Chapter 10 · Ash Ledger - Chapter 10: The Name in the Ledger

"Fire in the grain store!"

The shout cut through the yard before I could catch my breath. I was still on my knees, ash from the ledger smeared across my palms, when the smell hit me. Smoke. Not cook-fire smoke. The thick, greasy kind that meant something big was burning.

"Move!" Bram was already running. Half the men who'd just watched me pull that dying soldier back from nothing were scattering toward the inner wall. The other half just stood there, staring at me like I'd grown a second head.

I didn't have time for either.

"Get buckets," I said. My voice came out steadier than I felt. "Now."

They moved.

I got to my feet and the ledger was still hot against my ribs, tucked under my shirt where no one could see it. My hands were shaking. The power I'd burned through to save that soldier had left me hollow, like I'd been running uphill for an hour straight. But the fire wasn't going to wait for me to feel better.

Bram caught my arm as I passed him. "Someone set that blaze. Grain stores don't just go up."

"I know."

"You know who?"

I didn't answer.