Page 27 of Queen of Fire

Huffing out a sigh, I uncurled my legs, stretching them out in front of me and flexing the muscles in my calves. We had been in this hut for hours now, and the constant sitting was taking its toll on my body. Leo stood fromwhere he was sat without even a hint of muscle strain, his movements fluid and easy as he moved to his small kitchen.

I watched him, envious, as he filled a tea kettle with boiling water just by clicking his fingers. A slight movement of his wrist brought three mugs onto a wooden tray, and he placed the tea kettle beside them. Then, without touching it, he moved it across the room to lay on the floor in front of where I still sat. I glared at him, his lean figure leaning against the kitchen unit with his arms crossed.

“That is just showing off.” I grumbled at the same time as Calliope exclaimed about how unfair it was that he could show off and she could not.

I laughed, reaching forward to pour myself a mug of hot tea. The fabric tea bag filling the room with the smell of lemon and ginger as it steeped in the boiling water.

“Magic is as natural as air, Your Majesty.” Leo’s voice was soft as he spoke, bringing himself back to sit in front of me on the floor. I filled a second mug, the tea smelling now like turmeric and orange, and handed it behind me to where Calliope was sitting. She squealed excitedly, taking the mug from me quickly and letting her book fall to the floor. Leo glared at her, earning him a middle finger from the princess.

I giggled into my tea, trying to hide it from Leo, but he rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the two of us.

“Teenagers,” He grumbled, lifting his own mug to his lips and sipping at his tea.

“You were a teenager not so long ago.” I reminded him, and his face softened.

“It feels like a lifetime ago.” He laughed lightly, reaching up to place his mug on a small table. The cat, whose name I now knew was Alice, lifted her head from her chair at the movement, mewing loudly at Leo. He tutted, reaching over, and scratching her between her ears.

“I cannot imagine you as a teenager, Leo.” Calliope said from her chair, her head tilted to the side. “What were you like?”

“Stupid.” Leo said bluntly, causing both Calliope and I to choke on our tea. He just laughed at us, shaking his head. “Stupid and bold. And so in love.”

I paused, my mug now halfway to my lips again.

“With Emily?” I asked, the words falling out of my mouth before I could stop them. Leo blinked, looking taken aback for a second before he schooled his face into a mask of controlled emotion.

“Yes, with Emily.” He nodded, smiling lightly. “She told you?”

I shook my head. “Not so much Emily as your father.”

“He never could keep his mouth shut.” Leo shook hishead, “Yes, I was head over heels for Emily. I still am, in all honesty, not that she would ever take me back for the way I left. She was my world. We were going to go exploring the mountains for dragon eggs, and then sell them at the market for gold to buy boat tickets. We had planned our whole life… moving to Water, or even Air, and getting out of Earth for good.”

My eyebrows shot up at his words. Emily had never mentioned her plans to leave Earth, though I supposed those plans were ruined the night of the Fire attack. She had always called Earth her home, and her heart. I could not imagine her ever planning to leave it.

Leo shifted where he sat, crossing his legs underneath himself again and reaching for his tea, sipping at it as he stared out of the window to his right. His gaze focused on the trees outside of the window.

“How was she?” Leo asked, his voice suddenly sad. I blinked, taking a second to realise he was asking about Emily.

“Happy.” I nodded, swallowing around the sudden lump in my throat. “She was happy, last I saw her.”

Leo simply nodded.

17

Kira

Cyrus’s study was not what I expected.

He had invited me to join him in his study multiple times now, and so far, I had always declined. However now, I stood outside the dark wooden door with my shoulders pushed back and my heart hammering in my chest. I had intended to catch him after dinner, but when Cirro showed up at my chamber’s door with yet another invitation, I could not decline again.

I wanted to talk to him about the dragon egg underneath the castle. I needed to talk to him about Maeteo. The two topics were swirling around in my mind as though they were caught in a whirlpool.

Smoothing my hands over the skirt of my dress, I took myself in again in the reflection from the window. Graciehad braided my hair in a single braid down my back with lone curls left around my face. My small, silver tiara sat far enough into my curls that it was hidden unless looked for. The dress I had picked was a light, dusty blue, with flowing sleeves that cuffed at my wrists and a skirt that only just skimmed my ankles. It was one of my least favourite so far, but from what Cyrus had told me, blue was his favourite colour.

Sucking in a breath, I rapped my knuckles against the door before I could chicken out.

Cyrus’s voice came from inside and the door creaked as I pushed it open, making me wince slightly at the high-pitched noise in my ears. Cyrus lifted his head from his desk, his face remaining neutral for a second too long before he finally smiled. Not a full smile, like the night in the library, but the smile I had come to know as his ‘Princely’ smile.

“Hello, Sweetheart. I did not expect you to show up.” He stood from his desk, his hands trailing on the wood as he moved around the side of it.

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