Page 65 of Crown of Flame

I try to prepare myself as we journey to his chambers, but I don’t quite know how to. I never thought this day would come. All I know is that everyone I’ve lost is about to be avenged.

23

CINIS

No harm will come to you.

The words that I spoke to Serena when I rescued her from the experimental beast so long ago ripple through my head as we approach Aldris Eruca’s towers.

I look at her, and I am, as always, taken aback by her fragility. Her skin, pale and bright as the snow, is soft and supple. Her body, strong by human standards, is soft and breakable by the standards of the magical beings who we are about to go up against.

For a moment I am tempted to tell her to leave, to go back to the dwelling, to hide. Even though I know she would never agree.

She looks at me then, noticing me staring. Something twists painfully in my chest at the beauty of her.

She raises an eyebrow – maybe she interprets the worry on my face – and her lips clamp together in a thin, straight line.

“We are in this together.” The statement is simple. Her voice isn’t loud.

But her voice is steady and strong.

She isn’t leaving, and nothing I can do or say will make her turn around. This is her fight after all.

Aldris’ chambers are at the top of a long, winding staircase. To my surprise, there are no guards at the bottom of the staircase.

I make sure that Serena remains behind me as we make our way stealthily up the staircase.

There is a sudden crack and boom of thunder as we pass a large, arched window, and I do not miss the little, breathy gasp that escapes Serena as a vicious snap of lightning lights up the dark staircase.

She remains behind me as we come to the landing, at the very top of the tower.

I turn to look at her one last time before we enter the ornate wooden door that stands slightly ajar.

I use our mental link to communicate – we do not need to alert Aldris to our presence unnecessarily – and take her hand in mine at the same time.

Stay behind me. You know what to do. We need to get your amulet off him. But stay behind me, whatever you do.

My mental voice is strong and stern. And I can only hope that she will listen to me.

Light, not unlike the lightning that just illuminated the staircase, flashes across her kaleidoscope eyes. Hard, stubborn light.

Her jaw tightens, and I know she is clenching her teeth.

When will she learn to see her fragility?

I ask this of myself as Serena nods once, slowly.

But I know, as I turn back to the doorway, that stubborn human that she is, she will never know how truly breakable she could be.

But this is why you’re here. To make sure that nothing happens to her.

I give up on stealth then. I am quite sure that Aldris must know that we’re right outside his door by now.

Surely he must have magical wards or enchantments that would have alerted him to our arrival, no matter that he doesn’t have guards.

I summon fire to my hands, and barrel through the door, with Serena just a few steps behind me.

Aldris leaps back, away from the table where he was writing, and throws magic at us almost immediately.