Shadows

3.

At some point, I must've blacked out because when I awoke, my surroundings were unfamiliar. I was tied to a wooden post, my hands bound behind my back. There was a large crowd standing in front of me. To my surprise, it wasn't the colonel standing in front, but one of the lieutenants. My eyes scanned the crowd for Alex's face, but I didn't catch sight of him.

"What's happening?" I asked, my voice thick and groggy.

There was no response, but a small box was passed through the ranks until it reached the lieutenant. A cold wave washed over me and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. It was a box of matches. Then I noticed the grass scattered at my feet. I wasn't tied to a post, I realized, it was a stake. My feet were bare. I would be scorched within minutes.

"Please," I begged, the only sound I could hear was the pounding of my heart, impossibly loud in my ears. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I don't even know how I came across this power. I'm an ordinary girl, with deserters for parents."

Shame flooded me as I betrayed the parents I had spent my whole life defending. I had always refused to believe the rumors and the gossip but at the first sign of trouble, I would easily turn my back on them. It made me feel sick and I hoped that Alex wasn't here to have heard me say it.

The colonel's lieutenant ignored my pleas and struck the match. "We will keep you in our prayers umbra puella." he said gravely.

"I told you!" I shouted, tears beginning to flow down my face. I didn't even have my hands to wipe them away. "I am not a shadow girl. I don't know where my power comes from."

He was unshaken by my words and lowered his head, speaking silent words. I cursed myself for being so thick. If I was more clever, I could've talked my way out of death. But as it was, there didn't seem to be any point in cursing or wishing. I would be dead in minutes, and no one was coming to save me. Not even the wind, which had just been blowing so relentlessly, helped me and the air was dead. With my hands tied, I could hardly summon more than a little puff. Perhaps now was the time to appreciate everything I had gotten to experience in life.

"Find peace Adira." the lieutenant said, lifting his head.

"invenies magnam pacem, Adira." the crowd whispered.

And then he dropped the match onto the grass. I wished I had some of Alex's fearlessness. I could imagine him as still as a stone, his back so straight a stick might've broken his spine. But I was scared, and my fear made me a wild thing. I thrashed and pulled against the ropes. If I could just get my hands free, I might be able to save myself.

But my struggle was futile and the fire which was started off as just a small flame, now licked the bottoms of my feet. I screamed as the heat scorched me and desperately tried to pull my feet free from to ropes, but the rope was too thick and too tight.

My screams were so loud I didn't hear the beating of horse hooves against the dirt road, didn't see the carriage displaying the red flag of the paulo imperatore. But when the man himself leapt off his horse, I noticed, despite the excruciating pain of the fire.

"Put the flames out!" he commanded.

Immediately, thick blankets were thrown over the flames, quickly putting them out. Although my feet were no longer burning, it felt as if they were. When they let me down, I fell to the floor, unable to stand. No one dared to argue, though I could see the unhappiness in their eyes. But I didn't care. I didn't even have the brainpower to wonder what the Little Emperor was doing here, saving my life.

"Adira!"

I looked up and saw Alex jumping out of a carriage. He shoved his way past a blockade of soldiers and ran to my side. He dropped to his knees and flung his arms around me. I could only put one arm around him, and I saw just how badly I was shaking, my hand trembling violently against the black fabric of his jacket. I had faced death twice in one day and survived both encounters. A little tremor was normal.