Page 34 of Crimson Shadows
As I approach a small clearing, I spot a familiar figure leaning against a massive oak tree. Ignatius, his flame-red hair bright in the grey morning, is staring off into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.
“Bit damp for a fire elemental, isn’t it?” I call out.
Ignatius turns, his amber eyes lighting up with amusement. “Zeph. Didn’t expect to see anyone else mad enough to be out in this weather.”
I shrug, moving to stand beside him under the relative shelter of the oak’s branches. “You know me. I live for the drama of it all.”
He snorts, a small flame dancing between his fingers as he speaks. “You’re a drama queen, no doubt.”
“Says the guy who just came back from erupting a volcano,” I retort, raising an eyebrow.
Ignatius grins. “Ah, Feeore. That was such a magnificent release of energy. Speaking of magnificent… what do you make of our new arrival?”
I don’t have to ask who he’s referring to. Adelaide Black has been the talk of MistHallow since she arrived, and she hasn’t left my thoughts at all.
“She has me intrigued.”
“I had a little chat with her in the dining hall last night. She’s got spark, that one.”
“Oh? And how did that go?”Hopefully better than my interactions with her.
He chuckles. “About as well as you’d expect. Called me a show-off and stormed off.”
Despite myself, I laugh. “Sounds about right. She doesn’t seem to be one for our usual charms.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Ignatius agrees, his expression thoughtful. “Which makes her all the more puzzling, doesn’t it?”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Ignatius has always been perceptive, and I don’t want to give away too much of my own interest in Adelaide, just yet.
We stand in companionable silence for a while, listening to the rain and watching the mist swirl around us. It’s moments like these that I treasure - quiet camaraderie with someone who understands the weight of expectations and destiny.
“You know,” Ignatius says suddenly, “I think she might be good for us.”
Without looking at him, I ask, “How do you mean?”
“We’ve been at the top of the food chain here for so long, Zeph. It’s easy to forget what it’s like to be challenged, to have to work for someone’s attention or respect.”
I mull over his words, finding a kernel of truth in them. “Can’t argue with that.”
Before he can respond, a movement at the edge of the clearing catches my eye. A figure emerges from the mist, and I smile.
Adelaide.
She’s dressed for the weather in a black raincoat, her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun. She hasn’t noticed us yet, her attention focused on something in her hand - a compass, maybe?
Beside me, I feel Ignatius tense slightly. “Well, speak of the devil,” he murmurs. “Morning, Adelaide! Bit early for a stroll, isn’t it?”
Adelaide’s head snaps up, her eyes widening as she spots us. For a moment, she looks like she might bolt. But then her jaw sets in a determined line, and she starts walking towards us.
“I could say the same to you,” she replies, her voice carrying clearly despite the dampening effect of the mist. “You look like you’re plotting, or skulking.”
“Can’t it be both?” I ask.
As she gets closer, I can see the wariness in her eyes. It’s understandable, given our previous encounters.
Adelaide looks between us, her expression one of suppressed amusement. It’s a start. “It could, but that doesn’t make it better, only more dangerous.”
“And therein lies all the fun.”
