Chapter 12: Flames

ASTRID
The weight of dinner still lingered in my body, but not because of the food—because of the tension. The words, the looks, the imposed decisions. Bastian and his father played their own game, and Sienna and I were just the pieces they moved at their convenience.

When we arrived at the room, I was surprised by its size. It was enormous, with heavy curtains, carved wooden furniture, and a lit fireplace keeping the cold at bay. I wasn’t used to such luxury, but after months in the Earth Court, it no longer astonished me as much.

—"Do you think we'll ever have a place of our own?"—I asked as I sat on the bed, brushing my hair with slow movements.

Sienna didn’t answer. She took off her boots, set them aside, and stood by the window, as if her mind were somewhere else.

—"You’re going to wear down the floor if you keep pacing like that"—I commented, trying to lighten the mood.

She sighed, grabbed her cloak, and without bothering to change out of her nightgown, put on her boots.

—"I can’t sleep. I need some air."

—"Don’t do anything stupid,"—I muttered, but she was already walking out the door.

I sank into the bed, trying to find sleep, but worry clung to me like a second skin. Sienna could never stay still. Not when her head was full of dangerous thoughts.

SIENNA
The night breeze seeped through the stone corridors, chilling my exposed skin as I crossed the courtyard leading to the stables. The moon illuminated the paths, but the unrest in my chest didn’t let me enjoy the calm. I walked aimlessly, letting my thoughts drift away with each step, until a voice interrupted my solitude.

—"What are you doing here?"—Bastian asked, his voice deep and curious.

I didn’t turn. I knew it was him.

—"Same as you. I can’t sleep."

Bastian stepped closer until he was by my side, crossing his arms as his gaze studied me.

—"I’m going to find a way to keep you from going to those games,"—he murmured.

I shook my head, recognizing that determination in his voice.

—"Let it go, Bastian. He’s testing us."

—"Or are you afraid I’ll win my freedom and leave you behind?"—I joked with a mischievous smile.

He glanced at me sideways and, for the first time in a long while, spoke with complete honesty.

—"It’s not just that."

I wanted to press him, but the shift in his expression made me stay silent.

—"Astrid?"

—"She’s asleep."

—"You left her alone?"—he asked, an unusual hardness in his tone. I rolled my eyes.

—"She’s fine. I told her to stay alert."

Bastian didn’t seem convinced. He frowned, his jaw tensing ever so slightly in the dim light. His eyes darkened with a concern he rarely let show.

—"I don’t like this,"—he murmured, more to himself than to me.—"My father is watching her every move. I don’t want her to become another piece in his game."

I looked at him, surprised by the sharpness in his voice. It was rare to see him like this, without his mask of charm and confidence. He wasn’t just worried. He was angry. Restless.

—"Bastian..."

—"I’ll be close,"—he interrupted, his voice firm, making it clear there was no room for argument. And without waiting for a reply, he turned and disappeared down the corridors.

His concern brought me a strange sense of relief. I wasn’t alone in this. Someone else was watching over her too.

I sighed and continued toward the stables, letting his concern settle in my mind.

The warmth of an improvised fire illuminated Aldrion’s silhouette. His relaxed posture contrasted with the imposing warrior figure he always projected. His tanned skin glowed with the fire’s reflection, his eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement as he saw me approach.

—"Are you staying, or just passing by to snoop?"—he asked with a half-smile.

—"Depends on whether you have something strong in that jug,"—I joked, sitting next to him.

Aldrion chuckled and handed me a metal cup. I accepted it, feeling the warmth of the drink slide down my throat. I relaxed slightly, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

—"You’re different from what I imagined,"—he said after a while, his eyes fixed on me as if trying to decipher an impossible riddle.

—"Oh yeah?"—I raised an eyebrow, bringing the cup to my lips.—"And what did you imagine?"

—"I don’t know,"—he murmured, his voice lower, more intense.—"Something less human. Wilder. As if you didn’t belong to this world, as if the earth itself had sculpted you from fire and shadows. But now that I see you here..."—his gaze traveled over my face, my hands, the way the firelight played on my skin.—"You seem too real. Too tangible."

My smile twisted playfully, but my fingers tightened around the cup.

—"What a disappointment for you,"—I said, laced with mockery, but something in his expression told me he didn’t see it as a disappointment at all.

He shook his head, amused.

—"Not at all. But you have a way of getting into people’s heads, Sienna. The fire girl who turns everything into a bonfire."

I laughed at the metaphor, but before I could respond, he leaned in slightly and gently took my chin. His touch was warm, firm. My muscles tensed instinctively, but I didn’t pull away.

—"Your freckles..."—he murmured.—"It’s like they’re all the stars in the sky. Nature itself painted you."

I froze. No one had ever told me something like that. No one had ever looked at me that way.

To break the tension and the nerves building inside me, I teased lightly:

—"If you keep this up, I’ll think you’re flirting with me. Who would’ve thought the great captain of the Earth Court would try to seduce human scum?"—I laughed, hoping to lighten the weight of the moment.

But Aldrion didn’t smile. His expression turned serious, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made me hold my breath.