MISTRESS OF FLAME

CHAPTER 39

Meanwhile, Zassia tried her best to peek inside the valley from the entrance. "I don't see any path."

"That's because the path will only show itself at night."

"Oh."

"Let's do what Hakken said," Sollel interrupted, sitting like how a queen would sit on a throne that one wouldn't even notice that she was sitting on an old log. "He knew the valley more than any of us. Let's wait for the night and rest for the time being."

Grath and Zassia nodded, but instead of resting, the two started training their flames. Grath was mastering his control over his claw flame, while Zassia was trying to master her crawling flame, seeing how useful it was in battle.

Meanwhile, Hakken went to Sollel, but he didn't sit on the log beside her and just stood there.

It was Sollel who tapped the space beside her and offered it to Hakken, which Hakken gladly accepted.

Then silence fell on them.

"Are you...mad at me?"

Sollel didn't even look at Hakken. "Why would I be?"

"I don't know. I just feel like something's off." Hakken was bothered by that feeling. "Did I do something wrong?"

Sollel smiled, the kind of smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm just tired, I guess. Don't mind me."

"My lady—"

"Sollel. Call me Sollel."

"Sollel." Hakken looked away, hoping that by looking away, he could hide the fact that it was a big deal for him to call his lady by her name.

But Sollel still managed to see it. "Why are you looking away?"

"N-nothing."

Sollel couldn't help chuckling, her exhaustion slowly fading away because of Hakken. "Was calling me by my name too much for you?"

"N-no. Not at all, my lady—I mean, S-Sollel." Damn! I'm not used to it! Hakken cursed himself.

When Hakken stuttered, Sollel chuckled and continued teasing Hakken, "You look flustered. For a guy who declared that he would betray the whole world for me, you're very soft."

"Only to you," Hakken muttered under his breath before pulling himself together to face Sollel. "I'm just not used to calling you by your name, and I think it's inappropriate since you're a queen and all that."

Sollel was amused. "That's true. Even back then, I never allowed just anyone to call me by my name. But...you're not just anyone, are you, Hakken?"

Hakken took a lot of subtle, deep breaths to calm himself. "My lady, please have mercy on me. I may be a strong warrior in the battlefield, but in front of you, I'm just a weak, frail man."

Sollel laughed a little before she sobered up and became serious. "Hakken?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"I, um, I experienced betrayal at its finest." Sollel remembered Hakken's words earlier, and it bothered her so she wanted to set him right. "So I know what it feels like to be betrayed. It felt horrible. And I don't want your people to feel that way. I don't have anything against the Sappher—I actually admire your race for being ardent warriors." Sollel paused. "I know you heard me express my hatred toward humans countless times, and that's because I have a score to settle with them. But the Sapphers didn't do anything to harm me."

"They're planning to anyway, so it's okay," Hakken said without consideration nor compassion. "I already did what they asked me to before." Hakken glanced at Sollel. "I have no plans to repeat history and make the same mistake."