Page 18 of Crown of Flame

“That’s very strange,” she says. “So what’s your homeworld like?”

I mull over the question. I suppose to explain my home world, I have to understand the differences between it and this world. And I’m still not sure I understand this world.

“So you know how in this world, it’s mostly trees and mountains and flat land?”

She pauses to look at me, questioning whether I’m serious.

I sense a new emotion taking hold of her.

She starts to laugh.

I grow concerned that I might have broken her.

“‘Mostly trees and mountains and flat land.’ You know there’s more here than that, right?”

I suddenly grow intrigued. “Like what?”

“No,” she says. “You were answering my question first. Answer my question and maybe I’ll answer yours.”

We reach the end of the cliffside, and I see nothing beyond the bright expanse of empty field, with occasional trees.

It doesn’t seem like there’s anything else here. I wonder if she might be lying to me.

“We have cliffs at home, too,” I say. “They stretch upward forever. No matter how much you climb, you never reach any kind of ceiling.”

“Ceiling?”

I’m not sure I’ve said anything to cause any further questions.

“Yeah. Roof. End of vertical height.”

“Ah,” she says. “Sky.”

I feel my eyes squint, pausing to emphasize my confusion.

“But go on,” she adds.

“Right,” I reply. “Anyway, there’s vast stretches of lava and fire, too. And that’s about it.”

Her eyes are unblinking and sympathetic, even against the falling debris that strains them.

“That sounds incredibly boring.”

I feel as though I’ve grown a second face.

“I hunt mostly,” I clarify.

Hunting.

The mere mention of it takes me back to the tower, where I left all those souls uneaten. Clearly, this human ‘Serena’ captivated me entirely too much. I was so distracted by her that I forgot about my meal.

Then I realize I’m very hungry. But that second other hunger I was feeling, that I couldn’t identify, doesn’t seem to be present anymore.

As we continue to walk, I feel the same familiar sorrow starting to overtake her. Being around it is incredibly agitating to me.

“You said you were going to describe this realm to me,” I say. “And since I went through the trouble of describing my homeworld, it’s only fair you do the same.”

“Right.”