Read Fire Within: Book Two of Fire and Stone (Stories of Fire and Stone 2) for Free Online

Its wings waved slowly, hovering it in position. Its slender head was pointed at him, and to Esset’s shock, it spoke.
    “Well, Summoner, you’re a rather stubborn one, aren’t you?” it—she? The voice sounded feminine—said in a very cultured, articulate voice. “I came immediately when you called, but the same cannot be said for you, can it?”
    “I—uh, I…” Esset was stunned speechless. He’d never encountered or heard of an intelligent summon before. His summons were often vicious, disobedient, dangerous, and occasionally even cunning, but they were all animalistic attributes. Intelligence anywhere near a human level was something totally unexpected.
    “An excellent first impression,” the phoenix remarked, but her lack of emotional inflection disconcerted Esset. Was she angry? Ambivalent? Joking? Critical? He hadn’t figured it out before she spoke again. “Next time, please summon me sooner after I call you.”
    “Next time?” Esset asked. He cleared his mind and found that the pounding in his head had stopped.
    “Ah yes, I suppose we must sort that out first,” she replied. “I would like to propose some modifications to the Contract.”
    “You can do that?” Esset asked, once again surprised.
    “Of course. You and I forged it to begin with,” she replied. “But of course you wouldn't know with whom you were interacting. Are you willing to enter negotiations?”
    “May I ask a question first?” Esset requested.
    “Ah, there is the scholar. Yes, you may,” she replied.
    “Why am I still alive?” he asked.
    “That was my choice. When you summoned me, your life was forfeit, but instead of taking all of your remaining years, I chose to take only two. I did it for two reasons; first, the purpose for which you summoned me went unfulfilled. As far as the Contract is concerned, that point is irrelevant, but as you are witnessing, I am intelligent, and the choice is mine. So I saw an opportunity. You are indebted to me, a debt which can be cleared by accepting the new Contract, which I believe you will find mutually beneficial regardless.” She waited for him to respond.
    “I am willing to enter negotiations,” Esset replied. Remembering the original forging of the Contract, he was aware that his particular wording could be very important.
    For all that the summoners of his line could call a summon on a whim, they knew very little about the creatures themselves. Even when they entered the Contract when they came of age, they simply followed a pre-written script, with no actual conversation with the other party. It was unlikely that the phoenix would try to trick him, but as his father had originally warned him, it was a good idea to stay on the good sides of such inhuman creatures. Caution was better.
    “What changes do you propose?” he asked.
    “Our plane of existence is very different from yours. I have experienced yours a handful of times before, but it has been generations since the last time I was called. I am inquisitive by nature, and I desire to know more. If we reforge the Contract, I would be able to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel through you. You would be unaware of me but for my telling you. I would not be able to control or influence you, I would simply observe. In exchange, I would waive many of the summoning requirements and lend you a select few of my magical abilities. I have given you a sampling of this already.”
    “The bird.” Esset caught on immediately. “It looked different, and it flew much faster. It was more obedient, too. I was so tired that it should have tried to disobey me several times, but it didn't try at all.”
    “Indeed.” The phoenix inclined her head, acknowledging his observations. “There are others as well. I will leave you to discover the particulars. As before, you will glean knowledge from your tome.”
    “And this fire that I can’t control? Is that you too?” Esset asked.
    “Hm, yes. It appears your lack of inborn magical