Page 21 of Hearts on Fire
I wondered briefly if it was my responsibility to ensure the ring went on to the future queen for its history to continue. Or was I supposed to lose it at some point, for it to be created later for her in the future? Did time move in a line or a loop? I had no idea, and sadly time travel didn’t come with a handbook explaining all the rules.
Maybe, one just had to go with the flow and let things happen as they did?
Elex kept my hand in his, warming my cold fingers with his gentle caress.
“The son of the Fire Queen, King Ahrit, will be my grandfather. He will continue to build on his father’s legacy. You see, Amber, the present has to continue for the future to happen just the way it will.”
Logically, his words made sense. But my heart refused to accept the current injustices, even if they were for the sake of some greater good in the future.
I gave him a hard stare.
“Well, now I know exactly where you stand.”
I turned on my heel, ready to leave, but he grabbed my shoulders, spinning me back to face him.
“I want you to understand, Amber, my life is tied with the king’s. I have to protect him and his crown.”
“Then, what are you waiting for? Go protect your king, Elex.” I gestured in the direction of the hall. “And I will go where I belong, to the women.”
“No.” The force and passion he put into that one word made me pause. “Stay with me. Please. My room is on one of the upper levels of the castle. You’ll be warm and safe there.”
Warm. He knew exactly how to entice me. But the other part of what he said made me scoff.
“Safe?Is there such a thing, Elex? Nowhere in Dakath is safe for a human. And how can you keep me safe from the king you serve?” I shook my head with regret. “Sorry, but I trust thesalamandrasto keep me safe more than I trust you.”
“Amber.” He flinched as if I’d slapped him.
I felt his pain. I really did. Deep inside I believed, Elex was a good person who wanted to do the right thing. Only what good did it do?
I swallowed around a tightness in my throat. “I shouldn’t have come to Dakath, Elex. It would’ve been easier for both of us if you had just left me in my own world.” I lifted my eyes to his. “You’ve never even apologized for that, for taking me.”
I glimpsed sympathy in his dark eyes, but there was not a hint of regret.
“If I didn’t take you, you would’ve been dead.”
“You don’t know that for sure. Maybe I could’ve made it. I’ve been in tight situations before.”
He shook his head resolutely. “’Maybe’wasn’t good enough for me. It looked like a life-or-death situation to me.Yourlife or death, Amber. I couldn’t leave it up to chance.”
“So you brought me here and left me right after. How was that any better?”
His cheeks flushed. His eyes sparked. He opened his mouth to argue, but I spoke first.
“You felt so sorry for me losing my hair, Elex. As if that was the biggest problem. You never apologized for what really mattered.”
He stalked to me, grabbing my shoulders. His eyes roamed over my face. His expression was wild. But I was not afraid of him, not for a second.
Elex was clearly deeply affected by this conversation. He probably felt frustrated, maybe even angry at the situation. He might even be mad at me. Obviously, we saw some things differently. But I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, Elex would never raise a hand to me. He was nothing like his great-great-grandfather who delighted in violence.
“Amber, please believe me—”
The doors slammed open at the end of the hallway. Then heavy footsteps rushed our way. I yanked my hood low and stepped away from Elex a moment before one of the king’s guards turned around the corner to find us.
“King Edkhar wishes to know if Lord Elex and hissalamandraare ready to return to the party?” the guard announced.
Elex reached for my hand, but I jerked it away from him.
“Tell the king I ate too much and have stomach cramps,” I whispered to him quickly. “No. Wait.” It occurred to me that King Edkhar wouldn’t care how I felt. I’d be required to attend even with stomach cramps if that was his royal wish. “Tell him the zucchini didn’t agree with me.”