“Serene, leave!” Koen catches sight of me, kicking the darkling off of him to stand, but another throws him back to the ground as more begin to climb on him.
My eyes burn, frantically watching as the people I love are getting torn apart. The darklings crawl up the horses’ bodies as they try to kick them off. Theon continues to jab daggers in them left and right as one climbs up on Kaine’s back.
They are all going to die.
But as I let my eyes trace the lands, I meet Florian’s lingering eyes. He nods. Slowly. Deliberately. As if he is telling me something, reminding me of what I am capable of.
My brows pull inward, heaving in exhaustion and fear. But he nods again. This time, Skie catches his movements.
I glance over my shoulder towards the darklings and my sister up high on the mountain top. The blue flame brightens, and I hear Koen gurgle in agony. She is going to make him shift.
No. I can’t let this happen.
My dragons are killing hundreds, but more keep coming. I won’t be able to kill them off alone with only fire from myself.
But I think I know what I must do.
My palms rest against my Fireninze’s neck, and I close my eyes as I replay all the images of those who betrayed me… over and over again. I watch as my sister jabs her dagger into my heart, repeatedly hearing the screams of Koen’s heartbreak as he watches me die.
I recall all of the men who would spit at my feet, those who threatened my life, and I focus on the faces of those who want me dead. Skie. Skydance. Lykia. The Queen.
My sister.
My eyes clench tighter, feeling the rage prickle at my skin as I call upon the God of Fire.
You chose me.
You chose me. Not her.
Help me have revenge. Help me take down those who destroyed the Deskyiara bloodline.
I need you now, more than ever. If I am the flame, it’s time to let that flame ignite. Help me remember what I am capable of.
And as I replay the memories and call upon the God of Fire, I feel the power within me ignite, ready to combust atany moment. As if something inside me has finally sparked my power to be unleashed.
The flames of my horse fan out, surrounding me as we lunge towards the darklings who surround Koen.
I let out a gut-wrenching scream, one that has been waiting to release since I arrived back in Azure.
“Hide behind your horses!” I holler towards the chosen, watching them all leap from their horses and squat down.
My face burns with heat, feeling my pulse beat against my head as I scream out the most violent, raging yell I have ever voiced. My throat burns as it rips from the depths inside of me. The fire whips around me, flickering my hair into my face, almost making it impossible to see. Fire scorches the land from my fingertips, as well as the darklings and everything in its path. The rage that has been bottled up inside me has finally been let free.
The more I scream, the more the fire strengthens, consuming everything in its pathway.
My horse runs, guiding me across the charred ground after the darklings who try and flee. Everything in sight is burning from the fire I wield. The flames engulf the ground, the dead trees, the mountain, and all the darklings in sight.
I heave as I wield more, scorching the darklings around Koen who still try to kill him. But more crawl from the darkness of the other side of the mountain. My eyes burn. My chest heaves with pure exhaustion, but no one here will survive unless I do it.
“Now.” I can hear the Fireninze, her flames igniting.
My lips part, and I let out a deep, trembling breath. I raise my chin high, holding my palms outwards as my fingers spark.
I suck in a breath, holding it in as long as I can before releasing it. A raging cry rips from my throat, tears burning the edges of my eyes as I recall my parents being ripped away from me by the darklings.
I can still see my parents' last embers being removed from their chests. The light, fading to darkness within seconds.
Tears stream down my cheeks, trickling off my chin as I scream.
