

“I thought you had more time,” it says in the voice of a creature trying to sound innocent. 

I lean against the rock at my back, keeping my eyes away from the sharp drop at my feet. Taking a few deep breaths, I try to calm myself down. The rocks are warm beneath my hands and feet, and slight tremors make my body hum with the vibrations. There are hundreds of paths and tracks inside the volcano. I’ve found many of them myself. There must be another way out. 

But I’ve never been this way before, and there’s no guarantee I’ll find any. 

The demon hovering above me is one answer. I’m sure it could find a way. But I can’t trust it. It’s more likely to claim that my death was a result of my own stupidity, and not because it had led me straight into a pool of boiling rocks. 

I search for the ghost, wondering whether I’m even going in the right direction. 

He’s nowhere to be seen. 

I memorized the map he showed me, and I think I know where I’m supposed to go. But the ghost is another level of protection, a creature that can see more than I can see. Another way to survive this idiocy. 

This situation is exactly why I don’t talk to ghosts. I end up doing stupid things. Wishing for a different life, and doing idiotic things to try and achieve it. 

Muttering under my breath about making the same mistakes over and over, I begin treading carefully along the narrow path. The dizzying depths of the chasm beside me keep my movements slow. 

My heart is pounding, and my head feels like I’m carrying a load of sand inside it. My vision’s blurred from the sweat dripping down my face, but also from the panic that’s flickering inside me like a moth trying to get closer to the light. And exactly like that moth, I’m going to get burned by the damned flame when I get close. 

I have no choice but to keep shuffling along the path, holding my hands against the rocky wall at my back, using it as a guide to keep me from falling. I place my feet carefully, watching the path ahead to make sure I don’t accidentally fall to my death by a misstep. 

This far into the volcano, it’s dangerous. My nerves are stretched tight, and I’m struggling with the urge to scream. Maybe I should just let it go? There’s no-one else down here to judge me lacking. 

But you never know what’s around the next corner. There are creatures that love to swim in the boiling heat of lava or live in harmony next to it. Creatures that would eat me up in one gulp and then look around for the next morsel. 

Suddenly in front of my face, the blurry image of the ghost pops out of the rocky wall. I jerk backward, and miss my step. My foot slips down into the chasm beside me, and unbalanced, I tip over. My hands are scrambling for purchase on the rocks around me, but I can’t make anything stick. The rocks are all loose and move under my fingers. 

I’m falling, heart in my mouth, my whole body moving, trying to find purchase. I reach out and grab at the rocks, but they crumble under my fingers. 

I panic, and some part of my brain uses the only thing I can. My magic. But it’s not my usual magic, that torn and battered part of myself that’s no good for anything. This is something deep and wild that I’ve never experienced before. It comes from a dark corner inside me, and only comes out because of the intensity of my fear and the energy of the smouldering flames inside the volcano. 

This is something I’m afraid of. 

A deep, dark, wild magic surfaces, flowing through me, taking over like I’m nothing. It uses the magic in the very rocks around me, sucking the demon of its fiery energy too. It pushes me against the cliff face, and finds a ledge that I swear wasn’t there before. A bright light is everywhere, and for a moment I blink blindly around me, trying to find the source. 

And then my heart gets stuck in my throat. It’s me. 

I’m burning up. Flames cover my entire body. For a second I panic, and pat myself down, trying to sweep the flames away. I don’t want to burn to death, any more than I want to fall. 

But they’re not separate to me. They’re a part of me. 

The demon is hovering nearby, and for once it seems less like it wants to kill me, and more respectful. Who knew all it would take would be to steal its magic? I stand up on the ledge, and the power holds me steady as I climb back up to the chasm. I scrabble my way onto the path, staying seated, and leaning my back against the wall. 

Slowly the flames die off and the wild magic dies away like it was never even there. All I can do is sit there. I feel empty, used up. I’m breathing like I’ve just run from one mountain to the next, and my hands are shaking. 

My brain is whirling, my thoughts are jumbled. Up ahead of me the ghost is hovering, his expression scared. 

You need to be more careful, he says to me. If you die, then there will be no one else to help me. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

I lift one shaking fist, and if it had been possible, I would have punched the Flame-ridden ghost from one side of the mountain to the other. As it is, I take a breath, and lower my arm. 

Ghosts, like demons, are predictably unpredictable creatures. 

All they care about is themselves. 

I long since learned to accept them for their weaknesses. Mostly. “Where to now?” I ask tiredly. 

We’re not far. You just have to get to that tunnel on the other side. The ghost gestures vaguely ahead. 

I narrow my eyes and see a tiny entrance to another tunnel on the far side of the yawning chasm beside me. The only way across is to leap across like some kind of demented person. 

“You mean across the chasm where I almost died falling in?” I say, incensed. “I can’t get across there.” I can’t even use my magic. Whatever wild magic just happened has depleted everything inside me. 

“You must jump, Master. It is the only way,” murmurs the demon beside me. I swear, there’s an undertone of humor in its voice, like it knew this was coming. 

Looking back the way I’ve come, I see he’s right. The lava is flowing more steadily down the side of the rock face behind me, and has blocked off any escape. Up ahead, the tiny path just disappears into the wall, and becomes nothing. 

“The insane leap across the chasm is the only option?” I ask. “That’s the best either of you has?” 

The ghost nods. 

“Yes, Master.”  

I move cautiously forward, trying to pick the place where the two sections are closest together. “Can you give me any help, either of you?” I ask caustically. 

I’m sorry, I’m a ghost. I’d carry you across myself, except you’d fall to your death if I tried. 

I grit my teeth and try not to get any angrier at the ghost than I already am. 

The demon is silent, and I glare up at it. The light inside its core is glowing brighter than usual. It’s trying to keep something inside. 

“Tell me,” I demand. 

It lets out a long sigh. “I cannot help you, precisely, only tell you where to jump to have the best chances of survival.”

“Then show me,” I say impatiently, trying not to let the incessant pounding of blood in my veins distract me from my purpose. 

“This way, Master,” says the demon, and leads me to the widest part of the chasm. “This is the only place where you have a chance of success.” 

The void in front of me is wide and deep. I can’t even see the bottom, it’s just a black nothingness far below. This section is wider than I am tall. I don’t see how I’m possibly going to survive this jump. 

“You have to be kidding me,” I say in exasperation. 

“I will help you, Master.” 

I peer down, wondering if there is a bottom to the chasm. Maybe it just keeps going, and if—no when—I fall, I’ll just keep falling forever. It’s not a prospect that appeals to me. 

“I’m not jumping across there.” 

“You must.” 

I take a deep breath, and look—really look—at the demon. The light is glowing hard, and it’s hovering close to me. Is it trying to con me into doing something I shouldn’t? 

I know it can’t lie to me. But demons can, and often do, bend the truth into something that’s not quite what it seems. 

“What happens if I jump up at that end?” I ask, pointing to the narrower area that I had been planning to jump from. 

“You will slip and fall. The rocks on the far side are weaker, and will crumble when you land on them.” 

Narrowing my eyes, I stare at the rocks. It’s making my head hurt, just trying to think around the demon’s possible motivations. But asked point blank like that, the demon can’t lie. I let out a breath. 

“And am I likely to make it from this point?” 

“It will be difficult. You will need to use your magic, and as we both know how limited that is, you may die. But if you jump from the other place, you will definitely die.” 

I grimace. That’s the trouble with demons. The brutal honesty can be painful. I wrack my brains, trying to think of some amazing spell or even some semblance of a plan that might take me over the yawning gap beside me. 

“Master, you need to hurry,” says the demon. 

I glance behind me, and see the lava rolling inexorably toward me. There’s no more time. I have to jump now, and hope that my magic comes to my rescue. 

Or perhaps I just need a miracle. 

Taking a couple of deep breaths, I set one foot at the edge of the chasm, and the other behind me, ready to leap. I swing my arms back and forth, working a bit of energy into my movements, so I’ll move further and faster. 

“Master…” 

“Okay, okay,” I mutter. “One, two, three!” As I yell three, I make the leap. My arms and legs are circling in the air, like some crazy bird that’s forgotten how to fly and my panicked brain suddenly remembers some of the words for a floating spell, that might help. 

I yell as much of the spell as I can remember. I feel a tiny bit lighter, but it’s clear that I’m still going to miss the other side of the chasm. 

“Help me,” I yell desperately at the demon, but it’s too late. 

Nothing’s going to save me now. 

I hit the wall close to the top, and whack my head into the wall. Stars fill my vision, and my breath is knocked out of me, but I manage to convince my fingers to scrabble to find a hold on the rock face. 

For a moment, I’m held in place, my fingers straining to keep me steady. My feet are desperately trying to find a foothold. My breath hitches, and I try to strain myself upward. 

But it doesn’t work. 

My fingers slip, and I slide down the sheer cliff into the yawning darkness, my hands and stomach and face scraping against the jagged rocks. I can’t help it, I cry out, the sound raw and terrified, coming from deep in my belly. 

This is it, I’m going to die. 

I’m reaching and grabbing at everything I can, my feet and hands trying to find some kind of purchase. I’m even hoping that the same wild magic that saved me only moments before will miraculously come back. 

Instead, a large outcrop whacks me in the side of my face, and a warm, wet liquid spreads down my cheek. I feel woozy, my movements sluggish, and I keep falling. 

Then I slam into a larger slab of rock and the breath is knocked out of me yet again. It takes a moment for me to realize I’ve stopped falling. I lie gasping for breath, my body slack, trying to figure out where I am. It’s a ledge of some kind, sticking out into the abyss. Stars spin in front of my face, and I feel like I’m going to throw up. 

Everything hurts. My scrapes are stinging, and a couple of my fingers are swelling up. But at least I’m not dead. 

Up above, the light from the demon at the opening of the chasm shows me how far I’ve fallen. There’s no way I’m going to be able to climb back up there, not with the way my body has been knocked around. 

What are you doing? Stop lying around, and start looking for the treasure. The ghost is hovering next to me, an outraged expression on his face. I reach out with one arm, trying to hit the ghost where he’s hovering. He’s just out of range. 

“I’m stuck here, you idiot ghost,” I mutter. 

I gaze around dazedly in the dim light given off by the ghost. There’s nothing down here. Just rock and darkness and dry air. There aren’t even any plants growing in the spaces between the rocks. I glance up again, gauging the distance to the top. I try to curl my hand shut, and two of my fingers scream in pain and refuse to close. I’m not climbing anywhere. 

The ghost shivers, moving in agitated circles around the chasm. It’s only as he skims along the edge of the rock cliff that I notice a small darkened area of rock not far from where I am. 

“Demon. I need you to—”

The demon appears next to me, and its bright presence sends light down to the darkened area. Clearly visible next to my shelf is the entrance to another rock tunnel. It’s very narrow, barely big enough to hold me, but it’s my only chance. “Can you tell where that tunnel goes?” I ask the demon. 

“It will take you where you need to go, Master. But there are places where it is even narrower than you can see.” 

I swallow down the enormous lump in my throat. I have no choice now. I got myself into this mess, and now I’m going to have to get myself out of it. On my hands and knees, I crawl closer. 

Tentatively, I poke my head into the narrow tunnel. My shoulders scrape the sides, and my heart starts to beat faster. 

This is going to be tight. 

Slowly, I inch my way into the tunnel, and try to keep my mind blank. No need to start thinking about the whole area caving in on me, pressing into me from all sides. Trapping me inside, so that all I can do is lie there waiting for death. 

No need to think about that at all. 

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes for a moment and concentrate on calming thoughts. 

This is going to be fine. 

I’m not scared of small spaces. 

Much. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

The ground rumbles and the earth shakes. 

Inside the tunnel, I squeeze my eyes shut and try to ignore the terrified scream that wants to erupts out of my mouth. Small rocks and stones tumble from the roof of the tunnel. I can’t tell if the trembling over my whole body is because of the vibrations from the rumbling, or just my body shaking in fear. 

Eventually, the rumbling stops. A while later, I force myself to move again. My arms go first, and then my legs, bending forward, pushing slowly. The same motions repeated again and again. I can only make small movements and it feels like it’s taking forever. 

Only the light from the demon keeps me sane. 

I start muttering the instructions for various spells under my breath to keep from thinking too hard about where I am, and what I’m doing. 

I know all the words from the spell book we were given as apprentice mages. I memorized the spells, hoping that it might make me better at magic. 

It didn’t. 

I was still the worst mage they’d seen in a generation, only scraping through the lessons because of my grandfather, the powerful mage. 

“Come Master, keep moving. At this rate you will be overtaken by the lava.” 

“By the—? You mean it’s following me into this cave?” 

“There has been a rather large eruption in the inside of the volcano, yes.” 

The thought of lava tickling at my toes spurs me to move faster, and I’m silent for a while, the only noise the scraping of my clothes against the rock. It seems like I’m not doing anything, but I’m exhausted, and my body is aching by the time I see a faint light in the distance. 

“Is that the other end?” I ask tiredly. 

“Yes Master. You are almost there.” The demon sounds disappointed. 

Trying to ignore the pain in every part of my body, I continue my painstakingly slow forward momentum, my eyes focused on the light up ahead of me. I’m almost there when I notice that the tunnel is warmer than it was before. A strong sulphorous smell leaks into my nose.

“Is there lava behind me?” I ask sharply. 

“Yes Master. I did not like to tell you in case it upset your rhythm. Keep going. You probably won’t die. Just a few singes.” 

My legs move with greater urgency, and I pull myself along with a strength I thought I’d lost. Painful stones scrape underneath my knees, my fingers are raw and bloodied, and I’m feeling dizzy and disorientated. 

But I keep moving forward, focused on the light ahead of me. I’m not going to go out like this. Trapped in some stupid tunnel, alone and scared out of my wits. Forward movement is all I can think of, nothing more, nothing less. 

The light gets wider and brighter, and eventually I’m there. I poke my head out into the cavern beyond, taking in gasping breaths in the open air. With frantic movements, I pull myself free of my tunnel coffin. 

It’s a large cathedral-like cavern. High above, a tiny section of the ceiling has caved in on one side, leaving it open to the elements and providing the light I’ve been pursuing. 

I’m half-way up the enormous cavern, the wall falling away beneath me, in a steep rocky downwards curve toward a flat piece down the bottom. 

I’ve landed awkwardly on the rocky ground not far below the tunnel exit. Every part of me is hurting, and I’m breathing heavily. 

“You must move from there Master, or you will soon have lava pouring out over you,” says the demon. 

Part of me wants to strangle the demon, to swear at the world. Instead I sit up, and crawl on my hands and knees uphill to a patch of ground that seems safe. “Will I be safe here?” I ask wearily. 

“For a time.” 

His words make me raise my head, but I can’t bring myself to do more than glare in the demon’s direction. It’s not the demon’s fault that I decided to chase the ghost’s treasure. 

I lie down on the rocks, and it’s luxurious not to be moving any more. My head rests against a rock, and I close my eyes, trying to find my center. My breathing slows, and I start to feel more myself. A warmth fills my body, and I embrace it, holding tight to the feeling flowing through me. 

“Is it much further?” I ask. 

“I am not sure, Master. You must ask the dead one.” 

“Where is he?” I mutter, glancing around me. 

“He left while you were in the tunnel.” The demon’s voice is smug. 

“He needs to get back here,” I growl. “Right now. Or I’m going home.” Damn ghost. Why did I ever listen to him? 

My threat is given into open air, but it works. The ghost appears out of the rock floor. His expression is hopeful and excited. I did not think you would survive.  

“Well, I did,” I say testily. “Tell me where to from here.” 

It is in this cavern. I will show you the way.

I sigh. “I’m going to be able to get home again, aren’t I?” I ask the demon. 

“Yes Master, of course. I will lead you home.” The demon’s light is fiery bright in the cavern, and a small part of me is comforted. 

“So where to now?” I ask the ghost, who is hovering at the bottom. 

The next part is more difficult. The ghost hesitates, and looks guilty for the first time. There is something I didn’t mention to you. 

I go still. Of course there is. “What is it?” 

The treasure is guarded. You will have to subdue the guardian before you can take the treasure. 

It takes a few moments for this to sink into my head. Subdue the guardian? “Exactly what kind of creature is the guardian?” 

The ghost hesitates. He doesn’t meet my eyes. A curly tailed fire lizard. 

“Pardon me?” I say, for once completely unable to process what I’m being told. 

The demon’s light buzzes next to me. “I believe he said it was—” 

“I flaming-well heard him the first time,” I all-but shout at the demon. I turn to the ghost, and for the first time ever in my life, I can feel the veins standing out in my neck.  “You want me to subdue the most aggressive and unpleasant fire beast in the whole Kingdom?” I run my fingers through my hair, pulling the ends until they’re standing to attention. “Are you CRAZY?” 

CHAPTER SIX 

The ghost hovers uncertainly next to me. You should probably be a little quieter. I don’t know how lightly they sleep. 

“I will hunt you down,” I growl at the ghost. “I will come to the afterlife, and hunt you down, just for the pleasure of killing you again.” 

The ghost drifts away from me, his expression anxious. There is a way. I heard of it from a spice trader who was passing through my village. 

“Don’t tell me,” I whisper hoarsely, gesturing with one arm. “It’s tickling their chin? Or perhaps snipping off its claws? No, no! It has to be that I sing it a lullaby.” 

No need to be rude. The ghost crosses his arms over his chest huffily. He’s fading into the background even as I watch him. 

“If you leave, I will go home and never look for this treasure again,” I say in a low voice. “Your sister will rot alongside your father.” 

The ghost comes back into focus. 

It is a real thing, my lord. But you have to do exactly as I say. The ghost waits for me to nod, before he continues. 

You must approach the creature while it is sleeping, from behind. You must find the spot on the back of its neck, a point underneath the neck flourishes. When the creature is awake, the flourishes protect its vulnerable spot. You must pinch the skin in that place. 

I slump down onto a rock nearby. “I was right. This is a crazy death mission.” My head hurts, and there’s blood dripping down the side of my only shirt. 

Hear me out, my lord. This will work. Pinching the skin will knock the creature out for half an hour. That is all the time you will need to get the treasure and run. 

“Run?” I repeat. 

Run. Once you’ve stolen its treasure, the fire lizard will consider you its enemy for life.  

Something burns in my chest and I’m starting to feel lightheaded. “This gets better and better. How am I supposed to avoid a rampaging fire lizard for the rest of my life?” 

They’re not smart, my lord, and they don’t like to leave their nest. So as long as you never come back to this place, you will be fine. 

I glance over at the demon, but I get no help from that quarter. This has to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. 

Scraping one hand over two days’ growth of beard, I consider my options. I’ve come all this way, it seems stupid not to attempt it. And the thought of being free of the Salt Mage bond makes my chest hurt even more. Regret is a powerful force. But do I really want a fire lizard chasing me until I die? That seems idiotic, too. 

I look around the cavern and try to figure out whether I want to come back here. I’m not even sure how I’d get here, with the tunnels all blocked with lava. “How do I get out of here?” 

The demon sends sparks into the air. “Perhaps you could use your magic, Master?” 

I give it a dry look. Never trust a demon to come up with a good idea. 

“With my help, you could attempt to create a tunnel in the rock using fire.” The demon’s bright light seems to snap and flutter in anticipation. 

I let out an exasperated breath. “How am I going to create a tunnel in the side of the mountain? And how am I going to get away from the fire lizard in time?”

“I didn’t say it was a perfect plan, Master.” The demon pauses, its light pulsing. “But you don’t have any other options.” 

Sighing deeply, I try to dream up my own plan, something that hasn’t come from a brightly glowing inferno that wants me dead or a deranged ghost who died following one of his own plans. 

But I don’t know how else I’m supposed to get out of here, if not by creating my own exit. Climbing is impossible. Going back through the tunnels is out. Digging isn’t going to help. “What’s the spell?” I ask. 

“I will teach you when the time comes,” says the demon. 

Putting one hand to my face again, I rub my closed eyes, trying to figure out if I’m the insane one, rather than the ghost. 

But the lure of leaving this volcano is too much. My death has been hanging over me these last months, and I have discovered a desire to live that I didn’t know I had. 

“Where’s the creature?” 

Down there my lord. The ghost points to the furtherest corner of the large cavern. Follow me. But be quiet. 

The ghost swooshes down the side of the rocky outcrop, making easy work of a steep climb. Resisting the urge to smash my hands through the idiot ghost, I follow him down the side of the decline, trying not to let any loose shale give me away. 

My exhausted body is shaking, and I can’t think past where I’m going to put my foot next, and then my hands. I go slowly and carefully, determined to avoid any more injuries. 

After the terrors of the tunnel, the climb down the inside of the cavern seems much easier, and is over much faster. 

I’m halfway down when I see the glow. It’s not much at first, but it soon takes over, and I wonder how on earth I didn’t notice it before. 

I climb up a large boulder, and am about to stand on its top, when I realise that the fire lizard’s nest is directly below me. I scoot back down behind the boulder, my breathing unsteady from what I just saw. 

The fire lizard is easily four times my size – not as big as a lavaen or a dragon, but big enough to eat me if it chose. It’s entire orangey-yellow body is glowing with fire, a low flame that burns over its scales like a moving coat. 

It’s beautiful. 

The fire lizard is sleeping curled up like a cat, its curly tail touching its long nose. Underneath its body is the treasure. It’s a massive collection of gold and silver, obviously stolen from various places across the kingdom. 

A thought occurs to me. “If they don’t leave their territory, how did this one amass such a treasure hoard?” I whisper to the ghost. 

This one was fortunate. He found a treasure hoard from some local thieves. They were never able to get it back off the creature, and all died trying. 

I glare suspiciously at the ghost. “Were you one of the thieves?” 

He flickers in and out for a moment, as if trying to find a way not to answer my direct question. Eventually it gets to much for him. 

Yes, my lord. His words are miserable, and I know he hadn’t been planning to tell me. 

“Is there really a sister in need?” 

Of course! That is my only wish in all of this. To allow her the money to get away from our father. 

I turn back to the sleeping lizard. The fact that he was part of a thieving gang is probably not going to make any kind of difference. “There’s too much treasure for me to be able to carry. We’ll have to pick what we want to take quickly.” 

“I can help you my lord.” 

“Carrying treasure?” I ask ironically. 

No, no. I’m not completely insane. But I can tell you the best pieces, what is worth the most money. 

The demon interrupts impatiently. “Master, you must approach the fire lizard now. He will awaken soon.” 

Taking a deep breath, I push myself into motion. Putting my hands on the boulder in front of me, I creep along the edge and down the side of the rocks, until I find an easier path to the lizard’s nest. Its back is to me now, the flames flowing lazily over its body. 

The heat the creature is giving off is immense, the flames licking at its body burning brightly in the low light of this part of the cavern. 

How am I going to touch a creature such as that? I shudder at the thought of touching fire. The only thought that sustains me is the idea that perhaps it’s not real fire, just pretend. Surely the creature couldn’t survive in that kind of heat either? 

Hurry my lord. 

I glare over at the ghost. But he’s right. Better to get this over with. Stealthily, I creep toward the fire lizard. As I get closer I can hear its deep snuffling breaths, and see the rise and fall of its chest more clearly. 

When I’m almost at the head of the creature, it starts to move, as if it’s waking up. My whole body starts shaking, and I hesitate. If it wakes, if it notices me before I can get to the side of its neck, I’m toast. There’s nothing else I can do. No amount of reasoning with it will save me. 

But part of me—the wild part that decided to sign up as a bonded mage to hunt for precious salt inside volcanoes in the first place—won’t let me leave. 

I’m going to finish this, no matter what. I keep walking toward the fire lizard, ignoring the increasing signs that it’s waking up. 

CHAPTER SEVEN 

My body is burning, sweat dripping down my back and face. I reach up and wipe the moisture from my face, trying to ignore the terrified pounding of my heart. 

I’m at the creature’s neck, holding my hand over the section where the ghost indicated I should pinch its neck. I hesitate. I could still run, forget all this. 

Suddenly, the neck moves and the head of the fire lizard appears beside me. It snarls, showing rows of sharp teeth, and breathing sulphurous gas over my face. 

I wince, steeling myself for the inevitable attack, but the fire lizard hesitates, and stares at me longer than I would have expected. Its eyes are deep violet, and stare into mine like they’re hypnotized. 

“Master, you have the creature in your thrall. Quickly now, you must take the magic you used to bind me, and throw it over the lizard. It will hold the creature.” 

Fear, surprise, and instinct all help me do exactly what the demon says. I find that same hive of magic that allows me to control the demons, and I pull on it. It’s not part of my normal magic, or even the disturbing wild magic that saved me, which are both still absent. 

Through my demon-bond magic, I feel the pulsing essence of the lizard, the fiery core of its being, and I ensnare it. 

The fire lizard rears up onto its back legs, the fire over its body burning more brightly than any I’ve ever seen. It breathes out flames from its mouth, and roars into the air above its nest. 

But it’s all for show. I can feel it. The creature is in my power. 

“Quickly Master, move to get this treasure you seek. I don’t pretend to understand fire lizards, but I doubt this one will stay loyal to you like I do.” 

Given the shaky nature of the demon’s loyalty, that’s reason to move quickly. 

“Ghost, where’s the best treasure?” I ask, picking up a leather satchel at the edge of the lizard’s nest. 

The ghost moves forward, and pointing to a cup here, and a pile of coins there, helps me fill the satchel to overflowing. 

As I’m sifting around in the corners of the treasure pile I become aware of a powerful magic dragging at my senses. Something important is calling to me, drawing me closer. 

Glancing over at the fire lizard, which is watching me intently as I shuffle through its treasure, I move toward the far side of the pile. It’s definitely coming from this area. 

I kneel down, sifting through the coins and pieces of gold, trying to find the source of the magic that’s calling to me so vigorously. 

My hands touch something solid, and suddenly power erupts over me, striking my whole body like I’ve just been hit by lightning. My body trembles like I’ve got a fever, and my vision is filled with fire. 

All I can see is the burning, thriving, gleaming flames that touch every part of our lives. It’s what keeps us alive, and allows the creatures of the world to survive. 

It’s everything. 

My fingers curl around the object and pull it out from the pile of coins. It’s a knife. It’s old, and rough, and has a long sharp point with rubies dotted up its hilt. 

If I wasn’t mesmerised by the incredible power emanating from the knife, I wouldn’t have been impressed by it at all. 

The demon is at my elbow, and for once it doesn’t have anything to say. 

“What is it?” I ask. 

Just an old knife, my lord. We have better things to take with us. The ghost is dismissive. 

I glance at the demon, awaiting its response. Clearly the ghost has no magic. 

The demon hesitates. “It is a powerful artefact, Master, ruled by fire. It will help you escape from this place.” 

“Did you know it was here?” 

“No. It seems your presence has awakened it.” 

It’s a strange thing to say, and I frown at the demon, but just at that moment, the fire lizard decides to make a bid for freedom. As it scrambles away from the nest, I turn and pour more of my magic over the creature, holding it fast, just like I do for the demons. 

But this time, my demon-binding magic somehow pulls on the power in the knife, and the burst I send into the fire lizard is stronger than I intend. It crumples to the ground. 

For a moment, I think I’ve killed it. But the heavy thudding of its heart is still audible though our bond. I let out a relieved breath. For all that it would kill me as soon as look at me, I don’t want to kill something this beautiful if I can help it. 

“Hurry, Master. We must leave this place. Gather the last few treasures.” 

I nod. The demon is right. There’s no time to worry about what just happened. I put the knife in my belt, and keep stuffing treasures into the leather satchel. Very soon, it’s full to the brim, and I’m struggling to carry it. 

Come now, my lord. Surely you can fit a little more in that bag of yours? 

I glare at the ghost. “You’ll take what I can carry, and be glad of it,” I say severely. 

The ghost retreats a few paces. Yes, my lord. 

“Where to?” I turn and ask the demon. 

“You will need the knife, Master. And we will find a place where the rocks are weaker so you can carve your way out.” 

I glance sharply at the demon. “Would I have been able to actually carve the escape tunnel if I didn’t find the knife?” 

“I’m sure we would have found a way, Master,” says the demon with unnatural innocence. “I would have helped you as best I could.” 

I stomp off toward the side of the cavern where the demon is indicating. 

No matter how many times I deal with them, I never learn. 

If I hadn’t found the knife, which the demon clearly hadn’t been expecting, I would have been trapped down here, trying to fight off a fire lizard and living off cave bugs until I died, either from being burned alive by the lizard, or of starvation. 

Never trust demons or ghosts. 

CHAPTER EIGHT 

I pull the knife from my belt, and the zing of power flows through my body, dancing along my senses. If I wasn’t trapped inside a cavern with a fire lizard, surrounded by erupting lava, I might have been more intrigued. 

“What do I do?” 

“Harness its power and send a bolt of power into the rock.” 

I stare down at the knife. “And just how am I supposed to do that?” 

“It is capable of it, Master, that is all I know. Only you can determine the how. And quickly.” The demon is buzzing over my head. 

I frown up at it, trying to understand what’s happening. Demons are usually bored and angry around me. This one seems… almost excited? I can only hope it’s not because I’m about to skewer myself on the blade. 

Shaking my head, I lift the knife in both hands, pointing it towards the rock. I close my eyes, trying to find the source of the power that I attached to before. 

Immediately the magic inside the knife surges, leaping over itself to follow my bidding. A line of fire shoots out from the knife, and hits the wall of rock in front of me. The rock starts to melt under the blue and orange flames. 

The cavern shudders, and a scattering of rocks fall from the ceiling, but I manage to keep my feet, and hold onto the knife. 

“Excellent, Master. It is working.” 

This is the most magic I’ve ever wielded, and it’s exhilarating. If this is what other mages feel on a daily basis, no wonder they love their magic so much more than I do. 

The line of fire is melting the rock like it’s butter, a sparking inferno that’s out of my control. All I can do is hold the knife, and direct the power where I want it to go. There’s a lengthening hole being driven into the rocks. My tunnel is becoming a reality. But the magic is draining me so fast the knife is starting to feel too heavy to hold up. My arms feel like they’re being weighed down by large boulders. I’m not sure how long I can keep this up.  

I take a step forward, then another, urging the knife’s magic to burn into the rock wall. The light is so intense, it hurts my eyes, but I can’t look away. I’m mesmerized by the fiery magic. 

The tunnel gets deeper and deeper, and I move forward until I’m at the entrance to my escape route, the knife pointed down the narrow tunnel, still burning deeper into solid rock. The mountain shudders overhead, like it’s objecting to what I’m doing. 

The rocks around the edges are emanating heat, and a hazy brown smoke drifts out. It’s a small tunnel, maybe three feet across, and four high. I’m going to have to crawl to get into it.  

I kneel down, cautiously peering into the tunnel, trying not to touch anything. I can feel the heat from the rocks on my face. The smell of burnt rock is heavy on my nose, and the wafting smoke is shifting around my body. My eyes are watering from the acrid vapor clinging to the air around me. It’s all I can do to cling to the knife, to keep it pointed in the right direction. If I’m going to escape, I need this to work. 

The only way is to focus deep inside me. I push away all my bodily concerns. The blisters on my hands from the fire magic of the knife, the harsh smell in my nostrils, the smoke burning my eyes. The exhaustion pushing at my whole body. I keep hold on the knife, and concentrate on burning deeper into the mountain. 

It’s the length of five men lying end to end, and the line of magical fire still hasn’t broken through to the outside. My energy is starting to flag, and the knife is shuddering in my hands. If I don’t break through soon, I might not escape after all. 

Behind me, the fire lizard screeches. It’s awake. Its wings make flapping noises as it stands up and stretches. 

“Master, the creature is no longer in your thrall. You will need to hurry.” The demon is hovering right next to me again. 

I move forward and touch the side of the newly carved tunnel. The heated rock immediately burns the skin on my hand. I pull it away, shaking out my hand, while trying to hold the knife steady. “I can’t. It’s too hot.” 

“Which would you choose? Burned by the rocks or eaten by the fire lizard? You no longer have sufficient magic to put it in your thrall the way you did before.” 

I take a deep breath, and glance back at the fire lizard. It’s standing up now, sniffing the air. In a moment, it will find me. 

“I need more time. How can I distract it?” 

“You could give it the treasure back,” says the demon. 

“Would that stop it?” As much as I don’t want to give up my hard earned treasure, I still prefer to be alive.

If a demon could shrug, this one would have. “It would distract it for a few more moments before it ate you.” 

“What else?” 

“I could attempt to distract it for you.” The answer is reluctantly dragged out of the demon.  

I have to restrain the growl that wants to erupt out of my throat. “Yes. Do that,” I say.  

The demon speeds off toward the fire lizard, and I watch anxiously as it zips around the creature. The fire lizard swats at the demon, missing by a mile. The demon keeps buzzing around its head, making it snap and bite into thin air. 

I peer into the tunnel, trying to see how much longer it will take. Is that light I can see at the end? I force out the magic, trying to hurry the knife into speeding up. My heart is pounding in my chest and my eyes are starting to blur. 

The magic in the knife slows down in reaction to my efforts. It’s like my magic is tangling up with the powerful magic inside the blade and stopping it from working properly. Taking a deep breath, then another, I go back to letting the magic form its own speed. 

A loud cracking splits the air, and the last of the rock at the far end of the tunnel breaks away. Light floods down the shaft, blinding me. Just as fast as it arrived, the powerful magic disappears. The knife drops from my suddenly limp hands, and I collapse to the ground. The absence of the fiery power leaves a gaping hole inside me. 

I feel heavy, drained. 

Beside its nest, the fire lizard roars in displeasure. Ignoring the demon, it leaps into the air, doing agitated circles above. Any moment it’s going to figure out I’m no longer a threat, and swoop down to grab me. 

I reach out toward the tunnel entrance, but my movements are sluggish. I’m going to be eaten alive, despite having my escape route, because I can’t move. My whole body feels like it’s a lump of wood, one that’s just been set on a fire, and is about to be burned to ash. 

No. I refuse. 

I drag myself to my hands and knees. The gold-filled satchel is over my shoulder, dragging me down. But I can do this. 

Tucking the knife in the band of my pants, I crawl until I’m directly in front of the tunnel entrance. The heat is pulsing out from the rocks, and I know it’s going to hurt as soon as I enter. 

A few burns or devoured by an overgrown lizard? 

There’s really no choice. 

CHAPTER NINE 

I duck my head into the tunnel.  

My hands already have blisters. What are a few more? Crawling slowly forward, I try not to cry out from the pain in my hands as they touch the searing hot rock. The long tunnel stretches before me. My hands will be burned and blistered stubs by the time I make it to the end. Luckily my knees are protected by my leather pants. 

Wait. 

If my knees are protected, why can’t I find something for my hands? I scoot back out of the tunnel. Overhead, the fire lizard is flying in circles, watching me like it’s just waiting for the best moment to pounce. It’s still got a healthy fear of me, but that won’t last forever. 

Glancing quickly around, I try to find something that I could wrap around my hands. The only options are some satchels and other pieces of material beside the fire lizard’s nest. It’ll mean going out into the open, an easy target for the fire lizard. I hesitate. Is it really that important to get something for my hands? Wouldn’t it be better to just handle the pain? 

But my hands are already burning like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I hold them up, examining the palms - or what’s left of them. The skin is mostly burned away, some of it blackened and broken. Other parts are blistered, filled with pus. Two of the fingers can’t bend, from the fall into the chasm. 

All of a sudden, it seems imperative that I get something to protect them from further damage. I pull the satchel of gold off my shoulder and dump it beside the tunnel entrance. Even just getting that load off my shoulders is a huge relief. 

My limbs feel like I’ve got rocks tied to them, but I force myself to run back over to the nest. The fire lizard screeches overhead, and dives down. I wave my arms and growl at it, and the creature swerves back up into the air away from me. It’s still not sure. 

I grab a large leather bag and tip out the gold pieces inside it, and then another satchel. Shaking them both out, I test them around my hands. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing. I run back to my tunnel, trying to keep my shaky legs from tripping over themselves. 

I’m almost there when the fire lizard swoops down again, screeching madly. I’m out in the open, with no boulders or anything to protect me. I crouch down, grabbing the knife from my belt and holding it high. It’s been emptied of its magic, so is no real protection, but I can at least make it difficult. 

But the fire lizard isn’t going for me. 

It levels its claws down at the gold-filled satchel by the tunnel, and grabs it. Its eyes are blazing with fire, and its wings are pumping frantically as it steals back the coins and other trinkets. 

It rises into the air, its screeches echoing around the chamber. I stand up, my eyes glued to the creature, waiting desperately to see if it will attack me next. But in one fluid movement, it turns and races back to its treasure hoard. 

It’s gone. And it’s taken my treasure. 

It’s like a physical blow. I’ve worked so hard, almost died several times. Ever since I met the ghost, the thought of getting out of my salt mage bond has been hovering in my mind. What am I—?

Nooooo! The ghost screams as he appears through the rock wall. My lord, you must get it back! 

I glare at the ghost. “And how am I supposed to do that?” 

You will think of a way. You made it here, which is far more than most have done. You cannot leave the cave without the treasure. 

“Master, I believe the best course would be to leave now. The fire lizard will only grow more brazen as it realizes you have no more magic.” The demon is hovering near my shoulder. “Do you wish to give up your life for this supposed treasure?” 

I look to where the lizard has landed back on its nest. It’s pulling at the satchel, attempting to drag the treasure out of the bag. 

“How long do I have before it decides to come after me again?” I ask. Perhaps I could…? 

“Not long, Master. It would be best to get moving.” 

A bitter taste sits in my mouth, and I long for the feel of the satchel over my shoulder. The feeling of being a free man again. But the demon’s right. I have to leave it here. 

With my shoulders sagging, I turn, and climb into the tunnel. The rocks still burn, but inside my padded gloves, my fingers don’t feel it as much. 

Behind me, the fire lizard screeches again. I glance back over my shoulder and see it veering directly toward me. It’s finally decided to attack. I scramble along the tunnel, trying to move faster than the tiny space will allow. The fire lizard slams into the rock, using its shoulders to bash against the end of the tunnel. Inside, small rocks and dust fall from the ceiling, coating me and making me sneeze. 

The fire lizard reaches one of its arms down into the tunnel, but I’m too far along. It slams its body against the rock wall again, and more rocks and dust fall. I have to concentrate on just moving toward the light, because if I think about the weight of all that rock above me, I might just freeze up. 

I’ve managed to create a steady rhythm now, and I’m moving as fast as I can down the tunnel, my hands and knees screaming in protest. This far into the tunnel, the rocks are even hotter, and there’s more of the nasty smelling brown smoke, clogging up my breathing. 

I’m almost there, where I feel a strange suction on the tunnel. I glance back, and see the fire lizard in the entrance- except now it’s poked its head down the tunnel. 

The creature is opening its mouth, and the tunnel is echoing with the familiar rumbling sound they make before sending flames out into the world. 

I scramble toward the exit, my knees bleeding through the leather now, my hands numb. I won’t survive a direct blast from a fire lizard. The light gets bigger and bigger, and I feel like I’m almost going to make it. 

And then the flames come scorching down toward me. 

CHAPTER TEN 

The demon suddenly appears behind me. “Master, hurry,” it says before being engulfed by the flames. Amazingly, the demon seems to be absorbing some of the fire. 

I struggle through the last few feet of tunnel, almost tripping over my own arms, and tumbling out the other side into the bright sunlight. I land heavily on the dry dirt and rock of the outside of the volcano mountain. 

Flames from the lizard emerge from the tunnel, spraying into the air above me and singing the top of my hair. I’m blinded by the bright sunlight outside, after the darkness of the tunnel, and I’m gasping in ragged breaths. The screeches of the fire lizard echo down the tunnel. 

The demon speeds out of the tunnel behind me, and into the air. The ground under my body is rumbling, and in the sky great dust clouds are emerging from the enormous crater and starting to cover the sun. 

“Will it realize that it just has to fly out the hole in the top of its cavern?” I ask, still panting on the rough dirt. 

“Unlikely. It didn’t seem the smartest animal.” 

The ground shakes again, and this time there’s a rumbling from outside the mountain. A couple of boulders are rolling down, crashing and tumbling, set free by the movement of the mountain. 

Farther down the mountain, a long way east, the smoke of the cookfire at the salt collectors’ huts winds its way into the sky. 

Another blast of flames comes down the tunnel, and I only just duck in time to avoid being hit. 

The ghost suddenly appears in the air next to me. He’s rubbing his transparent head in agitation.  Now that you know how to get there, you can go back. Get the treasure. 

I shake my head. As much as I want to be free of the mage bond, I’m not going to risk my neck like that again. “I think that treasure might be there for good now.” 

You promised! You promised you’d get the treasure for me. 

“For you? Or your sister?” 

The ghost looks shifty. Of course for my sister.  

All of a sudden, I’m certain. “There is no sister, is there? Who is this gold for? What does it mean to you? You’re a ghost, for crying out loud.” 

It’s not my fault. 

“It never is,” I say. “Who are you really collecting the gold for?” 

The ghosts fades in an out. I need magic from my master to stay in this world. I don’t want to die. I never wanted to die. 

“And your master is the one who wants the treasure?” 

The ghost nods. He sends me into the volcano to find people who can battle the fire lizard. You are the only one to have made it this far. 

I want to banish the ghost, or do anything that might stop him from preying on another unsuspecting salt mage. But I don’t have the ability to do anything that exciting. All I can do is listen to them talk about nothing. 

“Just leave, go away. I never want to see you here again. If I do, I’ll find a way to send you on to the next world. The very place you don’t want to go.” 

The ghost makes a startled squeak, and disappears. 

The demon gives off a series of small sparks into the air. “Master, the eruption is calming down. The volcano is going to settle soon,” it says. 

“You may leave,” I say. 

“Thank you Master.” In an unusual move, the demon dips itself in a semblance of a bow before it disappears into the air beside me. I frown in confusion. That’s the most respectful a demon has ever been toward me. 

A cold shiver runs down my spine, and I glance around me trying to figure out what might be different. There’s nothing that’s changed. Except…

I pull the knife out of my belt and hold it up in front of me. It doesn’t look like much, not even sharp enough to do much cutting. But for the first time in my life, I experienced powerful magic. 

It was thrilling. 

The thought makes my heart beat faster, and my blistered hands ache in response. 

But for now, there’s nothing left to do, but go home. 

One foot in front of the other, I trudge back down the mountainside to the salt mines. 

Thanks so much for reading Subtle Magic.

Click this link to purchase Fire Mage, book one in the series.