Page 28 of Queen of Fire

“Yes, well, I figured you might enjoy some company.” I smiled back at him, my heart still beating that slight bit too fast in my chest as he crossed the room towards me. He took my hand in his, dipping his head to press a light kiss to the back of my hand before closing his fingers around mine.

“You figured right,” He grinned as he straightened up, pulling on my hand and leading me farther into the roomwith one hand and closing the door behind me with the other. The thunk of wood meeting wood made me jump slightly, although thankfully it was not enough for Cyrus to notice.

The inside of his study was open and airy. Large windows lined the back wall behind his desk, right around the next wall, where the only pieces of furniture was a chess table and two chairs. White, gauzy curtains flowed in the slight breeze coming in the open windows, leading out onto a large balcony. The marble floors from the hallways were carried on in here, with a large rug covering the middle of the room.

His desk sat directly in the middle of the room near the back, in front of the windows and surrounded by four other chairs that did not look comfortable in the slightest. I tilted my head at them, wondering when he ever had that much company in this space.

He followed my gaze, and a short chuckle left his lips.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you a more comfortable chair if you’re intending to spend more time in here with me.”

I turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised at the tone of his words. His fingers still wrapped around mine, he led me across the room, pulling out one of the chairs in front of his desk for me to sit in. I thanked him, flattening my skirt at the back so I could sit down comfortably.

He let go of my hand, but his fingers trailed up my arm to my shoulder, wrapping around my braid before tuggingon it slightly. I jolted at the motion, glaring up at him, but he chuckled as he let go of the braid and rounded his desk to his seat again, the sound of his wooden chair legs scraping on the marble as he sat himself down.

“You are a menace.” I joked, crossing one leg over the other as I faced him. He grinned, his proper grin, and leaned his elbows on his desk, a glint in his eyes that I could only describe as mischievous.

“I am, you should get used to it.” He grinned, and I rolled my eyes at him, “You were the one to offer me your company.”

“You invited me!” I gasped, a hand flying to my chest in faux offence. His head tipped back as he laughed, freely and uninhibited. It struck me how nice it was to see him laugh like that, without worrying about someone else seeing him. He did not laugh much in front of others, and when he did, it was barely a snicker. But this laugh came from his chest, and filled the space with the warmth it was missing, a warmth that could not be gained from the sun shining in the windows.

“I did.” He grinned, reaching a hand over the desk to take one of mine. I let our fingers link together over the dark wood, watching how his hand enveloped mine so completely. “How are your lessons with Leo coming along?”

“Terrible,” I sighed, watching him as he took my other hand, flipping it over and studying the eight-pointed star that was now a permanent part of my skin. “He keepssaying meditation is the key to unlocking whatever inner magic I have been gifted, but I don’t feel anything there.”

Cyrus nodded his head, his eyes still on my hand as he listened to me whine.

“I couldn’t tap into my magic until I was twenty.” He said, a small smile on his face, “My father hated that I couldn’t conjure anything before he died. Calliope and Caliara haven’t shown any conjuring signals yet either, so it could be that you aren’t ready, Sweetheart.”

I frowned at the star on my hand, wondering why, if I was not ready to wield, would Leo have told me about Alexandre gifting me with magic as a child?

“How will I know when I am ready?” I asked softly, and Cyrus shrugged, his fingers now tracing the deep silver lines of the star and tickling my palm as he did so.

“You won’t. It will just happen.” Cyrus smiled, “I nearly set Leo’s hut on fire when I first conjured. It was awful.”

I laughed at the image of Cyrus, so controlled and serious, losing it badly enough to cause damage to the hut in the forest. Cyrus chuckled along with me, letting go of my hand with one last glance at the star. I let my eyes fall back to where our other hands were still clasped together, a small, silver ring sat on the fourth finger. A constant reminder of what was to come in a short while.

“I can’t help but wonder if there is another reason as to why you have chosen to join me today, of all days.”

Cyrus’s statement took me by surprise, and I looked up at him, his eyes already scanning my face. I flushed under his intense gaze but squared my shoulders anyway. It unnerved me sometimes how well Cyrus could read my intentions without me ever mentioning them.

“Who was the woman in the corridor?” I let the question slip past my lips without a second thought. The way she had been watching Cyrus and I had made me uneasy, and Cyrus’s behaviour towards her had been playing heavily on the back of my mind. He had not been pleased to see her in the slightest.

“That was my father’s sister. My aunt Saffron.” Cyrus kept his tone light, but the way his knuckles turned white as he balled his hands into fists gave away his true feelings towards her.

“You aren’t fond of her, then?” I quirked an eyebrow, and Cyrus laughed lightly, shaking his head.

“You could say that.” He nodded, a small smile on his face now. “What else is troubling you, Sweetheart?”

“I wanted to discuss what happened with Maeteo the other night.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Cyrus rolled his eyes, but his hand stayed clasped in mine. “You know we have to talk about it.”

“Can we not just leave him in the dungeon and forget he ever existed?” Cyrus snipped, his eyes turning harsh, and this time it was my turn to roll my eyes, pulling my handaway from his and letting it fall into my lap.

“No, Cyrus, we cannot.” I sighed, “He cannot stay down there.”

“He is a threat to the Kingdom.” Cyrus’s tone hardened even more, and he sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow. “He is a threat to you.”

“He would never hurt me.” White hot rage filled me at the fact Cyrus thought that. “He is still the General of my army. He is loyal to me.”

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