Fire Heir Chapter by Chapter Breakdown
The Guardian world is reacting to the failed Keepers’ rebellion, while some may agree that the splinter group had a point, The Elite are looking for blood. As a known would-be Keeper, Abigail is now facing the consequences of her decisions. She is recovering from her injuries, being forced to live with her grandmother and is now facing a trial for her crimes. Her status as Heir Apparent may be enough to save her from a cell in the Carcer, but is she ready to use it and go back to playing ‘good little Guardian’, especially now she knows what The Elite are capable of?
Chapter One
Abi is in her Universa lesson with Jess, Mike and Charlotte which is being overseen by Lucas. Charlotte is trying to get a reaction from Abi.
Abi hits Charlotte, Jess pulls her back and Lucas knocks them all off their feet with a gush of wind.
Lucas explains that Abi’s trial is on Wednesday. Jess tries to reassure Abi, before Lucas silences them and tells them to get back to work.
Chapter Two
Abi manages to get through the rest of the session without incident. She says goodbye to Jess and ignores the messages on her phone from Curtis.
Abi heads to the Porta and then into the Vicus to Josef’s house, checking to see if she is being watched as she walks over.
Clay opens the door and criticises Curtis for getting in a fight yesterday.
Josef and Abi have a conservation in the living room. He tells her to give Curtis’ name to The Elite. She says she won’t and tells him she knows the trial date. Josef already knows and explains she’s a flight risk. Abi says that she’s not going to run.
Abi leaves, goes to the Porta and then to school to pick up her GCSE results – 9, 8, 8, 8, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 6.
Chapter Three
Abi arrives back at Sylvia’s house. Sylvia questions where she was and what happened at her Universa session.
Abi is sent to her room. The boxes are still unpacked despite moving in eleven weeks ago. She opens up her laptop and searches custody battles.
Abi calls Holly and Beth. They offer to come over, Abi says that they can’t.
Chapter Four
The next day is slow. On Saturday morning Holly and Beth come over, in the afternoon she goes to the Nottingham Forest match with Tom and spends the rest of the weekend texting Curtis and Jess.
Tuesday comes too quickly and Abi doesn’t sleep on Tuesday night.
Wednesday morning, Abi meets Sylvia in the kitchen. They go into the garden, Sylvia forms a portal and they reappear in the Porta.
Holly and Beth are waiting for her. Sylvia tells them its time to leave for the trial. Beth starts to threaten Sylvia but Abi says that she’s okay as Sylvia throws a pair of firecuffs around Abi’s wrists.
Chapter Five
Abi looks at her wrists and asks for the firecuffs to be removed. Sylvia removes them.
They head down the tunnel to the Justicia, through the reception and to the courtroom. Josef arrives and gives her a hug.
Abi takes her place and Declan starts proceedings. Abi confirms that she joined the Keepers. Declan twists her words and says that she only came to The Elite as a last resort. The Elite ask for names and Abi refuses to give them.
Sylvia says that Abi will regret this, Abi says that she won’t. Elyse calls an end to the proceedings, telling Abi to stay where she is while they make a decision.
Chapter Six
The Elite go through a side door to make their decision. It takes fifty minutes before Declan leads The Elite back out.
Elyse speaks. Abi is guilty but needs educating rather than punishing. She is given a custodial sentence of five years, suspended until she comes of age, if she gets in no further trouble then the sentence will be void.
Declan speaks. Abi’s Universa will continue under Lucas’ supervision, Abi will start private lessons with Lucas, she will continue to live with Sylvia and her behaviour will improve or she will be moved into the Vicus.
Abi will need to be remarked. She is cuffed to the floor. The knife touches her tattoo, fire licks over her bones and she collapses.
Chapter Seven
Abi wakes. Holly helps her to stand. Slyvia says that the remarking will need to be done again in three months and if she can stand then she can walk.
Twenty minutes later, Abi is back at her gran’s house, in her room, she flops onto the bed, closes her eyes and falls asleep.
Abi is woken by the ringing of her phone. Curtis is in the garden. She goes to meet him.
Abi leads Curtis upstairs to her room. They start kissing and undressing. Sylvia comes in.
Chapter Eight
Abi heads downstairs after Sylvia and Curtis. When she gets there, they are in the living room with tea set out.
Curtis lies about how they got together and asks if he can continue to see Abi. Sylvia agrees, under supervision.
Abi says goodbye in the garden, they argue, Curtis steps through a portal.
Chapter Nine
Monday and the start of a new school year. Abi is doing A-levels in biology, English combined, PE and physiology. She is struggling in her PE lesson – she is stiff, sore and her movements are slow and tentative. She has lost her edge after her injuries.
Days are leaving her feeling shattered as she fits in runs in her lunchtime, staying in at her grandmother’s home, the evenings and completing homework and Latin lessons in the kitchen with Curtis.
On the Terra Dies, she has a long day at school, goes home and is sat crossed legged in her room doing homework. Holly comes in with drinks. Beth arrives.
They head to the festival. Abi meets up with Jess. Curtis comes over. They start to argue. Josef comes over and asks to borrow Abi. He tells her that they are setting up an Heirs rebellion.
Chapter Ten
Abi questions what he means. Josef points out Lindsay and explains that she is leading a rebellion. Josef offers to take her to the next meeting.
Abi and Josef hug. Curtis comes over and Abi tells him that they were just talking. Curtis asks what about and Josef says that it’s none of his business.
Holly comes over. She tells them to keep it down and leads Josef away.
Chapter Eleven
Saturday comes with dreaded inevitability. Jess meets up with Abi in the Erudito and they walk across to the hut. Jess invites her out for a night out as her parents would be okay with it, however Abi says her gran wouldn’t be.
They sit as far away as possible from Lucas in Universa session. Lucas silences Abi and Jess’ conversation about Josef and Curtis. Her private lesson follows.
Abi puts the book down the second that she is dismissed. A quick jog across the Erudito and she meets Josef in the Porta. They head into the Vicus and walk to Elyse’s house.
They go into the living room. Lindsay is studying The Elite’s laws. Holly, Beth, Henry and Robbie are also there.
Abi asks how long this has been going on. Lindsay says that Abi is only here because of Beth and not to make her regret inviting her and she only got away with her actions because of her privileged position.
Chapter Twelve
Abi says that she doesn’t want that position and would give it up. Lindsay says she knows how she feels, but having Abi here at the meeting is a risk, and that she hopes she is proved wrong because Abi is talented.
Beth introduces the others. They are all Heirs, Abi questions if things are really changing if they are all Heirs and shouldn’t the group be opened up more to others.
There is a discussion on how to get Abi up to speed. It is rejected by both of them, before they both agree.
They go back to looking at The Elite’s laws.
Chapter Thirteen
Abi leaves the meeting an hour later and returns to her grandmother’s house. She has dinner downstairs, followed by studying and messaging Jess.
On Sunday, Josef turns up, just after Sylvia has left for her meeting with The Elite.
Josef follows her upstairs. He questions why her trophies are hidden in the boxes. They head downstairs and into the garden. Josef helps show her how to form a shield.
Curtis rings her phone. Abi asks Josef whether he and Holly will double date with her and Curtis tonight. Josef is unsure. Abi says that she will ask Beth and Leigh too.
Chapter Fourteen
Abi puts effort into getting ready and meets up with Curtis in the garden. Two portals later and they are in St Andrews, Scotland. They turn the corner and see Josef and Holly, who look like they have been arguing.
Josef and Curtis exchange comments. Abi kisses Curtis and Beth and Leigh show up. Leigh asks Abi about her running and offers her the chance to come up and stay with them.
They go to the pub, and take part in a pub quiz. Curtis gets bored, starts trying to pull Abi on his lap. Abi tells him to go outside with her. They argue. Curtis tells her to prove that she is his girlfriend and grabs her arm. Beth comes out and tells him to get off Abi. Curtis says that this is none of her business. Abi asks Beth to respect her decisions and leaves with Curtis.
Chapter Fifteen
Autumn days drag on with Abi in the same routine – school, studying, training, improving her fitness, Guardian lessons. The Heirs are getting nowhere fast on their research. The only success Abi has was learning to master her shield.
She is named on the bench for the school’s football match. Her emotions are all over the place and playing havoc with her temper.
She is sent out of biology class and comes up with a plan to get herself deliberately in trouble.
Next day, Kaye gives her the opportunity. Abi punches her, walks out of school and heads over to her dad’s.
Sylvia finds her there within the hour. Sylvia puts firecuffs on Abi and threatens her with the Carcer and then threatens that Tom will have an accident if she doesn’t listen. Sylvia drags Abi home and attaches the firecuffs to the bed.
Chapter Sixteen
The next few days are very slow. Abi is given a one week suspension from school. She is released from the shackles the next day. The only thing that is not stopped are her Guardian lessons.
On Saturday, she is deliberately late for her Universa lesson. She sends Lucas a definite look when she gets to the hut. Jess asks what has put her in such a good mood. Abi says that she’s decided to stop playing good little Guardian.
Abi gets to her feet and leaves. Elyse is standing outside the hut and tells her that she is going about this the wrong way.
Chapter Seventeen
Elyse tells Abi that the middle of the Erudito is not the place to explain things. Elyse offers to tell Abi why her mum died and Abi agrees to go with her.
They head to Elyse’s house and go into the leaving room. All Lindsay’s papers are out.
Elyse explains about Julia’s death and the Keepers threat. She says that Abi should support Lindsay’s rebellion. Abi asks why now. Elyse explains that she is sick and can only keep Abi out of the Carcer for so long. Abi says she still needs to try to fight in her way.
Chapter Eighteen
Abi leaves, she goes to the Porta and then to Jess’ house. Jess’ dad gives her some money so she can stay in hotels.
Abi heads into Newcastle town centre, stays there and then gets the train to Nottingham the next day. She avoids Guardian contact for the next three weeks, staying in hostels.
On the 1st December, she is running out of money so she calls Leigh. Leigh puts her on speaker and Beth asks where she is. Abi says she needs to talk to Elyse.
Abi lasts four more days before returning to her gran’s house to change her bag. Holly is waiting in her room. Holly lectures her. Sylvia arrives home.
Chapter Nineteen
Abi turns on Holly. Holly says that she didn’t say anything. Sylvia agrees, she says that she has told Abi’s school that she is ill and that she is back in front of The Elite. Holly asks for the charges. Sylvia says that Abi has missed her remarking and sends Holly to get a knife.
Sylvia completes the remarking and firecuffs Abi to the bed.
Holly stays with her that night, letting Abi sleep and then leaves the next morning. Sylvia comes in and tells her to get on with her Latin.
Chapter Twenty
Locked in her room, Abi reaches for her box of sports trophies and pulls out her mum’s old diaries.
She is woken the next morning by her gran banging on the door. At 9am, Abi is back in the Guardian world as they prepare the Cultus for the Incendia Dies.
Beth turns up with presents, she asks Sylvia if she can trade Abi going up in front of The Elite for her. Sylvia says no. Beth tells Abi that they need to make an effort as people don’t survive in the Carcer. Holly turns up with more presents.
The afternoon turns into evening. They go her grandmother’s house to get changed and return to the festival. Abi thinks about throwing a fireball at the central fire early and disrupting the celebrations. Curtis breaks through her thoughts. They get into an argument and Abi dumps him.
Abi heads over to Holly and Beth. A cannon goes off and Elyse’s death is announced – Anthony is now the Water Elite.
Chapter Twenty-One
Abi heads back to her gran’s house. She is chained to the bed by her gran. The next day, Holly and Beth come over and they visit Julia’s grave. Abi questions if she is like her mum and is reliving her mum’s mistakes.
The next few days pass slowly. Elyse’s body lays on a catafalque in the grand hall of the Cultus. Heirs stand guard as mourners pass by to pay respects.
On the 12th December is the funeral and the wake. At the wake, Abi joins Lindsay outside. She talks to Lindsay about things getting better slowly. Lindsay says that now her mum is no longer there to stop it, Abi is going to get sent to the Carcer and married off to Connor as soon as she comes of age.
Lindsay offers to talk to Eva about the Carcer and get Abi out.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Most of the week leading up to Anthony’s Proveho, Abi is confined to her room in her gran’s house.
On the Thursday, she moves into her gran’s house in the Vicus, which allows her a bit more freedom.
On Saturday, she is in the grand hall in the Cultus at the Proveho. Holly asks Abi what’s wrong and she says that she is due to meet with The Elite on Monday. Connor turns around and silences them.
Anthony swears his oath as an Elite.
Chapter Twenty-Three
A private party follows. Abi goes over to Josef, who is with the Keene twins. She asks them to help get her out of there. Robbie agrees to help.
Abi and Robbie head back to Sylvia’s house. Abi goes out for a run before coming back and talking to Robbie.
Monday comes with fated inevitably. Breakfast is a non-event. Then Abi is cuffed as she goes to The Elite’s private study. She is told that she has failed the terms of her probation and is now going to the Carcer.
Declan sends for the Carcer guards.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sylvia removes the firecuffs from Abi. Declan tells the Carcer guards to cuff her. Sylvia says no, that they will use rope cuffs and not elemental ones.
Abi is lead away by Carcer guards, down the tunnel between The Elite’s study and the Carcer. She is nervous and scared. She is guided into a lift and pressed up against the Carcer guards.
The Carcer guard states that Abi is different and Sylvia will have their heads if they try the normal treatment on her.
The Carcer guards walk her down the corridor and Abi steps into a cell.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The door closes behind her and she sees that a copy of her mum’s death contract has been left in there by Declan. Abi buries her head in her knees and cries.
Abi hears a voice from the next cell, telling her to be quiet and not to bring the Carcer guards back.
The next day she leaves her meals uneaten. The third day is even harder but she makes herself eat and sets up a circuit in her cell, trying to exhaust herself.
Noise comes from the next cell – slams, thuds, screams. Abi hugs her knees close to her chest.
The Carcer guards talk about her, but say that the rules are different with her.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Abi’s meal arrives, she crawls across the cell to eat the sandwich and hears footsteps in the corridor.
Andrew Jones appears on the other side of her cell door. He asks her to rejoin the Keepers, she rejects it. He offers to let her out, she rejects it. He ask for her mum’s contract and she gives it to him.
Andrew leaves, prison outbreak continues with Will freeing Cassie from the cell next to Abi.
Cassie looks in through Abi’s cell door and asks about Beth. Abi says that she was never arrested.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Cassie steps back into the corridor and Will helps her escape.
Guards break Abi’s sleep the next morning, storming up and down the corridor.
Twenty minutes later The Elite arrive, they question the guards and Declan kills one of the guards.
Just before lunch, the cell door flings open. The Carcer guard tells Abi it’s time to leave. He takes her up to a reception room. Holly, Beth and Eva come in. Eva says she’s coming to live in her house.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Abi finds settling into the White’s house surprisingly easy as long as she kept her head down.
There are problems with Heirs meeting with Elyse’s house being gone. Eva offers up her house but doesn’t trust Abi to be involved.
By the second week of February, Abi has mastered her defensive shield and firecuffs and is sat in the garden reading when Eva comes over. Eva makes a comment that Abi likes Josef, before she invites her to an Heirs meeting.
Josef turns up. He starts to teach her how to transfer fire, before agreeing to take her to a phasmatisum game.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
They go to a phasmatisum game. Josef explains the rules and asks Clay to sub her into a game.
Abi plays well, Clay asks if she’s coming back. The rest of the week flies by with her going back to play each day.
The Heirs meeting starts and Eva suggests that they join up with the Keepers.
Chapter Thirty
McCall turns up to the meeting and they debate joining up with the Keepers.
Beth asks about Cassie and agrees to join up with the Keepers which makes Abi very upset and angry.
McCall asks Abi for a word and Eva directs them to the study. Abi tells McCall if she has to work with someone then it will be with Andrew.
Abi heads to the Porta and topside to Glasgow to look for Andrews’s school. She finds it, heads inside and Andrew is sitting in the headteacher’s office.
Chapter Thirty-One
Abi steps into the office and tells Andrew to tell her what he wanted to tell her when he saw her in the Carcer.
Andrew tells her that Julia nearly had an abortion with her when she was pregnant with her, that he would have been interested in her even if she wasn’t Julia’s daughter due to her power and talent. Andrew says that the Keepers are all about people achieving their potential despite their heritage and they want the best people in positions of power.
Abi questions why he would kill innocent people and Andrew says that people die in war.
Andrew asks her to rejoin, Abi says no but she also won’t say where he is to anyone.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Abi heads back through Glasgow in a daze, trying to focus on the fact that her mum didn’t want her. She ends up staring at a river in the rain.
Abi decides that she needs answers from her mum. She forms a portal and she lands back in the Porta. Abi is seized by someone who takes her back to Lucas’ house.
Lucas’ house is busy. There clearly had been a search party. Lucas dismisses everyone and asks Abi where she has been. Lucas hits Abi, cutting her cheek and knocking her to the floor.
Eva has a bruise on her face. Eva tells Lucas to go and tell Declan that Abi is back. Lucas leaves and Abi lectures Abi. Abi asks Eva for help to call the Spirit.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Abi starts under Eva’s tuition the next day, doing three hours a day and getting nowhere.
At the Unda Dies, Abi escapes Lucas’ supervision and ends up with her grandmother. Sylvia tries to talk to her, Abi says that she’s not interested. Abi leaves the festival and heads back to Lucas’ house and goes to bed.
The next day, Abi trying to call the Spirit. She gets frustrated and kicks out at a bin. Eva encourages her to give it another go. Eva backs out of the room as Julia’s Spirit appears.
Abi asks Julia about the abortion, the Keepers and says that she is having to make up for her mum’s mistakes. Abi says that she didn’t love her enough, otherwise she wouldn’t have left. She sends Julia’s Spirit back and heads out for a run.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Abi returns to the house a couple of hours later, she is coated in sweat and her anger is burnt out. There is an Heirs meeting in mid flow.
Abi heads in. Eva has met with Andrew and proposes a vote on joining with the Keepers. Abi questions why Andrew won’t take risks and Abi says that they are not all on a suicide mission. Beth says that the Keepers are going with their mum’s original aims and Abi says that they can’t trust their mum.
Abi says that she’s abstaining from the vote and heads out. Unable to channel elemental energy to form a portal, she goes to the Cultus.
Josef finds her, says they have voted to accept the Keepers. Then he asks her what is going on with her. Abi says that no one wants her for her. Josef says that he wants her and kisses her.
Chapter Thirty-Five
The kiss continues and Abi breaks it. She says they can’t do this or be together as its too complicated. She leaves.
Abi heads to the Vicus and to the phasmatisum pitch. She asks Clay to sub her into the game. Abi deliberately lets herself take a beating on the pitch before Clay subs her off.
She heads to the sidelines and Jess comes over. Jess asks her to go for a drink and Abi agrees.
Chapter Thirty-Six
They head to the pub. Jess orders and then starts questioning Abi. Abi says that things have got a lot worse and she didn’t want Jess to get into trouble.
Jess says that she wants to help. Abi says that she is working with the other Heirs and Andrew.
Jess suggests holding a mass meeting and Abi agrees and sets a date for Sunday.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Night starts to fall as Abi heads back towards The Elite’s houses. She bumps into Curtis coming out of her grandmother’s house on an errand from his mum.
Curtis says that he is sorry about what has happened and that getting back to normal after all they have been through is hard.
Abi says that she has set up a joint Heirs-Keepers meeting, Curtis asks for details and she gives them to him.
Eva comes over and Curtis leaves. Abi tells her about the meeting. Eva gets them home and then tells her that it’s a stupid plan.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The next day, Abi wakes up with a fine collection of bruises and the return of her fire abilities. She spends the day with Holly and Beth.
Her bruises start to mend the following day. Abi goes for a run, plays phasmatisum and has dinner. The rest of the week passes successfully but tensely as Eva takes over planning the meeting.
Eva comes up with an excuse for Lucas and they head for Andrew’s school. Andrew arrives with Will and Steve, and Eva goes over to talk to them. Abi waves at Jess before joining Beth, Holly, Clay and Josef.
Eva starts to talk and The Elite arrive.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The stillness and silence doesn’t last for a single minute. People are trampling over each other looking for an escape. Abi is told to run. She turns to look for Andrew. He is gone and so is Eva. Others are still running and The Elite followers are aiming to kill.
Abi runs over to The Elite. She is confident that if she makes a move, other will follow her lead. Sylvia tells her to turn herself in and Declan throws a pair of earthcuffs around her wrists.
Declan drags her outside. Abi breaks the earthcuffs and says that she is not going anywhere with him. Declan says that she is going to have an unfortunate accident. He throws an elemental ball at her. It hits her leg. Abi scrambles to her feet, dodges Declan’s next shots and throws up a fireshield.
Declan breaks the shield and closes the gap as Beth comes running out.
Chapter Forty
Beth runs towards Declan, a fireball in her hand and tells him to leave. Declan says that he won’t leave without his prize.
Abi tries to talk to Beth to get her to leave but Beth tells her not to finish that sentence.
Beth and Declan fight. Beth holds her own. She breaks Declan’s defensive shield and scorches his arm. Beth turns to give Abi a smile.
Beth turns back to the fight. An earthball hits her in the head. She falls. Blood pouring at an alarming rate.
Chapter Forty-One
Time slows. Abi scrambles to Beth’s side. She throws up a defensive shield and tries to stop the blood.
Beth is still, her eyes are fixed and blood pours over Abi’s hands. She uses her jacket to try to stop the flow. Abi cries out for help, but no one comes.
Abi tries to find a pulse and can’t.
Abi turns on Declan, who says he told her to step aside and Abi should come quietly before anyone else is hurt. Abi throws a fireball at him, missing him by inches.
Declan laughs and open a portal. Josef comes out, tell Abi to stop. Abi runs after Declan.
Chapter Forty-Two
Abi follows Declan through the Porta and heads to the Justicia. Declan is standing there, filling out paperwork. He wants her to sign her death warrant.
Battle begins between Abi and Declan. He has the beating of her but Abi is fighting back.
Abi drops her shield and rolls behind a burning desk. She sees Josef arriving from the Porta and gestures to him to be quick.
An earthball shatters against the desk, breaking it. Using her speed, Abi spins away, jumps in the air and kicks him in the stomach and stands above him with a fireball before she stops herself.
Abi throws a pair of firecuffs around Declan’s wrists and ties them to a chair. Josef comes over and hugs her. Abi says that it’s her fault that Beth died and Josef tries to comfort her. A sound of cracking earth breaks their conversation.
Chapter Forty-Three
Earth clatters beneath them, splitting the marble and Josef pushes Abi out of the way. Abi throws her right hand down and it crumples beneath her, broken.
Abi forces herself up, Josef sends air rushing past them at Declan. Abi tries to form a fireball, in pain, but manages to throw it and distract Declan from Josef.
Declan turns back on Abi, catches her hand and twists it. Declan forms an earthball to crash it into her head.
Air gushes past Abi’s face and Declan is thrown to the floor. Josef throws an airball around Declan’s head and sucks the air out of it, leaving him struggling to breath.
Abi pulls the airball off Declan’s face, questions Josef on how he could kill and heads out of the Justicia.
Chapter Forty-Four
Abi is in a daze. She heads into the Porta, where Holly and Clay have just arrived.
Holly pulls Abi into a hug and asks what has happened. Abi struggles to answer, she says Declan killed Beth and Josef killed Declan.
Holly asks where Josef is. Abi says in the Justicia and Clay rushes in there.
Holly tries to get Abi to explain. Abi manages to give the highlights and says she needs to go. Holly asks where. Abi says that she’s not sure. Holly tells her to go to their dad’s house.
Abi forms a portal and heads to Jess’ house.
Chapter Forty-Five
Over the next few days, Jess’ parents look after Abi. She has a double fracture of her right arm at the wrist and elbow, and a dislocated right shoulder.
Rebellions are sprouting up. The Elite’s houses are burnt and they are in hiding. Andrew has seized control.
The Monday of Beth’s funeral, Lindsay turns up. She asks for Abi’s help to take down Andrew. Abi agrees to help.