Page 31 of Hearts on Fire

“Not even the king?” Mother’s hand flew to her throat, as if just the notion of disobedience to the monarch physically choked the life out of her.

“No one,” he repeated firmly.

Propping his leg on the windowsill, he shifted Amber’s slight weight in his arms to free a hand to open the shutters.

The fresh air rushed into the room as he unfurled his wings and leaped into the late afternoon sky. The thick clouds were already tinted with orange in the west. The day was heading to its end. He didn’t have much time.

He moved his wings, rising higher, where the air was cooler. Amber’s skin puckered with tiny bumps all over her arms.

How cold did she need to get to start feeling better? How cold would be too cold? What if he ended up freezing her up here in his attempts to cool her off?

“Amber, sweetheart,” he tried to coax a wisp of awareness from her. “Tell me if I’m doing this right?”

But there was no reply from her. Her head lolled on his shoulder. It was only by a soft moan from her lips that he knew she was still alive at all.

He slowed down, taking them on a slow glide through the evening sky.

“This is the first time I’ve taken you flying in Dakath,” he said to her, wishing she could hear him. “I should’ve done it earlier, so you could see the beauty of this world.”

Sharp angles of the king’s palace mirrored the spikes of the surrounding mountains. Black stone stood in a striking contrast with the bright orange sky. The clouds broke up the sunset into vivid colors of gold, burgundy, and magenta.

Far on the horizon, the brilliant green stripe of the valley came into view. Spring always came sooner there, taking its time to climb all the way up to the peaks of the mountains. The foothills were already tinted with red from the buds of the snow poppies breaking through the ground even before all the snow had melted.

“It’s so beautiful, Amber,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “I wish you could see it.”

Her braid had gotten loose from the knot she’d worn it in. He was surprised she’d kept her hair long. She seemed furious when he’d made it grow, and he’d half-expected her to chop it off right after.

He’d made so many mistakes. All he wished for was a chance to make it up to her, for everything.

“Please, get better, my spark. And I’ll do everything to make you happy.”

Regardless of who wore the king’s crown, happiness was possible in this world. He and Amber would just have to find it.

A shudder ran through her body. He pressed his lips to her forehead again. It felt significantly cooler now and no longer wet.

The setting sun pierced through the clouds with sharp red needles of light, too close to the horizon. He had to go back.

Gliding through the sky in a wide turn, he laid course back to the castle. Instead of returning to thesalamandras’bedroom, however, he aimed higher, to one of his own windows.

Salamandraswere great healers. But no one knew Amber better than he did. Not even them.

He kicked the thick furs off the wide perch in his room but left the featherbed on, then carefully put Amber down on it. He didn’t bring any of her clothes with them. She probably didn’t have many anyway.

Instead, he took one of his long tunics made with the soft cotton from the valley and put it on her, carefully tugging the cozy fabric all the way down to her ankles. After a brief consideration, he also covered her with a silk sheet but left the window open for the fresh air to come in.

Would any of the things he had done help Amber? Did he do any of them right? Doubt bombarded him with questions. Urgency vibrated under his skin as the sun was sliding lower and lower behind the horizon.

Soon, Amber would be on her own. After the sun had set, he wouldn’t be able to help her, even if she cried for help. Even if she was dying…

Ten

AMBER

Oh, it was freezing. So cold, my bones seemed to rattle, and my teeth chattered. I patted around with my hand in search of a cover. My feet were tangled in a sheet, but it was too thin to keep me warm.

I pried my eyes open. It was dark, with only the cool blue glow of the moon and the stars coming from an open window.

Where was I?