Page 137 of Fear the Flames
“If you touch her right now, more blood will be added to the floor tonight,” Finnian snarls while rubbing circles on my back.
My eyes catch on Finnian’s arm, which is bleeding. “You’re hurt,” I hoarsely whisper. There’s a bruise forming on his left eye. I glance to the right of me. Saskia’s gold dress is drenched in blood, and she has a slash on her calf. I raise my eyes to take in her face, but there’s no damage aside from the tears that streak down her cheeks. Ryder clutches his side while he has his arm wrapped around Cayden’s shoulders—his face is a mixture of concern and pain. Cayden’s jacket is torn on his bicep, there’s a slash on his chest, and there’s blood trickling from the reopened wound under his eye. His face is twisted in anguish. It looks like it’s painful for him to stay away from me. Both of their outfits are black, but I can see the way blood soaks through the fabric.
“You’re all hurt. I can fix this.” I try to get to my feet, but Finnian pulls me back down. “No, I can fix this,” I say while trying to rise again.
“It’s okay, we’re fine,” Finnian whispers.
“Please, let me fix something.” I feel myself falling into hysterics again. “I need to fix something.” I’m only pulled from my growing hysterics when a shadow slams into the colonnade and shatters the glass doors in front of us, followed by a mighty roar that shakes the very stones of the castle.
The roar is echoed by four more in the air.
Not a shadow.
My dragon.
I feel the bond tug in my chest, pulling me together after Ailliard pulled me apart. The red-eyed dragon tucks their wings in and enters the room, growling at the sight of blood. I suppose I should be frightened at the sight of a growling dragon coming toward me, but it calms me slightly. The bond tethers me to sanity.
The dragon stops a few feet in front of me and lowers their head. Their eyes are no longer filled with hatred. I can’t quite place the emotion, but I think it’s something close to affectionate. Their nose dances along my legs, sniffing the blood that coats them, and growls a deep, rumbling threat before sinking their fangs into Ailliard. Finnian pulls me back against his chest while the dragon carries Ailliard’s lifeless body from the room and flies into the sky. I hear the other four screech in unison above the castle while I rise on shaky legs.
I wouldn’t feel right giving Ailliard a funeral anyway.
Finnian wraps his arm around my waist and leads me out of the room. I don’t look at Cayden as I pass him, but I hear his footsteps slap the blood-covered floor in my wake, followed by Saskia and Ryder. I keep hold of Finnian while we walk through the halls. None of us talk.
Finnian reaches his hand out and swings the door to my room open. The five of us file in, but the first thing I do is walk to my bathing chamber and turn on the faucet. I begin washing the blood off my hands.
Once.
Twice.
Three times before I see the color of my skin again.
“Will someone explain to me what the fuck just happened and why Elowen, Finnian, and myself were not informed?” Saskia shouts her question. Her temper builds a dam against my sadness but opens the floodgate for my anger. I wash the blood from my face and before rejoining the group. Cayden stops his pacing in front of the fireplace when I enter. I feel everyone’s eyes bounce between him and me, probably wondering if I’ll go to him.
But I don’t.
None of us are sitting, considering we’re all drenched in blood, but I stand on the opposite side of the circle, putting some much-needed space between us. His expression doesn’t change, but I can practically feel the disappointment radiating off him.
“I was only sure of what was happening when Eagor spoke to me about sending Elowen back to Imirath,” Cayden says.
“Something was obviously on your mind last night when I asked you to tell me what was going on,” my voice rises toward the end of my statement.
“The only thing on my mind last night was worrying how Eagor and Valia would react to your growth in power, that’s it. The reason I didn’t tell you was because I had nothing to back it up with, and I didn’t want to worry you for no reason. Do you honestly think I would have brought you somewhere I knew would put you in danger? I had my suspicions about Ailliard from the moment you ran into me after you had that breakfast with him, but I was strongly advised not to bring it up to you.”
“Why?” I press.
“Because I once again had no reason to be suspicious other than the fact that I didn’t like how you stiffened up whenever you were around him. You’re vibrant around us, but he always sucked the life out of you,” Cayden declares.
“That’s my fault, I’m afraid,” Ryder cuts in. “I advised him not to bring it up to you.”
“You should have,” I fire at Cayden.
“Would you have believed me?” he inquires.
“I trusted you!” I shout. “You were supposed to be my partner in this whole thing. Even if I didn’t believe you at first, at least I would have been aware.” The past tense I use muddies the space between us.
“Don’t saytrusted,” he says while taking a step toward me. I hold my hand up to stop him in place, and Finnian takes a step closer to him, silently telling him to back off. Cayden could beat Finnian in hand-to-hand fighting, but Cayden resigns. Watching the two of them fight, tonight of all nights would do severe harm and no good.
“Eagor and Valia are dead?” I ask. We need to discuss technicalities now; the spying can be discussed when Cayden and I are alone.
