Page 46 of Crown of Flame

“Wait for me at dawn.”

I stand before the group of humans, addressing them. I can tell that they aren’t used to me - I’m not used to them - but if it proves to Serena that she can trust me, the discomfort is well worth it.

“I’ll be back in the morning with more food and water.”

And I levitate the buckets behind me, heading back to watch over Serena.

I miss her on these walks. The wind is not great company, nor are the failed lab experiments that roam through the open expanse, terrorizing anybody who would dare cross their paths.

“Someday, I’ll help them.”

The process by which animals become fused with humans still horrifies me. I vow to myself that there must be a way to undo their magical entanglements.

I’m so tired of putting them down. I can see how much their mere existence hurts Serena.

The hovel beckons me in the distance, snow falling gently over the horizon. My jets light and heat the ground beneath me, sizzling the rocky terrain I float upon. In front of my vision and slightly behind me, trails of steam follow.

I squint.

“What am I looking at?”

A bright blue light hovers in the distance near the hovel. Part of me wants to run to Serena’s side as another light appears, but my curiosity wins.

Probably just my imagination.

That’s when two dark elves appear in the distance, illuminated in blue.

I dash forward, panicking.

“Stop!”

They walk forward into the home, and as I jet forward, using my flames to propel myself at extra-human speeds, they leave our home, chatting indifferently and laughing about something.

They look up at me, flying toward them, and they point at me.

Then, in a flash of light, they’re gone. I don’t get a chance to kill them.

I rush forward to Serena’s side.

She’s still sleeping, completely unaware of what transpired. I can see that her wounds, which once became critical, are now healing over.

Serena just needs her energy.

“What was that?” I wonder aloud, brushing my fiery arm through her golden hair.

Did I just imagine it? Or is there something else going on?

The following day, I bring more food to the towers, looking out at the final towers in the distance.

I know I should liberate them for Serena, but something’s been weighing on my mind.

I’ve never seen her actually harm a dark elf, in all of the time I’ve stood beside her. She’s expressed her animosity toward them on multiple occasions, and she’s done significant work in helping the humans.

I shake off the thought as I head home, the skies slightly clearer today. The songs of the winged creatures are beautiful to my ear, their every movement graceful.

There is less snow melting beneath me today.

Then in the distance, near our home, I hear voices.