Crowns of Flame and Ice - Book One

(47) Let it Burn

Quilo let out a soft groan and my heart sped up, he'd been like this too long but all I could do was keep the king talking until I figured out a plan. His father clicked his tongue, "we tracked you through the mountains once we discovered you had not started to return despite the fact you'd located and acquired the object. Not wanting to risk it we followed you". I narrowed my eyes at him, there was no way that was the entire truth. What could he be hiding? It seemed pointless to hide information from me now, not when there was nothing I could do. I shifted on my feet, "how did you track us here though?" Time, I needed time and I was quickly running out of it. The king's eyes darkened, he was losing patience, "We got reports of two people galavanting through town with rings of light above their heads. it was pretty obvious what had happened". It wasn't obvious, considering the fact that the king had absolutely no idea what the truth was. I couldn't tell him, he'd kill one of us just so he could watch as the other's soul was ripped in two.

I studied the situation we were in, I had a sword now but I couldn't use it without someone swiping their own weapon across Quilo's throat. The image had my heartbeat quickening, he'd bleed out on the floor, the sound of him choking echoing through the room. I'd feel his pain and anguish and it would hurt me just as bad but the pain of losing him would be worse. He'd no longer tease me, make me angry, he'd no longer be at my side to make me feel anything at all. I'd be alone again, I wondered when I'd stopped feeling like I was, when I'd allowed him into my once cold heart. I knew the answer and it was terrifying enough that I pushed it away. The truth was that I'd begun letting him in likely before we'd even left the castle. What happens if you let go of the string? Rage seared my senses and my hands shook from the effort it was taking me to contain it.

"I wonder" the king drawled "will you beg as your mother did? Or will you give up as your sister did?" Quilo's mouth opened and closed as if he was trying to formulate a response, I knew he didn't have one that would help the situation. I wondered if Quilo had been there when his mother had been killed. Had she begged? Perhaps it was just some lie the king had made up to get a response, it didn't work. This man had killed Quilo's mother, the happy, vibrant woman who had dreamed of peace. As a result, his sister had joined her in the afterlife not long after. I squared my shoulders and lifted my head, meeting the eyes of the king with newfound confidence. My grin was wicked as I snarled "I once made you a promise". His nostrils flared in annoyance and recognition, the grip the king had on the weapon at Quilo's throat faltering slightly.

Flames rippled across my skin and Quilos's father stumbled back a little, his eyes going wide. I hadn't wanted my flames to show so I looked back toward Quilo. "let it burn" Quilo whispered into my mind, I would've hesitated if it wasn't for the triumphant expression in his eyes. Something old and fierce began opening its eyes inside me, it felt like a happy cat stretching as it awoke from a day's nap on a warm window sill. It was so ready to be released, "yes, let it burn my Queen. Listen to your king. Let it burn, let it burn, let it burn, let it burn!". "you are a child before a god" I snarled at the king of Calvain. I was not a god, but I felt like one as I let my flames devour the house around us. The dagger didn't have a chance to hit the ground before it was turned into nothing but a puddle of dripping silver. I heard the high pitch, horrifying screams from upstairs as the flames reached a new level. My sister's and my mother's screams threatened to shatter my brain but I refused to cover my ears, I would not hide from what I'd done. I'd have a chance to think about how I'd single handily killed my entire family later. In fact, I now had nothing but time.

The room suddenly swirled with blue and red light as Quilo used his Ice to protect his body. It was odly beautiful watching the two come together, not opposites but not the same. Two sides of a coin. The beast inside me arched its back and the leash that held it simply vanished, I could've sworn my magic smiled in response. I screamed, loud and furious at everything the bubbling pile of flesh before me had done to my Soul Bonded. My fire reached a whole new temperature and the house around us collapsed, turning into nothing but ash. If this was normal fire the wooden building most likely would've charred, the beams collapsing in on themselves from structural damage before eventually being left to rot. But my fire was far from normal, it didn't just burn, it devoured. There would be nothing left but ash.

Suddenly I had the feeling of being wrapped under ice-cold arms and I instantly calmed. Ice soothing my fire, willing it to go back to sleep. It spluttered and hissed but eventually closed its eyes as the flames disappeared. Quilo was safe and he had stopped me from burning everything in the forest, including Rosie and the forest itself, into nothing. I was so grateful for my king. I whirled when I realised what was happening, my arms wrapping around Quilos hips. "your safe" I sobbed "I thought I was going to die, then I thought you were going to die and I tried to save you but..." He pressed his chin onto the top of my head, "I know Lil Red, I know and I never want to know again". Tears streaked down my cheeks, he had heard my frantic pleads for his forgiveness. He wiped away a tear with one soot marked finger, "Just so you know, I would never forgive you for leaving me. If you die, I die with you. If you live, I live with you. I will be at your side until the last moment because the moment you are gone, nothing is worth it if you are not at my side". I buried my face into his chest, hating the fact it was his blood that stained his shirt because I hadn't been quick enough to help him. "you stay with me" I whispered across the bridge, echoing the words he'd spat at me long ago.