Wildfire

Eighty Seven

Never did I ever think I would see the day where I would witness a beautiful golden dragon hurtling itself through the onyx halls of this palace... Right at Xiang in all of his poisonous wrath while everyone else flees from their ex-King.

My wife shows no fear as he slams into the man who never cared enough to actually raise me talons out and thirsting for the blood currently flowing through my father's veins. 

I would never dare say that my wife is a violent man... I do not think he would ever dare dream to even swat a gnat away from his eyes lest he hurt the poor creature... He is a kind and gentle young man who would rather move a beetle out of his way instead of step on it... A situation that unfortunately did not happen the other morning much to his distress... The crunch of the poor creature sent him right into a round of tears and had nearly been inconsolable over ending a life... 

And here he is flinging himself at Xiang with an unrivaled vengeance the likes of which I have never seen before. 

He is ruthless as he uses his size and strength advantage against the terror that once thought the throne his rightful place... The way he winds and snaps his sleek body menacing as he knocks Xiang to the ground time and time again, narrowly escaping the rage-filled flames sprouting from the tyrant's lips as the monster tries to defend himself against a Queen protecting his kingdom.

 I can hardly think to blink as I run towards them as though I could possibly help in some way... Which... I might be able to manage if I can somehow capture my father and hold him still long enough for Rayne to split his belly open and light his innards aglow with the blistering flames that the sad excuse of a  man deserves... I'd even settle for helping my wife seize the sorry excuse of a shifter's head so that we might toss it, along with his body, off of the sides of the mountain that our palace rests on... Opposite sides. So he will be doomed forever to spend his afterlife searching for the missing pieces of himself, never able to find them because peace is a mercy he does not deserve. 

...

Rayne

...

For once... 

For once I am glad that Xiang and his accomplices introduced me to the feeling of rage... 

For twisting part of me inside into a pit of darkness and hate towards them for how they have terrorized me so thoroughly since even before my arrival to be presented to Emrys... 

I feel no sympathy as my talon lands across the old King's cheek... I take pleasure in watching his eyes go wide with alarm as he tries to figure out how to gain some kind of advantage now that he is running out of energy, both of us aware of how close Emrys is getting as he approaches us... And while Xiang knows that Emrys isn't likely to help him I know I have an ally in my husband, and that he will never let me down when I need him. 

Sadly... It seems to make Xiang nothing short of desperate, the way he begins to fire off streams of nearly molten flame with no real aim set to destroy everything around us and eventually burn me if we do not put a stop to it and soon... 

Desperation is not a good look for an old King to have... But it is a delicious one to cause to the man I hate... To see the man who caused a cold spot in my soul begins to shake as he realizes that he has allowed himself to be backed into a corner and has no real way to escape unless he can kill me... And he's running out of the energy it would take to do so with the fury pounding through my core and expressing itself in such quick bursts with my own flame, all of the hellfire in my stomach gathered and forced in his direction to drive him further towards his dead end and to allow cover for Emrys to get closer...

My husband had not needed to say aloud his intentions... I know that if I follow his lead as he has followed mine that he will not lead me astray... I just need to keep Xiang occupied until Emrys can accomplish whatever it is that has such a determined look on his face... 

The way my husband has his eyes set on the old man I know that he has already made up his mind... He has the same look in his eyes that he gets when he promises me over and over that he shall deliver Shen Hirai as nothing more than a smoldering pile of ash to be presented at my feet... 

Xiang is going to die... 

And I am going to help his son... No... My husband .... Do the deed. 

I had not been sure that I would actually accomplish anything on my own when I decided to defend our home... I just knew that if I allowed myself to be driven away from the palace that I never imagined I would hold dear to my heart that I would never forgive myself... I promised myself not long ago that I would never let anyone make me feel lesser ever again... That no one would hold my birth station above my head and use it as a reason why I cannot love my husband with my whole heart and serve this kingdom as a good Queen who loves his people and the land we all live on. 

And I refuse to break that promise. 

Running from here would mean that I was so afraid of a monster that I refused to fight for what is mine... That I refused to stay and do all that I can to protect the citizens who have done nothing but rejoice outside the palace gates from the tyranny of a corrupt, evil soul set to destroy lives just for the thrill of having something different to occupy his time. 

I will not abandon my home or my people. 

If I did so I would not be able to call myself Queen.

And I never intend to take off my crown.