Flame Touched

Chapter Thirty-Three - Eian

"I am in need of your assistance with my nation. Our resources are low, poisoned even. As you will see when we go over the reports, things are not well." Lynx addressed the Dragon Council calmly. He didn't show any distress. It amazed Eian, because anyone else would be a mess. That's why he's in charge and I'm not.

"Things have been like this for some time," Lynx continued. "For so long, I have been trying to deal with the problem on my own. I am ashamed to admit this disaster, this plague, which is causing my people to suffer. My pride did not want me to call upon your help today. Still, I know it would be unwise of me to continue to live in denial. My nation is suffering."

He exhaled deeply, as if he were collecting his emotions. Eian couldn't tell if it was genuine or just for show. His father was often hard to read. "It started with the food. We are not growing enough to meet the demands of our population. The farms have been working five times as hard to feed the people. We do not have enough livestock to go around. Many are starving. To make matters worse, the water is unclean. The humans especially are becoming ill, and the vegetation is not growing into healthy produce. As you know, my country is mostly made up of desert. Naturally, our farmland is limited and precious."

Which is why he's been burning down farms? Isn't that what Camila said happened the night she first saw Matt? Lynx stopped talking and the council hall resonated in complete silence. Eian had noticed an abundance of side chatter coming from the stadium chairs behind him earlier. Now he could barely hear anyone breathing. He glanced to Matteo who sat on his left, and on their father's right side. Matt did not look shocked in the slightest. For the sake of not embarrassing his family, Eian kept his expression even despite wanting to glare at his brother for not keeping his promise.

Lynx let his words settle on everyone in the room before continuing. "I beg you to do the right thing, and help me care for my people."

Eian leaned forward, resting his head on his hand and frowned deeply. What was he missing? He couldn't believe it; he refused to without better evidence. Everyone who lived in the city seemed well cared for. No one was starving or suffering, not in the ways his father claimed. There were the occasional poor toward the outskirts, but they were only struggling to pay bills—not dying. Could he be referring to the countryside?

Camila didn't look like she had been starving when he first met her. Thin, yes, but not deathly so. And he'd have noticed. She might not have worn the form-fitting and trendy clothes like the rest of the women around the city, but he caught the shape of her body under her loose blouses and jeans. Most particularly, the toned muscle as a result of all her hard work on the farm and the small tufts of fat that indicated she was indeed comfortably fed.

Now he wanted to ask her more about life on the farm. If he could get her to talk, that is. Ever since Rei's transition, Camila was cold to him in a different way. Before, she'd only blown him off out of anger. Now she was doing it out of fear. I don't know what her problem is. We've barely touched. Even if we did, it wouldn't hurt her. She'll be fine. I'm not a disease.

He couldn't focus on the rest of the meeting. All he could do was sit in shock and replay his father's words in an attempt to make sense of it all. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined his first experience at the great council being so eventful. This can't be right. None of this can be true. How can I have not known about it?

The whole event was overwhelming. Thousands of men from all over the world sat in an arena to listen and participate in discussions from the leaders of the four major nations. Even more overwhelming was the fact that Eian got the privilege to sit on the floor with his father and brother. He had a front row seat. All of the leaders had a son with them to observe. If not a son, then another young man fresh into adulthood. Some kind of tradition for the first meeting of the year. Because Eian and Matteo were twins, Lynx was able to get them both by his side. Most of Eian's energy went to watching the entire arena. All of the eyes on him were unnerving. How could anyone stand it? Especially the dark glares he was receiving from the Oceina and Aero in the audience—as if the problems of Inero were all his fault.

Across from him, the sons of their respective lords didn't seem all too interested either, so that helped put his mind at ease. The Aero son gazed up at the lights, his foot propped up on the armrest of his chair. Over where the Oceina sat, the young man sitting with his father was more engrossed in a notebook than the meeting itself. The only tribe that did not have a son present was the Terran. Probably because their official is elected into power, not an inheritance.

The next thing he knew, the meeting was being dismissed. I must have zoned out worse than I thought. Eian stood slowly, his knees a little weak from shock.

"You knew," Eian whispered to his brother as they exited.

Matteo shrugged nonchalantly. He was trying to dodge the subject, but Eian wasn't going to let him off.

"Why didn't you say something to me? You promised you would always tell me when something major was happening back home." He tried not to show how betrayed he felt. Matt had never broken the promise before. Or had he? Now Eian wasn't sure how much his brother lied to him in the past.

Matteo sighed. "It's not anything for you to worry about."

"Yes, it is. Inero is my home. If I can help my people, I want to."

"Father has a plan. It doesn't involve your area of expertise. When he needs you, he'll let you know," Matt snapped.

Eian stopped walking, feeling as if he'd been slapped. Why all of the mystery? Why get so defensive? With a scowl, he pushed forward again, moving past Matt so he could go back to the room alone. Matt quickened his pace and grabbed onto his brother's arm lightly.

"It's not like I wanted to keep you in the dark, but I promised Father to not talk about it. What was I supposed to do? How can I go against his wishes? We've talked about this before. Confidential means—"

"I know what it means," Eian seethed. "But you also promised to give me a heads up so I could be prepared. What if I needed to stock up on supplies or—"

"You don't need to do anything." Matteo pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's the point. The problem isn't so bad you need to freak out. I...he..." His brother let out a low growl. "Can we talk about it at home? Because here is not a secure enough location where I feel comfortable with elaborating."

"What?" Eian blinked, trying to make sense of his twin's words. "Give me something I can understand."

"Dad hates that we are so vulnerable to the point where we have to beg for help. He feels like a failure," Matt explained quickly. When Eian met his eyes, he saw desperation. He also saw a lie.

Eian didn't hide how much he hurt. "I'm disappointed in you."

"Please try to understand," Matt pleaded.

"I am." He did understand, some. Matt had an obligation to the empire. Why was I stupid enough to think I'd get special treatment from him? The older they got, the heavier the burden of their work would become. Especially for Matt. But he doesn't have to make stuff up. Just tell me straight up next time. He didn't bother to mask that last thought.

Matt sighed. "If it wasn't for Father, I would have told you."

"I know." He also sighed, defeated. "Confidential isn't a word I like, but it's one I'll get over. Don't break the trust we have."

"It won't happen again," Matt whispered. "When it comes to disappointing people, you and Father are the two I can't ever do that to." He paused. "And Rei now, but you know what I mean."

"All feelings I can relate to," Eian said softly. "Go help Father. I need to try and make sense of what he talked about in there."

Matt lowered his gaze. "Just don't worry. Everything is under control. He knows what he's doing."

"I know." He offered his brother a smile in the hopes that it would be reassuring. Matt returned it, so it was a step in the right direction. Silently, he began walking back to their hotel room. The question was: what exactly was Lynx planning?