Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 30

Episode 30: The Verdict

“My people will help you stay the course. If the need arises, I will take care of you.”

William put his hand on the spear, and held it to his chest. “We have an accord, Pelent.”

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 29

Episode 29: The Jury

Teresa dropped her swords. “What can I do?”

“You are my love. You can help me stay the course.”

Pelent interrupted with her spear point in William’s face.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 28

Episode 28: The Edge

The army finally reached the edge of the kingdom. In one more day, King Bryant would finally have his war. He slept well that night.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 27

Episode 27: A Plea

William let flames flow over his hands, and then forced them to quiet with the image of water in his mind. “I am what I am, but I need your help.”

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 26

Episode 26: Questions

Teresa waited for William to turn to her.

“Why burn the scrolls?”

“No one else needs to turn to such measures for power.”

“And you?”

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 25

Episode 25: Pity

Soaking wet, Brutus survived Bryant’s night terror with third degree burns.

Bryant pitied Brutus and assigned two young soldiers and a surgeon to tend his wounds with herbs.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 24

Episode 24: The Evidence

William set sparks to the scrolls, the furniture, and everything in the cave with writing, and then backed out slowly. He sensed Teresa behind him.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 23

Episode 23: Mercy, again

Teresa found Pelent, and together, they followed William to the sorcerer’s cave.

Pelent raised her spear to kill William, but Teresa stayed her hand.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 22

Episode 22: Flame

Escaping from the flaming remnants of his tent, Bryant screamed and set the world on fire around him. Only one man within fifty paces survived.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 21

Episode 21: Sickened

Sickened by what he had learned, William wandered away from the encampment and walked back to his Master’s cave. He needed the scrolls.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 20

Episode 20: Knowledge

After several days of formal mourning, Teresa knew: Master Cat had killed all the other men of the tribe. Shifting had driven him mad.

What did this mean for William?

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 19

Episode 19: Only a Bucket Brigade

In his sleep, Bryant set his palanquin on fire.

No one attempted to rescue him, but Brutus stood by with a bucket of water.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 18

Episode 18: Watched

Although they clothed him and fed him, the women of Calisto’s tribe obviously feared William. 

He tried to stay out of their way.

Teresa watched him.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 17

Episode 17: A Memorial

Teresa, Pelent, and William returned to Calisto’s camp with honors.

Still in shock, Teresa stayed apart from William and watched with confusion as the women gave a memorial for Master Cat.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 16

Episode 16: Nightmares

The amusements Bryant devised for the tedious ride to the border did not fill the continued hollowness inside of him. His nightmares started again.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 15

Episode 15: Mercy

“I couldn’t kill him. He was . . . my mentor.”

William held out his arms. “Will you strike me, too, Teresa?”

She dropped her bow.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 14

Episode 14: Final Blow

Teresa drew her bow, and shot the jaguar-man in the chest.

He fell to the ground, and William stepped back from him.

Pelent wept, but squeezed Teresa’s hand.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 13

Episode 13: Cruelty

Screaming with fear, the first farmer’s wife proved unsatisfactory to Bryant’s tastes.

Her cries grew tedious and he ended it.

Brutus disposed of the body.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 12

Episode 12: Flame in the Shadows

Master Cat slunk and twisted, circling William with mist.

William blasted the shadows with fire, coming closer and closer to his mentor.

Master Cat laughed.

Ashes Burn, Season 5: Shadow and Flame, Episode 11

Episode 11: Fear

Teresa maneuvered Pelent away from the two sorcerers.

The jaguar-man fought with shadows and William fought with flame.

Both frightened her.