Page 41 of A Requiem of Fire and Ice

“What type?”

“Earth.”

King Ragan snorts with laughter. “If it’s not my son stealing my dolls, it’s my guards stealing my maids.”

I toss the towel into the bin attached to the trolley and bow. “Forgive me. If I’m not to your liking, I can get someone else.” As I rise, my brow furrows. King Ragan is no longer on the throne. Shifting my gaze, a sudden heat hit me from behind. My arm twists behind my back, and he shoves me forward until I’m bent over, glaring at the mess on the ground.

“There is a certain trial you must undertake to be my maid, Doll.” He separates my legs. “Let me see if you will break as I did to Layla.”

His hands move between my legs as I rise, turn toward him, pull the gun out from where I tucked it behind my back, and shoot him in the neck. Blood spurts out, and wide, surprised eyes reach for the wound—heat ripples as he tries to seal the wound shut.

I shoot him again. This time I seethe, “I wanted this to be memorable, but it seems I’m running out of fucking time. My name is Pandora Hart. Because of you, those fire elemny tortured and nearly raped me!”

I fire three rounds into his head. One wasn’t enough, and my finger kept pulling the trigger because his fading life satisfied me the more I did it. However, I fucked up. This doesn’t look like a suicide. Far from it.

This was murder.

His fleshy brain spools out of his head.

As I wipe my arm across my sweaty upper lip, adrenaline pumps through me, pounding in my chest until the artery clogs, and I’m about to combust. I grab the trolley and place it through the right door with the others. Afterwards, I drag my hand down my face, but can’t stop shaking.

Deep breaths, Pandora. You need to get the fuck out of here before you’re caught.

I take off the blue wig, crouch beside the trolley, and pull out the satchel bag I hid among the rubbish bags. Putting the green wig back on, I brush myself off and slip out through the door the maids often use. A trembling, resounding sound rumbles through the castle as soon as I close the door. After a glance at the ceiling, I head down the hallway and take the back route to the tunnels. My movements are graceful, effortless, and calm. The cameras in the corners of the castle likely see a maid, just like any other, roaming the castle grounds.

The man is still unconscious behind the wall. After I wipe down the key card, I pop it back into his pocket. Then, I head out of the castle grounds before the fire element returns and notices the commotion.

When I’m well away from the castle, I take off the wig, put my dress back on, pack everything into the satchel, and then walk towards the Dragonfire Bar. Elemny are too focused on the castle and the chaos likely spilling out from within. To avoid standing out, I turn to look. My eyes widen at the blackened flames and thick smoke billowing from Queen Ji-Sun’s high tower walls. The sky darkens, swirling above until it reminds me of night. Dark shadows drip down, and the ash flutters with heat as it falls onto my hair and shoulders.

Elemny record the ordeal on video, whispering among themselves, while some run towards the castle, curious about what’s happening. Rumours of Prince Reen’s rampage are once again circulating. I stay resolute for a few minutes until the first few leave and get back to their day.

My stomach churns with sickly cramps. Worry seeps through me at the thought of Prince Reen knowing exactly who might have done it. Nancy’s words echo in my mind. Realisation dawns that the best hunter in Eraminia may find me, and when that happens, I will have to confront him. One of us will die, and I don’t intend for it to be me.

I round the corner and away from the crowding elemny. Nancy said the bar should be around… My eyes widen, and my tense shoulders relax at the sight. Black smoke and flames curl around the front entrance, licking upwards until they engulf the dragon’s head. It melts gold, oozing down into a messy puddle. It seems Prince Reen is already onto the smugglers’ organisation.

Already onto me.

Shit. I guess I won’t be seeing Xavier’s awakening tonight.

Chapter 19

Burn [2WEI & Edda Hayes]

Reen Kyong, July 9th (11:58 am)

I’m exhausted and irritated and yearn for a hot shower, but before I can relax and ease the gnawing hunger I felt when King Ragan killed the smugglers, I need to speak to Mother first and see how she is today.

It will be brief. Thoughts about this still consume my mind…Pandora…and who she is and why she reacted like that when I questioned Toma. There is something about her, and now that there’s a hint of her leaking into Walkyer, this hunt has become enjoyable.

I walk up the steps to the foyer, and the guards on duty incline their heads and murmur my name. My mind is still on Pandora, where I hunger to kill something and warn the guards that I’ll kill Layla if she gets in my way.

I need a fix.

I need to hunt.

I need to kill.

Seeing King Ragan kill smugglers irritates me to no avail because I wanted to kill them. I wanted to sink my fist into them because I was the one who captured and contained them. I did the work nobody else wanted to do.