Page 3 of Hearts on Fire

Gusts of wind tore at my robe. I’d tied a piece of cloth over my head under the hood, to keep it warm, and a thick strip of wool around my neck to prevent the wind from blowing the hood from my head. The wide ribbon of lace that trimmed the hood hung low over my face, shielding it from the wind somewhat. Despite that, my cheeks felt numb, and I hadn’t felt my nose for some time now.

“Just up this path, and we’re there.” Zenada gestured up the narrow passage between the snow-covered rocks jutting out on either side. The line of women climbing up the path stretched like a red-skinned snake ahead of us.

At the very summit, the mountain peak split into tall towers and spiky turrets. The dark cluster of them stood out sharply against the pale-blue sky of the winter afternoon.

The Bozyr Peak, the castle of the Dakath King, appeared dark and oppressive when I looked up at it from below. Maybe that was the point of whoever created it? The king’s castle was meant to tower over the kingdom, instilling fear and reverence into the king’s subjects. Despite the long trek being almost over, I wished I could just turn around and leave the way I came. The worn, stifling walls of the Sanctuary now seemed far more hospitable and inviting than the royal castle.

As if sensing my mood, Zenada patted my shoulder reassuringly.

“King Edkhar is famous for his feasts. We’ll have plenty of delicious food to eat at the castle,” she said cheerfully.

The excited anticipation in her voice wasn’t just about food, I sensed. The way a warm smile teased in the corners of her mouth and how her eyes flicked to the castle every few seconds told me Zenada was looking forward to more than just a good meal.

“Zenada,” I panted, trying hard to keep up with her and the others. “King Edkhar is responsible for us trudging through the snow and wind all day. He could’ve easily sent someone to get us, but he forced us to walk out of spite. Don’t you think it’s rather petty, especially when coming from a king?”

Her expression dimmed somewhat.

“The king wished to make a point, I guess…” she muttered uncertainly.

“Well, he sure has made it,” I huffed, climbing over the slippery icy rocks in our path.

“The king has the entire kingdom to rule, Amber, and a war to fight. Who are we to judge him for the decisions he makes?”

“Including the decision to snatch Isar? He didn’t mind sending dragons all the way to the Sanctuarythattime, did he?”

Other than a few words the morning after that day, we hadn’t spoken about what had happened to Ertee and Isar.

Maybe this wasn’t the best time to bring it up. I was exceptionally bitter and cranky after the long, tiring hike through the mountains. Zenada wasn’t responsible for the king’s actions, and I shouldn’t be taking it out on her.

But I missed them both, Isar and Ertee. In the little time I had spent with them, I grew to admire Isar’s tenacity and strength. The way she was taken from us, unjustly and without a trace, made it even worse. Neither did the Sanctuary feel the same without Ertee’s calming presence.

Zenada was quiet for a moment or two, climbing up the path alongside me.

“The king… He must have his reasons,” she finally said.

Anger stirred inside me, making my hackles rise. It was directed at the king. But some of it spilled over, enough for Zenada too. I couldn’t blame her for his actions, but it angered me that she didn’t condemn them. Her defending him made it feel like she agreed with what he did.

“How can you say that?” I fumed. “What could possibly excuse what he did to Isar?”

“Well… The king is not alone in that castle, you know. He’s surrounded by people, and not all of them are good. The High General, for example, is a despicable person.”

I shook my head, not buying her excuses. “He is the king, Zenada. He chooses the people who surround him.”

She bit her lip, turning away from my glower. It pained me more than anything she could’ve said or done. The king didn’t just use Zenada’s body, he had her heart.

“You love him, don’t you?” I asked, dreading to hear her answer.

She dropped her head, not saying a word, but her silence was confession enough.

“God, don’t let me fall in love with an undeserving man,”I prayed.“Never again.”

* * *

The closer we got to it, the bigger the castle appeared to grow. It took up the entire top of the mountain, accessible on foot only from this one side. But even here, the path we took didn’t seem to be used that often. The majority of the castle’s visitors appeared to prefer to fly.

By the time I reached the castle gate, the rest of the women had already entered. Beyond the gate, the space between the outer and inner walls of the castle looked more like a wide terrace than a bailey or a courtyard. It ran around the mountain, following every dip and curve of the landscape, edged by the walls with spiky towers.

We followed the path along the inner wall to a side entrance of the castle where a servant let us in.

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