Arcene: The Island Read Online Free PDF Page A

around them again, all the worse for the silence that came before.
    Once again, lighting split and forked, the sky alive and lethal; more trees erupted into flame below. The balloon descended ever lower, until Arcene was sure she could reach out and touch the top of the highest trees. Mighty oaks grown massive, soaring above the canopy and sending crooked fingers into the sky.
    Fasolt fought with the burner, barely able to reach it from his trapped position, but it was a losing battle, the downward pressure was too great. They sank.
    The basket bounced along the tops of trees, punched back high into the air as it hit the dense forest, only to bounce back down and crash again. Arcene bent and gripped Leel's thick leather collar, an old belt now back to faded brown leather after an attempt to make Leel more feminine by painting it red — it had worn off after a few days of Leel doing what she did best: getting into trouble, just like her mistress.
    With a moment of insight, and a "just in case" scenario, Arcene fumbled about on the floor of the basket and hoisted the modified backpack onto Leel then buckled up the straps. No easy task when Leel refused to sit up properly and kept trying to hide her eyes behind her paws, meaning every time she lifted them she fell flat onto her belly, not making the connection.
    "You stupid dog, sit still for a minute. What if the backpack gets lost? We'd have none of our snacks left then, or any water." That wasn't quite true as Fasolt had brought plenty, but it was stashed away and unreachable in the compartment at the moment. The last buckle finally done, Arcene hugged Leel tight and whispered, "Good girl."
    Woof. Woof, woof.
    "I wish I could stop it, Leel, but don't worry, it'll be over soon."
    "Look out, you better hang on." Fasolt twisted the dial on the burner frantically, but it was too late and the basket bounced from one tree top to another. Flame engulfed them.
    Arcene ducked as they came at the top of the blazing tree fast, the heat intense, nothing but smoke, fire, and the impossibility of breathing. Her eyes watered, her lungs filled with smoke, and everywhere was heat. They were past in a second.
    "That was close," said Arcene with a smile and a cough. "I thought, ugh," she paused to cough again, "that we were gonna be all crispy."
    "Arcene, Arcene!" Fasolt pointed with his head toward the side of the basket.
    She peered over and saw that the tether ropes hanging over the side were aflame. Fire licked up the ropes, higher and higher. Arcene reached over her shoulder, felt the reassuringly cold steel of the hilt of her sword, the red pommel tickling her wrist as it swung in the ferocious wind, and whipped out the blade. She leaned out as far as she dared and swung wildly at the blazing rope, trying to cut it away from the basket, but it wasn't working.
    They were wobbling too much and leaning out put the whole balloon into a spin. She tried one last time and managed to slice the rope, but even as she did so her feet heated up and little flames licked through the wicker floor.
    "The other rope, I didn't do the other rope."
    "Pour water on it. Quick, quick," instructed Fasolt.
    The balloon rose sharply as the wind changed direction, coming fast from the east, pushing them toward the setting sun faster and faster. The flames fanned, climbing higher, until the floor was red and Leel stood in terror, not knowing what to do or where to go.
    "Ah, stay still, Leel, my hand's caught." Arcene hopped from one foot to another, trying to get her hand out from where it had slid through up to the wrist on Leel's collar as she squirmed in panic.
    Managing to sheath her sword, Arcene fumbled one-handed to undo the backpack to get at the water, but Leel wouldn't stay still and the stupid contraption rocked and bucked wildly, reminding Arcene of the first time she came across a horse in the wilds when she must have been about nine and thought it would be fun to go for a ride — she spent the next