"Instead of imagining pushing them together," Sorin's soft voice is back in my ear. "Imagine a flame in nature, what might move a steady flame?"
I sigh.A flame in nature?Wind caresses my skin and I shiver.Wind would move a flame, would it not?"A breeze?"
"Exactly," Sorin whispers, his tone filled with pride. "Now, try imagining a breeze pushing that flame into one of the onesaround it." He points out a group of flames near each other. "Test the air, where is the wind blowing? We want to work with nature not against it."
I nod and do the only thing I can think of to test the winds direction I lick my finger and hold it up. Noting the direction of the breeze I re-concentrate on the middle flame, this time imagining a gust of wind pushing the fire towards its mate. The top of the flame flickers before leaning in the correct direction. That is all I am able to manage before exhaustion crashes into me making my legs go weak and my body sways. As I start to drop the flames extinguish themselves. Still, I smile at the little victory.
"It moved!" I say, my voice faint, I can feel my eyes rolling back.
"It did. Good job Alaceandra."
"Good job, Firefly."
Those are the last things I hear before my vision blurs and pain overwhelms me as I lose control of my body and crash to the ground.
Chapter thirty-six
What Happened?
Alaceandra
Ared light flashes and I find myself in the middle of a field, the sun sinking into the horizon. I look around and realize I am alone. To my left, I notice a dark puddle in the grass and a wave of nausea washes over me. A force urges me to walk and I feel my legs start to move in the direction of the puddle. The land is wet, making my legs and ankles drenched with each step. The foreign force urges me to pay no mind to thesensation, instead it encourages me to only continue walking. Squatting down, I press my fingers into the puddle and pull them up to look at the substance. My hands shake.Blood. Why is there so much blood?I look around and notice that the field is covered in the scarlet streaks. Not only that but bodies also lay strewn about, daggers and arrows protruding from their forms. My heart starts to race, and I jump as something moves at my feet. I whip my head back to look at a form now laying where the puddle had been only moments before. Recognition sweeps over me butno, it cannot be.I shake my head and fall back, crawling away from the form."It is fated, Alaceandra." A voice whispers in the wind as unseeing eyes stare back at me. "It will not be stopped."A dark laugh echoes, and I scream.
I wake to a cold cloth pressed to my forehead and the worst headache of my life. Groaning, I roll to my side, causing the rag to fall off my head and to the floor. I peek my eyes open, but darkness greets me.Thank Ptheryeth, I think light might have killed me.
"You're awake," Sorin whispers to my left, an uneasy feeling rolls through me.
"It seems so." A small light flickers on in the corner, bathing the room in a warm glow. I shield my eyes against the light.
"Sorry, should have warned you," Sorin says sheepishly before grabbing the cloth from where it had fallen beside me and placing it on a plate next to the bed.
Blinking rapidly, I take in my surroundings. I am in a room of carved dark wood with ornate red rugs lining the floor. The bed I am laying on is made of the same material and has iron accents running through it. The same goes for a small desk in the corner. Tiny iron figurines decorate the walls and there is a room off to the right that looks like it might lead to a sitting area.So definitely not in my cottage, then. This one seems much more masculine… and red. Where am I?
Sorin sees the confusion on my face. "This is where they have Sam and I staying. Here, take these." He shows me silver capsules in the palm of his hand.
"What are they?" I ask.
He chuckles. "They are for the headache I can tell you are harboring at the moment."
I eye them warily but decide to take them from him. He hands me something to drink and I pop the capsules in my mouth and gulp down the liquid. I cannot help but be glad that he is the one here to take care of me. Although sleeping in the prince's arms is nice, it is not the same as being with Sorin. The amount of comfort and peace I feel in Sorin's presence is something I share with no one else. My heart squeezes as I remember how distant he has been lately, and I reach out for him.
He walks over to me, and takes my hand in his, brushing his lips over my knuckles.
"I have missed you," I whisper.
"I've missed you too, Firefly." He sits at the edge of my bed and softly runs his fingers over the strands of hair sticking to my forehead.
"Why have you been avoiding me then?" I ask, glancing away from him, cursing at the vulnerability in my tone.
"Lace…" His voice is pained. He pulls my face so that I have to look at him. "I told you in the woods that we had to do this correctly. You are my number one priority. I cannot have you unless I know for sure that it will not harm your future. I know you also share feelings for Sam and the prince. I will not strip you of your choices nor will I take advantage of your inexperience. I have to make sure you are certain of what you want here."
Anger flares, but I do not dispute his claim.I do have feelings for the other men, but..."That does not mean that you have to avoid me. Watching you leave me every morning after mealshas felt like you leaving me to my father's wrath in the woods. Although I know you have reasons for your actions, I cannot stand the uncertainty that comes with them. I know that our circumstances here are unconventional, but I cannot do this without you." Tears brim in my eyes, and I look at my hands. Truthfully, I know I am falling for Sorin. Hard. It was only a matter of time.Sorin is the only one I could ever truly depend on. If him staying away from me is the only reason I have a bright future, I would rather be damned.
Sorin pulls me into his lap. "I am sorry, Lace. I promise that I will do everything in my power to never make you feel that way again," he whispers this pledge to me before pressing a kiss to my forehead. A humming fills my body, my bracelet warming against my skin. After a couple of moments, the sensation vanishes, and I glance up at him.
"I will take you at your word, but do not make me regret it," I whisper. "What are we to do now?"
"The prince and Sam are in the sitting room out there. When you start feeling a little better, we should see them but take your time."
