Chaos ensues when I don't burn.
I catch fire, yes, but the flames don't harm me. The pain in my feet subsides in an instant, when the brush beneath me is set alight. When Alec's voice raises above the ones who call for me to die and says my name just once. I locate him quickly, wishing to see him again before I die. That is all it takes.
Flames rush through me, but their source is not the fire. I am their source. And when the other fire envelopes me, I feel nothing but a pleasant tingle. My clothing burns to ashes and flakes off around my feet, but my skin shows no sign of the bite of fire. The ropes holding me above the pyre burn away as well and I collapse into the pile of brush.
Half of the village begins throwing curses and praying to numerous gods to keep them safe from me.
"She isn't burning—gods help us!"
"Devil's bitch! He's protecting his whore. She can't be killed!"
I find myself praying too.
Over the roar of the fire and the fear of the village, I hear a third sound. Low growling that quickly grows into yelling and then terrified screams from the villagers. Through the flames I witness a horrible scene unfold. Previously human bystanders watching my execution have torn their skin off with elongated claws and transformed into fatoris, some with wings and others without, and began to attack anything that moves. The monsters tear through the humans like paper dolls until I realize that they're coming for me.
Alec is nowhere to be seen.
A single fatoris breaks through and hurtles toward me, a jagged blade held in its claws.
I close my eyes.
This will hurt.
But the expected pain never comes. I open my eyes when I hear another yell to my side and a startled gasp stumbles past my lips. Alec has reappeared between the fatoris and I, his sword already drawn. He reaches the monster in several quick steps and swings his weapon like an axe. The head of the fatoris topples onto the ground.
Before the body falls beside its head, Alec has sheathed his sword and come to stand in front of the fire. He wastes no time in reaching through the flames to me.
"Don't—!" I exclaim, but my warning comes to late. He ignores the threat of the flames and takes me in his arms, suffering from the consequences of a scorched face and arms immediately. The only sign of pain he shows is a grimace as he holds me close against him, shielding me from the massacre around us. His eyes jump from person to person, monster to monster, to locate an escape route—but there are none.
An unfamiliar man appears at Alec's shoulder, a dagger made of some type of white stone in his hand. One fatoris falls dead at his side. "Get out of here! That way!" he orders, pointing Alec toward a narrow gap in the fighting. The man glances down at me for half a second and reaches up to rip the hood off of his head and tosses it over me. "I will find you when this is done. Now go!" He shoves Alec along and then turns to take on several more monsters. Alec takes off running, focused only on getting us far away from here, but I watch the man disappear into the distance. I wonder about his silvery hair and the hair of several other men fighting back against the fatoris.
The sounds of death and pursuit fade quickly, and a moment later Alec stops running. He carries me a bit further before spotting a wide tunnel underneath a house. Probably for sewage, but thankfully dry. Within the tunnel, Alec leans against one curved wall and wraps me in the unknown man's cloak. Once I'm covered, he pulls me to him and holds me against his chest in silence. His body is shaking.
I don't know how long we sit in silence, but neither of us seem to want to move. I huddle against his chest and listen to his erratic heartbeat. If I could stay here for forever, I'd be happy.
Suddenly he shifts and I fear that he wants to move on, but he only pulls me closer and presses his lips against the top of my head. He starts to shake worse and I realize that he's crying.
"I thought you were going to die," he says quietly, his voice matching the shakiness of his body.
"So did I," I whisper. I move my arm slowly to rest my hand on his cheek. He leans into my touch and our eyes meet. My heart rate spikes when I see that beautiful color of green that I'd craved since the moment we were separated.
"Your magic was sealed, right? You couldn't use it—so how did you..." His voice grows quieter until he trails off completely, but his green eyes hold mine steady.
Sealed. Was my magic sealed? Is that what the strange feeling the fatoris gave me when it touched me?
I shrug and attempt a smile to lift his spirits, but Alec seems to remain convinced that I'm not real. "All I know is that when I saw you, I could use magic again." His cheeks turn a noticeable shade of dark red, even in the poor lighting, and I wonder if I've said something wrong.
Then he smiles. But it's not a happy smile like he might mean for it to look—it's a smile that clearly says that he just realized something awful.
"What's wrong? Is it something I said?" I ask, and drop my hand from his cheek. But he wraps his hand around mine and gently brings my hand back to rest on his cheek. His eyes meet mine once again, more sad than anything else.
"No, no," he reassures me. He attempts another smile. It goes slightly better than his first try. "I'm just glad that I have you back."
His words make me buzz with happiness and I find myself returning his smile. His nearness fills me with confidence I don't normally have. "Alec?"
"Yes?"
"What is your favorite color?"
He doesn't answer right away, looking into my eyes in silence for such a long time that my cheeks feel like they've been set on fire. Finally, he answers, "Silver."
Silver.
I become painfully aware of how close I am to him. As we spoke, we have moved nearer and nearer, until there are mere inches between our faces. I can hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
He moves closer—at least I think he does—and I feel like I'm going to explode. His eyes leave mine for just a fraction of a second and flick down to my lips. He leans in again. This time I'm sure.
Is he going to kiss me?
Do I want him to?
Entirely.
Then something changes in his eyes and suddenly he's leaning away. His breath is uneven.
Was he going to kiss me?
"What's yours?" he asks.
I blink, still reeling from what almost was. "What's my what?"
If he was, why did he stop himself?
A sad smile grows on his lips. "Your favorite color."
I don't return his smile this time. "Lavender," I lie, and drop my gaze. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't look at him again. I know I have no right to be cross with him, but knowing that doesn't make me feel any better.
"There you are!" A man has appeared beside us, the same one whose cloak I'm wearing. Alec doesn't seem alarmed, so neither am I. "Come quickly. There will be more of them soon." The man with silver hair raises an eyebrow slightly at the sight of us. It's enough to make send heat shooting to my cheeks.
I move out of Alec's lap. He gets to his feet and offers his hand to help me up, but I ignore it and stand on my own. I stare deliberately at the ground.
We follow the silver-haired man a ways in uncomfortable silence before Alec speaks.
"Where are you taking us?"
"My home, the Sky Islands. You will undoubtedly be safe there. Our rides await us a bit north past Pecunia," the man tells us. I perk up immediately.
"Our rides?" I ask. He turns to give me a kind smile. The wrinkles around his eyes and his mouth tell me that he spends much of his time smiling.
"Hello, White Witch. I don't believe that I have introduced myself. My apologies. I am King Cassius of the pulchra."
I dip into a curtsy, moving clumsily in order to keep what little clothing I have wrapped around me. How many kings and queens will I meet before this journey is over?
"It's an honor to meet you, your majesty. I—we—are in your debt after what you did for us today." I thank him on behalf of us both, because I know that Alec won't.
"Your reputation precedes you, my lady. It is I who am honored." The king takes a step closer to me and reaches for my hand, bending to plant a kiss on my skin. When he straightens again, he smiles. "Now, we go. The griffins await."
"Griffins?" I repeat. My eyes must show the fear I feel, because Cassius is quick to reassure me.
"Ours have a far better temperament than my daughter's, do not worry. They are no danger to you." He laughs fondly. "My dear Lili is a kind woman, despite what you may think."
"I think that she's a lovely woman," I tell him. I remember clearly how she risked her own neck to allow Alec and I to escape Trävore safely. She is a lovely woman indeed.
"I'd be inclined to agree with you, my lady," he says, and smiles once more before we continue on in silence. I can feel Alec's eyes on me, but I don't look at him. The feeling of his hands still lingers on my skin.
The village passes by quickly with my mind otherwise occupied. The men are focused and ready to fend off an attack, but all I seem to be able to think about is Alec's lips.
The griffins are hidden beyond the village behind a large outcropping of sandstone. There are three of them wading through a shallow pool of mud and water, very similar-looking to the queen's pet. The animals raise their heads to watch us approach, calm looks in their intelligent eagle eyes.
I'm not afraid of the creatures this time. Perhaps that is because I've faced much worse things by now, or they simply look friendlier than the queen's did.
Cassius takes my hand and leads me closer to the smallest animal of the group. "This one is for you, my lady," he tells me. When he smiles again, suddenly I'm struck with how much he reminds me of my grandfather. Kind and caring, just like him. "It holds the spirit of my strongest warrior."
Cassius and Alec watch as I move closer to the animal, holding my hand out cautiously towards it. The griffin watches me with ease in its eyes. I reach forward and press my hand against its beak. It leans into my touch and I smile, any trace of fear I had leaving me. I stroke the coarse feathers of its face before climbing as gracefully as I can onto its back between its wings. It ruffles its feathers a bit, but otherwise the animal doesn't even seem to notice my weight.
"You're a natural," Cassius tells me, beaming. Alec says nothing. There is a violent storm in his eyes.
Next, Cassius mounts his ride and Alec follows suit. The king leans toward the head of his griffin, his eyes brimming with excitement. He must love to fly.
"The Islands are quite high. Close your eyes if you must, but be sure to hold on tightly. Ready?" He doesn't wait for my answer. The second his eyes face forward, his griffin unfolds its wings and takes off. Alec's soon follows, and then mine. The animal lurches forward suddenly and I fumble to keep myself steady as it pulls itself into the sky. I hold tightly onto its neck where the fur and the feathers are thickest.
With every flap of its wings, the animal and I rise higher into the air. As the ground disappears beneath us, my stomach turns painfully. I hide my face in the griffin's feathers and try to forget how high we are. We climb the sky like a ladder, straight toward the clouds.
"By the way," Cassius calls over the loud wind, "there is an old friend waiting for you."
Neither Alec or I reply, but I know that he's wondering the same thing as I am. Who waits for us at Cassius' palace?
*****
The climb to the top of the sky eventually takes us through a layer of thick white clouds. I'm so mesmerized by the misty feeling around me that I risk reaching out to try and touch the things I always used to admire when I was younger. The clouds swirl around my fingers and my hand, leaving dampness on my skin, but there is nothing to touch.
Alec watches me try to touch them.
To my disappointment, the layer of clouds soon ends and we emerge above them. The ground is impossibly far beneath us, yet hidden effectively by the clouds. Although I can no longer see how high we are, the presence of the clouds makes me feel no better. If I were to fall, I would surely die.
Something not so far ahead catches my attention. I take my focus away from the clouds and direct it instead towards what is nestled atop them—massive pillars and mountains of rock shoot into the sky, some thinning out to create beautiful arcs and strange shapes and others thicken and flatten to form plateaus and huge peaks. One such plateau, found in the center of a thick grouping of larger mountains, holds a magnificent castle half overgrown by vines and ivy. A single waterfall flows from somewhere within the sky mountain and cascades off the island, surrounding the mountains in mysterious mist and more clouds. Cracks and ruin are clearly visible in the castle, yet I'm struck speechless. It must be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
"Welcome to my home," Cassius says. He grins widely and I return his smile. My heart has become lighter with just the sight of the castle, and even the sight of Alec's troubled frown doesn't disrupt this moment. As we fly closer, I notice many forms awaiting us in the front court of the palace. Most have wings, and all are wearing smiles. "My people are eager to greet you. And the brave knight Alexander too, of course."
"It's breathtaking," I tell Cassius. "We are honored to be here. Thank you."
"No, it is I who should be thanking you. You are going to bring hope to them, my people who have lost those they care about in the war. I am eternally grateful." I lean forward just a bit to nod at him and to better see the people below who are now waving. Despite my nerves, I wave back. As we descend, their cheering reaches my ears, and my heart rate quickens.
The griffins land steadily side by side and shake their feathers as mobs of fairies surround us. They remain perfectly calm as the people reach for us, for me, and struggle to touch just one piece of my clothing or my hair. They pull and pull at what little I'm able to cover myself with.
"Come on. I've got you," Alec whispers. His voice is close to my ear, sending chills across my skin. I feel his hands around my waist and he lifts me easily off the griffin and holds me against his chest, forcing his way through the curious crowd after Cassius. The king leads us through the waves and waves of his loyal subjects until we finally reach an elevated step. Cassius steps up onto it and Alec follows. He ensures that my clothing does its job properly before setting me back on my own feet. He takes a step away once he's rid of me.
"Men and women, fairies and dwarves, I appear before you today with wonderful news. It is finally the pulchra's turn to host the White Witch!" Cassius announces. The crowd erupts into wild cheering. The king's smile turns mischievous. "Hopefully we will be better hosts than the poor disgraced Cedric." Everyone bursts into merry laughter, including the king himself. My cheeks burn with embarrassment and shame. Alec has no reaction whatsoever. "Now. I'm sure that the Witch would love to socialize, but she and her knight must rest and be fed first. But I assure you, you may meet your savior soon enough."
Again, the excited crowd cheers despite the disappointing news. I feared that I would let them down, but I feel as if I could sleep for days. After I rest, I can face them—but not until then.
"This way, my friends," the king says, addressing Alec and I. He leads us away from his adoring subjects, waving a hand at a few who eagerly rush forward to tend to the griffins. I follow Alec and the king up the remaining steps to the front gates of the palace. Cassius offers one more proud smile before the guards push it open.
The interior court of the palace is even more beautiful than the outside. Lush green plants covered in blooming flowers that I've never seen before crawl across the ground, winding through different rock assortments and stone statues. It is mistier here and in several places water spouts from the ground, spraying the stones and plants.
Several well-dressed servants rush us as soon as we enter, although not nearly as chokingly as the people who first greeted us. Cassius greets them like old friends and mumbles instructions to them. Several of the women smile and take my arm gently, pulling me toward a large wooden door leading inside the castle and chirping about getting me some decent clothes and food. I go with them uneasily. I'm hesitant about being separated from Alec—
I feel a hand close around my wrist. "If you don't mind, I'd prefer not to leave her side. I don't know if I can trust you yet, your majesty," Alec says. His voice is stiff, nearly on the hostile side. Something is wrong. It is probably me.
"Of course," Cassius agrees, and Alec is allowed to follow the servant girls and I to our destination. Just before we reach the door and I'm ushered inside, Cassius clears his throat. "And don't forget, my granddaughter is here and wishes to see you."
The huge wooden door is shut and the servants hurry us forward down the wide hallway, but I stop in my tracks. Alec does the same, his cold eyes finally betraying some emotion.
"She's here?" he croaks to no one in particular. His expression becomes foggy and unfocused, even as the servants start us moving again, promising that we can see her as soon as we've recovered.
I'm filled the the brim with happiness that she's alive, but also with jealousy at the effect that the news has had on Alec. Does he have feelings for her?
I suddenly feel like I'm going to burst.
A/N: This chapter took like a week and a half but that's ok because I really like it!!!!! I'm sooooo excited for Edlyn and Alec to finally be at the Sky Islands. Lots of things planned. >)
Be sure to vote/comment if you enjoyed!! It makes me write faster;)