by J. G. Maltos
“Hello!” I cough through the smoke. “Is anybody here?”
There’s a crackling above me, and I notice with a twinge of panic that the ceiling begins to cave minute by minute. It trembles as I see a slight movement. I jump to the floor and curl as part of the room collapses where I had been standing just a few seconds ago. Fear replaces the adrenaline and I begin feeling dizzy from the lack of air.
I try to stand but a wooden plank falls on my leg. I curse at myself for being so stupid and yank on my foot.
“Mommy!” a small voice calls out. “Mommy!” Desperately, I yank at my leg harder.
“Princess,” a voice calls to me. Relief swells my chest as I see the outline of his silhouette.
I lift my injured arm and rub my burning eyes. I catch a silhouette through the smoke. “Aries!” I gasp, barely filling up my lungs with air. “I am trapped under the wood!” The silhouette quickly disappears and reappears. A cool tear trails down my hot face as I come to realize Aries cannot solidify.
I try to pull my leg but stop as I see another figure nearing, “Al!” Koura calls through the roar of the fire.
“Koura!” I gasp out.
“Connect with the fire, Al!” He yells through the roaring fire. He stood across from me, one arm over his face to block the smoke, the other outstretched before him. A ring of flames surrounded him perfectly, blocking his way to me.
I shake my head. “I can’t.”
“You can! Just try to connect! Don’t you see? You’ve been doing it this entire time, Al! You would have been dead by now.” His voice booms into my chest.
Surprise echoes within me as I look around the burning room. Everything was engulfed in flames besides a path leading right to where I am. But, I don’t feel anything now, just a flash of ice-cold panic that I force down my throat.
“Mommy!” The little voice sounds faint now, its cough consuming the power it had moments before.
“Your fear!” Koura sounds angry now. “If that’s all you can feel then use it!”
Tears block my view. “I can’t. I don’t want to.”
“Al!’ There was an urgency in his voice. I look up and notice his hands whirling above his head. Crystals emerge from his fingertips, but they melt before they fully manifest. “I can’t help you like this, Princess! You have to do this!”
The boy's voice echoes one last time before going silent completely. The fear becomes harder to ignore. The tears that brimmed at my eyes spilled over, crashing like Koura’s crystals onto the ground. My veins light up red under my skin, and I stare at it wide-eyed.
A large fire blazes behind me. I lift my hands and pull all the air in the room toward me. The fire quickly diminishes. I take large breaths, feeling relieved to have fresh air. I feel a rush of cool air as I notice Koura rushing to my side. “You have a death wish!” he says through clenched teeth as he checks my foot.
“Story of my life,” I comment in annoyance as a flinch from the movement of the plank.
Koura fingers dig under the wood. “I'm going to lift and pull your leg out!” He rushes and grunts under the weight of the wood. His face twists in as I feel the pressure lift from my leg. I tug it out as Koura lets go of the wood, causing another part of the ceiling to collapse.
I stare wide-eyed when Koura throws himself on top of me as the embers of the wood fall around us. I instinctively grip him toward me as I clench my eyes shut. I hold my breath as the sound stops and pry my eyes open.
“Are you all right?” His brown eyes widened looking over me for major wounds.
I gulp as his cheek grazes my nose. “I think so. I need to get to the kid.”
Koura lifts himself from me as he turns toward what is now a wooden, fiery blockage. The heat rages again as I lose focus and energy. “Go find him and I’ll clear a path!”
I nod and rush toward the small voice. “Sweetie! Where are you?!” I yell.
“Mom—” It was so weak, I’m surprised he had any energy at all. I rush toward a closed room and see the terrified little boy in the bathroom tub.
He jumps up and clings to my neck. He can’t be older than three or four years old. Smoke and tears smear his cheeks. His face breaks my heart as I cling to him trying to calm him down.
“Shh… It’s okay now. I’ve got you.” I rub his sweaty back. “Let’s get out of here, yeah.”
He doesn’t answer but shakes his head as he claws at my shirt. A feeling of relief washes over me. I grip his little body to me and rush toward Koura.
The temperature of the room starts to increase as the flames brighten again. My body feels weak, and I know there is no way I’ll be able to channel any ability now. The heat of the flames licks at our skin. “The only way out is through here,” Koura calls out.
“Are you sure?” I lick my dry lips looking around. The little child whimpers in my arms. I know this is the most reckless thing I have done. But, I could not have waited any longer. I want to be able to protect them.
“It’s okay. I got you,” I assure him and he buries his small face in the crook of my neck.
Koura's eyes glaze over with determination as he looks at the little boy in my arms. “I am going to move this board and you have a few seconds before it falls,” he instructs.
“What! It’s burning hot! And it will collapse on you!” I say in worry. He is not risking his own life like this.
Koura grips my head between his hands. “Nothing will happen to me. I promise you. But I have to get you out first.”
The little boy coughs uncontrollably and I force myself to nod. Koura accepts my answer as his hand drops from my face. He looks at me one last time as his hand grips the loose plank that blocks our exit.
A light mist covers Koura's hands. The amount of fire around us makes it difficult for him to create ice. He flinches as the wood burns through his palms. I bite my lower lip as I take in his pain. His arms shake from the weight as he grunts from the heat. I grip the child tighter.
Once the plank is above his head, I rush through. My legs shake from the weight and fire as my abilities go away once more as I run through. I drop to my knees as I hear the wood collapse behind me. I choke back a cry.
The temperature increases as I rush past the opening. I pull the little boy tighter against my chest. Tears trail down my cheeks as I pray Koura is okay. The smoke engulfs my lungs. My eyes burn from the fire and I try to see through blurred eyes.
I collapse at the opening as I feel a cool hand lift me and the little boy. I cough uncontrollably and so does the little boy. I try to pat his back, but my body is not responding. I feel the weight of the little boy off of my body.
“Princess.” A familiar husky voice calls out to me. By the chills of my arms, I know exactly who it was. “Princess. Answer me, Please.”
I try to pry open my tired eyes, but they remain blurred. I could only groan in response with scarred lungs.
“I’m here.”
There’s a sound of gravel crunching and I feel someone else pull up beside me. The chill on my arm disappears. “Thank goodness! Take her to her room! Now!” I hear someone say as I feel myself being lifted from the floor.
“You, stupid, stupid girl,” the voice says.
“I know,” I try to joke but only manage to cough again.
A rumble sounds from the chest I lay on. “Reckless, and stupid,” the quiet voice comments, one I recognize as Bash.
A wave of heat burns my body and I try to twist away from the feeling.
Bash grips me tighter against him, but I suddenly feel a soft mist of ice trailing down my arms. “Better?” he asks.
I nod just as a soft cushion comes up from underneath me. Bash leans forward, laying me on the bed careful not to touch my burns. I sigh in delight as I feel cool covers under me. His brown eyes are still the only thing visible as the bottom half remains covered with a black mask. Concern sits on his brow.
“Where is everyone? How is the little boy?” I rush out questions like bullets.
&nbs
p; “He’s safe. Now let us help you,” he replies calmly. Too calmly. He drops his bag that he has been hanging over his shoulder and places bottles, clothes, and medicine on my side.
I stare at him as he opens gauzes, ointments, and fresh gloves. Bash grabs a cloth and runs his hand over it. A cool mist surrounds it and he places it on my head. I smile as my head cools down. He turned to me once more and extended his hand. I place my own in his and start disinfecting my blisters that mark my palms and arms. Bash catches the needle scars that trail up my arms but doesn’t comment.
“Where is everyone?” I ask after a few moments of silence.
Bash stays focused on my arm. “They are helping dispose of the bodies, and restore parts of the camp the lightning had hit.”
I chew on my bottom lip and wince from the sting on my arm. I look at Bash as he cleans my wounds. His back straightens as he notices my gaze. He has always been quiet and standoffish at times but I have come to accept not everyone can be like Nathaniel's goofy self.
“How did you learn to treat wounds?” I wonder.
Bash leans his head closer to treat a wound on my neck. I tilt my head slightly to give him a clear view of the blister. “We all had to take some medical training,” He explains. “There were times I had to stitch up Koura for his recklessness.” He dabs a wet cloth on my neck. I wince from the sting but remain still. “I understand your need to help the boy,” He comments lightly, but I feel as though I’m about to be scolded. “But things could have gone worse than they did. You were lucky.”
“I wasn’t thinking.” I turn my head away. “I just ran forward. I don’t regret it.”
He nods. “I have never seen someone so determined as I had seen you crawling through the front door clutching the little boy.” His smoldering eyes land on me in sadness. “I saw Zee screaming for you outside the home. We thought we were too late. Next thing, I see Koura jumping in after you. I thought we would lose both of you there.”
“Please tell me. Is he okay? He made it outright.” Ice settles again in my chest.
He nods slowly, overly focused on my wounds. “He came out not too long after you. I’ll be honest, Princess, he was in worse shape than you.” His breathing is controlled, but I could just imagine what he was feeling right now. “Nathaniel is tending to him as we speak.”
I turn my head in guilt about what I made them go through. “I just reacted. These people have suffered so much already at the hands of the lightning,” I sigh. “ I wasn’t thinking.”
His eyes bore into mine, “Oh, I know you didn’t. If you did you wouldn’t have gone in.” His face returns to one of somber. “We could have lost you today, our only hope.”
“I didn’t mean—”
Bash removes his mask in frustration, “I became a soldier to protect the kingdom. Leave the protection to us. Your job is to survive and to lead us into a better future. ”
“A queen should protect, too” I explain, “I want to be the queen my people deserve. I think differently than I used to.”
“How so?”
I remain silent, weighing the words I am about to say, “The idea of being queen became impossible for me to fathom.” I take a large breath, “But now it’s the only thing people talk about. And today, when I saw the fire all I could think was how could a queen turn away from that? How could I call myself a queen if I can’t protect my people?”
Bash's hands freeze over one of my wounds. A heavy sigh escapes him. “I have no doubt you would be a magnificent queen. Let’s try less throwing yourself into fires and more putting them out,” he jokes.
I give him a warm smile. He cracks a crooked smile and turns back at the task on hand. “How is the little boy?”
“He is with the healers.” His smile falters, “He is having respiratory problems and severe burns. Some believed it would be better to avoid telling you, but you deserve to know the status of your people.”
“Thank you, Bash,” I say as his large fingers glide around my arm wrapping me up.
“Anything for you, Princess. I will always be at your service.” He smiles as he asks me for my other hand and continues with his work.
I start dozing off when I hear Bash picking up his stuff, so I stay quiet and hope no one else visits me while they believe I am asleep but it wasn’t long before I felt a chill.
My eyes snap open. “Aries?” I remember how I thought I saw him back at the house fire.
“Princess,” a husky voice sounds from the corner of the room. “Thank goodness, you are okay.”
“I thought I saw you back there.” My eyes narrow at him, confused. “Were you not?”
He drops his gaze for a moment. His hands tie themselves behind his back as if he were preparing for impact. “I was.”
Anger sparks in me, “You couldn’t have helped? If not me, at least Koura! I had to leave him back there alone!”
“There was nothing I could have done. My physical state involves too much energy as is.”
“You manage your physical state well enough around me.” I accuse.
His head lifts at the tone in my voice and it’s as if I had slapped him. “Princess—”
“I needed you there, Aries.” I shrink down into the bed, all of the energy I felt gone. “I know it was stupid and reckless. But I needed you there.”
Guilt passes through his golden eyes, “I am sorry,” I turn away from him and take a large breath. I quickly grip my chest as the fresh air slices through my raw throat. Aries quickly leans in, “How badly are you hurt?”
I lay my head on my pillow and look down at my wraps. “They don’t hurt.”
Aries raises an eyebrow. “That does not answer my question, Princess.”
I sigh, “I am fine. Honestly. Do you happen to know how it went with the lightning? I had fallen asleep before I could ask Bash more questions.”
Aries lip tigs upward. “There were at least fifteen of them. But, they were all taken down thanks to Aesir’s team helping them on time. Only a few were seriously injured.” I hear voices nearing my door and feel dread knowing that I will be scolded even more.
“I will see you soon. I promise, Princess,” he whispers as he leans in, kissing my forehead. My eyes blink back the shock, it's obvious he too was surprised by his actions. He pulls back, wide-eyed with a blush creeping up his neck.
“My apologies, Princess.” He took several steps back. “For a moment, you reminded me of someone I used to know.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond before black shadows snake around his body. Just like that, he’s gone and the door swings open.
“You are the stupidest, bravest, annoying, loving, hardheaded princess I have ever met!” Zee yells as she storms into my room as tears brim her eyes.
Relief floods my heart as I see Koura trailing in slowly behind her. He’s in a loose-fitting shirt and bottom. Gauze wraps around his hands and up his arms, stopping right below his elbow. Although he keeps his back straight, there was a slight limp by the way he walked. Guilt takes its place in my heart.
“Yeah, yeah. That’s all I’m hearing.” I mumble against her shoulder. She steps away and walks next to Koura as Aesir walks in with Nathaniel.
“Wow! You have guts, woman,” Nathaniel all but roars. He walks over and slaps a heavy hand on my shoulder, but I keep my eyes on Koura. His face gives nothing away but anger. His glare burns me.
“Let's give them some privacy.” Aesir looks between the two of us and signals at the rest of the room. Zemeriah looks as though the last thing she wants to do is leave. She opens her mouth to speak, but one look at Koura and she lowers her head. As she leaves the room, she gives my arm a tight squeeze. The others trail behind her.
My heart pounds in my chest as I take in Koura's disappointed stare. I hurt him. He told me to find shelter but I ignored his order and did the complete opposite. And now he’s hurt because of it. I don’t blame him for being upset.
The silence is suffocating. “Say something.”
Koura leans agains
t the wall and it takes everything in me not to walk over and help him. “What do you want me to say?”
“Anything.”
His mouth tightens, “Do you want me to say I am proud of you? Do you want me to say I understand because I honestly don’t!” He says angrily. I shrivel back into my bed. “We were lucky today, Al. Your powers are still too unstable for us to depend on. I had to force you to conjure them out, but what if that hadn’t worked? You put yourself in danger after I had done everything in my power to protect you.”
“You don’t have to protect me.”
He rolls his eyes at my response, “I don’t?” He points to my bandaged hands, “What more proof do you need? Do you not care—?”
“I do care! But—”
Koura takes a large step towards me. “But what?”
“Do not be like this,” I whisper.
He runs a hand across his mouth. “Don’t be like what? Angry? Upset? Hurt?”
My eyes sting with guilt. “I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. I’m sorry, Koura. But I couldn’t leave the boy there alone.”
“I don’t care what happens to me!” He looks away from me and takes large breaths, “You should have waited for us. We could have helped put out the fire from the outside. I couldn't do anything for you inside.”
“Koura,” I whisper, “I wasn’t thinking.”
“That’s the difference between you and me.” His voice cracks. “All I think about is you. All I’ve ever thought about the last six years was you.” His mouth slams shut, surprise masking the anger he feels. I could only stare at him, too afraid to break the silence again.
He continues to look at me with red eyes. His stone-like persona crumbles right in front of me. I am not used to having someone care for me so fiercely. I am not used to this. I am used to fighting to survive, not having someone have feelings for me.
I tear my gaze away from him. I cannot look at him. I cannot look at the pain I caused. Tears streak my cheek and fall to my bandaged hands that lay above the covers. I don’t know what to feel or what to think. I love Koura, there is no question about it. I realized the moment I ran past him.
