From the Flames- Book Six

Ch. 31- Into Nothing

My brother was going to die saving our friend. The one who saved me from despair in the dungeons, Vivienne was going to die, too. And I could not lose them. Not in this lifetime or ever. My flames shot through the sky, making it seem like the sun was going down on us. But it was only me. 

I screamed out in pain, targeting the monsters that were running at a lightning speed towards them. Aeson held onto Vivienne as she was half-conscious and was slowly healing her. The fire spread out onto the creatures that were going to kill my family. It instantly turned them into ash. Into nothing. 

My eyes were grazed with tears as I ran toward them. My twin brother was crying as he healed Vivienne and I knew, at this moment, everything was going to change. Never in my life have I seen Aeson so...unhinged. He was always in control and he kept his powers of reading other people's emotions in check. Until now. "Vivs, you need to stay awake while I heal you." he raised his voice. "Don't you dare die on me!"

"Ace," I said quietly. I placed a hand on his shoulder now. I surrounded by fire so that no one would harm us while he healed Vivienne. "Aeson. She is going to be okay."

"I can read her emotions, Kala!" my brother yelled, his eyes filling up with tears. "She's afraid." 

I crouched down beside Aeson, making him turn towards me. "Aeson, she is going to be okay." I said again. "You are healing her and she is going to survive. Don't forget that I can read thoughts. She is happy that you found her. Both of us."

He said nothing, just focused on the woman in front of him. The one who saved his sister and is willing to fight with us. Who wants to change history for the better. Minutes passed and I saw her open her eyes slightly. I let out an unsteady breath. "You should have never left me alone, Aeson Oliver Breevort." her lips parted slightly. 

His head dipped slightly. "Never." he whispered. "Never again." 

I felt his presence before he even spoke a word. I could know where was, even if he was miles away. "Alli, something is terribly wrong." he said. I whirled to face him, looking up to stare into his eyes like I always do. Next to him was my Father, who was grim and distracted. "We should have come back earlier."

"What happened?" I snapped. "If you say that we lost, that we are all going to die--I will not believe you. I will rift open the goddamn world again and come back with Verena and Moros. Just do not tell me that I could not help win this war. Please, for the love of Gods, do not tell me that."

"Eva brought even more monsters. Stronger ones." my father whispered. "They captured everyone, including the children. Even Thomas and Mab were captured. They were about to capture me but Vivienne stepped in front. They clawed her stomach and she went down. I managed to kill the creature who did it but another one came after me."

"Dad," I whispered. I was about to say something else but he interrupted. 

"But Jesse killed it with his teeth." he turned towards the Werewolf beside him. Both of them came to an understanding at the moment, I realized. "Though I could have handled it on my own, I knew it was his way of telling me that you three came back. Along with Scarlett."

"We were too late." Aeson managed to say. "Our family is captured. The allies we have are now gone. There is nothing left. Our Kingdom is in ruins."

I stood up finally, the realization hitting me like a brick. Everyone stared at me, even Vivi who was about to pass out. "So we retreat. We hide out in a safe house until further notice. We go away and come up with a plan of attack. The Kingdom of Ambrosia will not fall and all of us will make sure of that. This does not mean we are giving up."

"It gives us time." Sebastian said. "Time to plan. To find Elora and our family and allies." he eyes the enemies that were knocking on the wall of fire with no hesitation. It was about to break. The fire could not be held any longer. "We go to New Orleans since it is safer than Ambrosia right now. And we hide." 

All of us nodded our heads. Even Scarlett, who managed to sneakily stand beside my Father like it was nothing. Snake. It was not a demand he was giving us, no, it was a way to give us a chance to survive. To find the ones we love the most and make sure we do not lose them ever again. 

"Then New Orleans we will go." I said. "Right after I destroy these idiotic monsters that are burning themselves by my fire."

"No, let me have at it." Aeson muttered. He was holding my wrist and nodded to me to stand down. He wanted to get it out of his system, this fear of his. The fear that he might have lost Vivienne before he had a chance to be something more with her. I will protect her, Ace. With my life. Make sure that those monsters suffer for what they did. Make sure that they feel the ice in your hands. Make them crack open and screaming in pain. I said through his mind. 

I do not know why I feel so much with her. But I saw her that night, her eyes were wild and she talked about how she wanted to change history. I was the one who saved her, believe it or not. I found her first in the woods. And at that moment, I knew--

You knew she was the one. Just like I know Jesse is the one. I replied. I took his hands into mine, now. I see the way she looks at you. I saw it the first time you two stood in the same room together. She unhinges you, Ace. Vivienne melts the ice in your heart. 

Jesse keeps you steady, Lama. He keeps the fire contained, whether you noticed it or not. Yet he lights a spark in you that I have not seen with Maxwell. Keep him close.

I nodded my head finally. And then I let go of him as the wall of fire was brought down slowly. I pulled Vivienne up gently and held her up by her arm. I breathed, speaking to my friend finally. "He is doing this for you." I said. She watched Aeson bring down our enemies with his ice. "Aeson wants you to be his."

"Aeson does not need to." she whispered. 

I knew what the rest of the sentence she was going to say, but didn't. He already has me. 

***