Fire on Fire: A Koralie Story

Chapter Six: Kenric

3551 words. I meant to update Saturday, my baddd. Anyway. Just some fluff for y'all <3. Also correct me if I'm wrong but I'm looking through books 1-3 KotLC and I don't think Kenric has met any Black Swan collective members??? Anyway. Enjoy! Please vote and comment :)

Kenric

When Kenric saw Her, all he could think of was pink.

Or rather, the lack of pink. She wasn't dressed from head to toe in bright pink the way she usually was. The jade pendant she wore matched the intricate green embroidery on the hems and neckline of her simple white dress. Small details, perhaps unnoticeable to anyone else, but it rattled his world like a cage.

He scrambled to his feet, and Nisha grabbed his arm before he could collapse.

"What did you say your name was again?" she said, a waver in her voice as she glanced between him and Ora.

"I-I didn't," he said distractedly. His gaze was on Her, and only Her. His Ora. Radiant like the sun, so close he could feel her warmth, and yet so, so far away.

He pulled off his hood. The world swirled around him, tipping this way and that, but all he could see was her. She was the most incredible sight his eyes had set upon in years. He did not deserve it. He had to get closer; he couldn't move.

He was free. He was free, and she was right here. He should've been ecstatic. But there were tears brimming in her eyes, a paleness in her usually rosy cheeks, and he felt his frail heart stutter.

"I just broke out a dead Councillor?" Nisha said, and only then did Kenric's gaze snap to her. His blood ran cold.

"What do you mean dead?" He stole a glance at Ora, whose tears tumbled down her cheeks. He wanted to pull her close. He wanted to take her hand and wipe away her tears. He looked back at the girl. "What do you mean dead?"

Nisha stared at him, equally alarmed. Her mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out.

He looked at Ora again, the life of his soul, the very light of stars, who stared back at him like he was a cruel vision of the past, and his scarred, broken heart, so full of fragile hope, began to crumble. As though he'd been rebuilding on ruins too soon.

"You're . . ." Nisha started apologetically. She needn't say much more.

"What?" he said, though he knew full well what she meant. The word came out hushed. Broken. The forgotten Councillor.

As the wind whisked away the last of the smoke and debris, Kenric could see his surroundings more clearly. The sun shone down on him again now that he was no longer in the shadow of the Neverseen hideout. Elwin tended to the injured a bit further from the ruins of the building. The Councillors were scattered here and there between assessing the damage and arguing amongst themselves.

And beyond Ora stood Bronte, Emery, and two men Kenric had never seen before, one of whom looked like he'd indulged in a few too many ruckleberries, and the other like he was made of stone.

All of them were staring at him, eyes wide, jaws agape.

Because they thought he was dead. The world thought he was dead.

Ora had thought he was dead.

"Okay," Nisha said quickly when he began to shake. She pulled his arm around her shoulders. "Maybe you should sit down again."

"No," he said. "No, I don't — I don't want to sit down. I . . ." He wanted to go to Ora. He needed her. He needed to hold her. He didn't — couldn't . . .