Page 103 of A Reign of Chromes & Shadows

Rain paused.

“I’m going to warn my soldiers about your ability, okay? You keep focusing on that glowing orb.”

“Okay,” she whispered, chewing her lip.

“Captain!” Rain called.

“Here, Your Highness.”

“I have Princess Scarlet of the Red Kingdom. She’s as magnificent as we imagined. But she has little control over her power; she’s Pyro-forged. Everyone needs to keep a healthy distance. Preferably behind her. Fire releases from her chest.”

“A princess?” Short gasped. The others murmured in shock.

“Yep. Princess Scarlet. Drazier locked his daughter in a tower.”

Scarlet’s flame flickered violently at the mention of her father.

“Step back, Short!”

Rain shielded the doorway until the flare died. Scarlet panted, panic rising again. She spun, trying to flee back up the stairs.

“It’s okay, don’t panic—”

She didn’t listen. She scrambled upward. Rain followed, using his power to stop her retreat.

“Scarlet, stop. You cannot live like this. Remember what we practised. Deep breaths. You can control it. I’ll help you.”

“What if I kill your friends?” she whispered.

“You won’t. You can’t. I won’t allow it.”

His voice was firm, grounding.

“Come on. It’ll be dark soon. We have a long way to go.”

She swallowed hard, clutching her figurine. Rain offered his hand again.

“Would you like to hold my hand?”

She nodded, wide-eyed.

He guided her out into the evening air. She winced as her bare foot struck a loose rock. Rain absorbed the pain instantly, not wanting it to trigger a flare.

“Renn, find the princess some shoes. Vass; water and food.”

Scarlet clung to Rain’s hand, bewildered, toes curling into the dirt. Her energy trembled between fear and wonder; the first taste of freedom nudging at her core.

A loud bang rattled the window of tower one.

Scarlet gasped.

“My sisters!”

She grabbed Rain’s singed shirt, flames flickering with her panic.

“You have to save them!”

She released another burst of fire. Rain spun her away, letting the flames shoot harmlessly across the empty field. Her body sagged into his arms as the flare died.