MISTRESS OF FLAME

CHAPTER 6

"Where's Cira?" Sollel asked as she fixed herself.

Hakken handed her a piece of bread. "She said she needs some personal time."

Sollel accepted. "How long has it been?"

"Half an hour?"

"And you didn't check up on her?" Sollel gave back the bread before jumping down from the wagon.

"I didn't want to leave you," Hakken reasoned, his eyes following Sollel. "And this path is safe. No bandits or beasts."

Sollel didn't listen to Hakken and was about to go after Cira when she felt that familiar draining of her strength.

Moonrite! Sollel staggered back.

"You okay, my lady?"

"I'm fine." Sollel tried to stand straight, but her strength was being drained fast that she couldn't help it when her body swayed and fell on her knees. The empire found us again?

Hakken hurriedly jumped down from the wagon, seeing Sollel fell to the ground, on her knees. "My lady!"

Just when Sollel's strength was down to its last drop, the feeling of her strength being drained disappeared. But before she could recover, she saw Cira come out of the woods, holding the sealing pouch in her hand.

Immediately after Sollel understood what happened, Cira saw Sollel being supported by Hakken.

"Your Highness!" Cira ran to Sollel with worry. "What happened?"

Sollel reached out her hand to tap the sealing pouch as her answer to Cira, and Cira instantly understood what Sollel meant.

"I'm so sorry!" Cira kneeled on the ground in front of Sollel to show her sincerity. "I left the wagon so I could inspect the stone and study it. I thought I was in a safe distance."

Sollel sighed and pulled Cira up. "Stop kneeling. I'm fine."

Cira was still worried. "Are you feeling better now?"

Sollel nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Go back to the wagon and rest. We will leave early tomorrow."

Cira's shoulders fell as she went back to the wagon and rested, while Sollel took a deep breath and was about to go back to the wagon as well when a piece of bread appeared before her.

"You should eat." It was the same bread Hakken gave her earlier. "And then have a good rest. We're still in the Infernal Empire. This path we're taking to Treterra is not dangerous to travelers. But three days from now, we'll be entering the Kingdom of Treterra and trust me, it'll be a dangerous journey then."

Sollel silently accepted the bread and went back to the wagon's front, while Hakken just shook his head at how indifferent his lady was. Though uncaring as she appeared, she was worried about her companion, Cira.

Looks like my lady has a heart after all. Hakken smiled and went back to the front of the wagon as well and sat beside Sollel with a safe distance.

While eating the bread Hakken gave her, Sollel heard Hakken speak. "Your Highness, huh?"

Sollel halted from biting the bread to glance at Hakken. "Don't mind Cira. I'm no highness."

"All right." Hakken didn't press for more, and Sollel was grateful for that. But he added, "But you're definitely 'my lady,'" annoying Sollel.

"I am not your lady."

Hakken just smiled and started eating his dried meat provision and offered it to Sollel. "Want some, my lady?"

"No, thank you."