Page 22 of Her Ivory Flame

“How did you build your wall around your power?” he asked blatantly.

“I’m not sure. I just wanted to protect it from Mavros.” She closed her eyes and tried to summon any power she could, only a flicker could be felt like usual.

“We should have you see a healer and see if their magic can help release it.”

She curled her hand back into a fist, throwing a hard blow into his hand again. That was the first spark she had felt since she grabbed Ljós back at the old house. She knew her power was there, but it was not going to be easy to break down that wall she had made to protect it.

“No, I don’t need anyone rooting around in my mind right now.” She threw another punch, and another, and after a few more Kaden was actually getting pushed back on every blow. She was a warrior of a betrayed race and their last hope to rebuild, she had to be better than what she had become.

“Slow down.” Kaden barked, she didn't listen.

Left, Left, Right.

Right, Left, Left.

“Easy,” Kaden warned.

Her emotions were spiraling. She was worthless in this state she had let herself slump into, pathetic and unworthy of being a queen. She couldn’t even handle someone touching her or she would spiral into a useless shell of a person.

She had been a coward to go into hiding for so long, she had felt it even before Silas showed up, and had been feeling it for a long time. Every time she had felt it creep up, she would shove it back down and ignore it selfishly. She could have been trying to rebuild her home or even try to open her heart to someone again.

Angry tears started to fall from her eyes, her punches not wavering from their target. White sparked at her knuckles with each punch, a small flicker of power emerging.

She let out a frustrated scream that echoed through the training grounds, others looking towards her as white flame engulfed her fist and landed on Kaden’s hand so hard he lost balance and fell to the ground.

The flame was gone before she could acknowledge it was there but she still stared at her hand for a moment. She could see Kaden get up from the corner of her eye, a look of surprise flashing across his face.

“I’m done for today.” She didn’t look at him and walked to grab her weapons before walking towards the archway to the castle. ‘1, 2, 3, 4….’She started counting in her head as she walked in step with the numbers. Kaden had followed, stepping in stride with her but kept silent the whole way back to the room.

Once in her suite, she went straight to the bathroom before Kaden shut the main entry door. Closing herself in the small room, she slid against the door and tried to keep herself breathing steadily.

She shattered into pieces with a century of guilt spilling from her.

By hiding, she had failed her people, failed Declan, and worst of all failed the world. Mavros was alive and starting another war that would be worse than the last and she could not fail this time.

A soft knock on the door had her stirring in the water a while later, the bath almost overflowing onto the floor with the small wave.

“Not now Silas,” she said with a grumble.

“It's not Silas,” Kaden’s voice sounded through the door.

She stared at the heaving wood entry for a minute perplexed. She did not realize he was still here, or that Silas hadn’t returned. Herheart instantly sank as scenarios ran quickly through her head for the change in schedule.

“Come in.” Her voice shook. The bubbles still covered her, neck and head only visible to him.

Kaden slowly entered, his eyes looking at the floor with his hair hanging down to cover part of his face.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he muttered. “I just got word that Silas will not be returning until late tonight. I'm going to stay until he returns.”

She took a deep breath and shifted in the tub, a small splash of water hitting the floor.

“Thank you,” she replied quietly.

Kaden still didn’t look her way and started to exit, stopping when she spoke again.

“Do you hate me?” she questioned looking toward him.

His eyes met her for the first time all day but his face stayed emotionless “Now why would I hate you Princess? I don’t really know you.”