Fire

The Flaming Sword

We held our breath, and at last Charlotte sighed. “Yes. It was a small blade, and hit nothing vital. It will take some time though. Several hours. Move him some place more comfortable and I’ll get started.”

The guards began the careful process of moving Asher to his room, and Lettisha slipped her hand into mine as we followed the procession down the hallway. “It will be okay,” she whispered. “He’ll be fine. Charlotte will make it like it never happened.”

Not trusting myself to speak, I just nodded. I hoped she was right.

We stood in the doorway as the guards lowered Asher onto his bedspread, the King and Queen hovering nearby as they did so. As soon as they set him down, Charlotte motioned them away with a sweep of her hand. “Everyone go, please. This is a long, intense process. I need quiet.”

Megan turned, ringing her hands together, but she nodded. “Let’s go. Let her do her job.”

I badly wanted to go to Asher, seeing him like this made me feel like I had a knife in the chest, but if his mother could do it, so could I. Lettisha linked her arm into mine and we stepped aside to let the others pass through.

Loki snapped at the guards. “Go into the woods, find them. If you find the leader, you have permission to kill her on sight.”

I blinked. Loki wasn’t playing around anymore, and when Megan spoke her voice was ice. “If you can take her alive, bring her to me.”

The guards left, and the royal couple both turned to me, making me wish I could sink into the stones.

But all Megan said was, “Kloe?”

Tears sprang to my eyes again, and I shook my head.

“She was a traitor?” Loki asked, his voice sober.

“She said she wanted me gone. I guess…I guess she left the note all along.” I squeezed my eyes shut, and more tears poured down my cheeks. I was so stupid.

“You couldn’t have known.” Loki said, and my eyes popped open. Here I’d been thinking he was about to kick me out of the kingdom or something. I had nearly gotten his son killed.

Loki bit his lower lip. “I know you think it’s your fault, but…Asher is strong and stubborn. He would have gone after you no matter what you’d done. You did what you thought was right.”

I sagged against the wall. “I’m so sorry.”

Lettisha squeezed my shoulder. Just as I was starting to feel better, there was the dry rustle of robes from down the hallway, and the advisors loomed out of the darkness, faces taunt with disapproval. My stomach tightened at the sight of them. What were their names again? I couldn’t remember, but I did remember the way they’d looked at me.

Loki greeted them wearily. “Ondrea… Harkin…”

“What has happened? We heard the prince has been gravely wounded.”

“Not gravely,” Megan put in. “Charlotte says she can heal him.”

Ondrea, the woman with long silver hair directed a black look at me. “I somehow get the feeling you have something to do with this.”

“I didn’t…”

Megan put one hand in the air, stopping me mid protest. “Don’t bother, Jess. Ondrea, thank you for your concern, but everything turned out fine. My son is being healed as we speak.”

I couldn’t help admire the fire in Megan’s eyes, even as they were filled with tears. She held herself tall, shoulders square.

Harken smoothed his hands over his silver robes, eyes scanning me. “So you don’t deny it then. He was almost killed over this…girl.”

Hot anger surged through me, and I pressed my lips together tightly in order to avoid saying anything back to him.

He wasn’t done talking. “You insist she isn’t a danger to anyone, and yet your son lies on the brink of death because of her.”

Ondrea’s delicate features took on a sly cast. “A young man acting out foolishly over adolescent emotions?”

“Exactly,” Harken folded his arms over his chest and eyes me pointedly. “Young men are very susceptible to suggestions at such a foolish young age. They’ll do ridiculous, dangerous things.”

This time I couldn’t help it. I sputtered, “I didn’t ask him to come with me! He just…”

“Why should we believe anything you have to say? Clearly you’ve manipulated the young prince quite effortlessly so far.”

Loki raised his hands, about to say something, and Harken turned his glare on the king, “Your majesty I must protest. She’s just put the only heir to this kingdom in unspeakable danger. Danger caused by her mother. Clearly things cannot go on as they are.”

My hands were curled into fists at my sides, and I was shaking with barely concealed rage. I badly wanted to knock the smug looks off both of the advisor’s faces.

Loki hesitated, and my stomach dropped. Was he starting to believe them?

He folded his arms over his chest and frowned. “Yes. Well, it’s clear that something must be done.”