Love in the Darkness (Tam Song x oc)

Chapter 14

Cinnia's POV
We scrambled together as we turned to find Brant and Fintan walking toward us, each holding spheres of Everblaze.

"I'm guessing this is the part where you demand to know how we found you,” Fintan said as Brant moved to block our path from behind. The Everblaze flamed brighter with their slightest movement, making it clear that pain would follow any attempt at escape.

“You keep forgetting that this was our plan from the beginning,” Fintan added. “Well—not the flood. You managed to surprise us with that one. And you stopped us from infecting Brackendale and Merrowmarsh. But the rest has gone like clockwork.”

Biana stepped in front of Calla, shielding her from the fire. “How could you do this to the gnomes? After everything they’ve done for the Lost Cities?”

“To expose the Council’s lies,” Brant said. “Now everyone knows how much they hide, and how little protection they truly give their people.”

“Which accomplishes what?” Sophie asked. “All you’ve done is make people afraid.”

“Indeed, Miss Foster,” Fintan agreed. “And fear is the world’s greatest motivator. Look at the power your group harnessed today as a result of your terror.” His eyes roved to Keefe as he added, “That was your mother’s mistake. She surrendered to her fear, and it cost her everything.”

“Including her life?” I asked. Then I covered my mouth, hoping he wouldn't recognise me. Tam was the only one that knew my father was Ruy, not Gethen, and now was not the time for my other friends to find out.

“Interesting that the question does not come from her son,” Fintan noted. I let out a breath.

“That’s because I don’t care about her!” Keefe said.

Fintan smiled. “I suppose it wouldn’t matter, then, if I told you she’s currently locked in an ogre prison? And that your role in today’s invasion surely earned her a death sentence?”

“You’re lying,” Keefe said, his voice cracking.

“Not this time,” Brant told him. “We’re the ones who sealed her in her cell.”

“I suppose there’s a chance we could barter her freedom,” Fintan said. “But we’d need proper motivation.”

  Brant said something else after that, but I couldn’t listen. I was thinking hard about my father. I had made a decision, to tell my friends his true identity.

“Why, Miss Foster, you don’t look happy to see me,” Brant said, adding more flames to his fireball. I had focused again. “Didn’t you swear you would find me again? I’ve been looking so forward to thanking you for my makeover. You too,” he told Dex. “I have excellent things planned for you both.”

“Forget it!” Tam shouted as a wave crashed over Brant, and Linh yelled, “RUN!”

We’d barely made it a step before a wall of fire erupted in our path.

“That’s quite enough of that,” Fintan said, curling the fire into a circle, closing us inside a cage of Everblaze.

“You can stop wasting your energy on water tricks,” Brant told Linh. “You’ve complicated things enough already. Luckily, we’ve had eyes on you this whole time.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Alvar said. “What do you want from us?”

The two Pyrokinetics shook their heads.

“I told you, Mr. Vacker,” Fintan said. “The charade is over. I spent weeks in Exile. I let my mind be broken. I let them declare me dead. I’m not going to hide anymore. It’s time you make your choice. Stand with us, or turn against us.”