A LAND OF FIRE AND DARKNESS

Chapter 59

Carian sunk further into his throne as he avoided my gaze.

"No," I exclaimed as I felt my body ache to burn. I clicked my fingers and the blaze engulfed my hand.

"Uh Uh," Laveen stated as he snapped his eyes back at me. He pointed towards the archers that were all aiming at Del now. "Remember, one wrong move." He warned me.

My jaw clenched as I glared up into his eyes but reluctantly extinguished my flames. I could risk my life, but not Del's.

"Why Carian?" I barked across the room towards him.

He clenched his jaw before standing up, "He was going to take you to that thing." He pointed at Delcallon across the room, "I could not lose my sister to the Elementals."

"I am an Elemental!" I shouted back with anger.

"But you are my sister first." He demanded with a voice that both broke my heart and warmed it. Had he truly been trying to protect me in his own way? I do not believe he realized what he was getting involved in. I had no doubt Eskar had been spinning lies about Delcallon and the land of Pretonas.

Laveen stepped back from me and silently examined the air between Carian and me. "Your brother did everything in his power to keep you safe, from a world he felt was dangerous." Laveen sighed out, "And he was right."

He looked over at Eskar, "Elementals can be cruel, and most deserve to die." The statement should have caused Eskar to shift or tense, but he only smirked.

"I told Eskar to claim you were his Intwined." He pursed his lips as he looked over at us, "I knew Del was slowly finding his Intwined, and I felt it would be a good experiment to see how broken the system was."

I creased my eyes at him, "You used me as an experiment?" I snapped and then looked over at Yarris. He had also been about of this? Even when my father asked him to watch over me. Yarris avoided my gaze.

Laveen bobbed his head, "I had to prove that there were flaws, get people to see how broken the system is." He sighed, "I am not fond of Eskar, even now."

Eskar snorted out in the agreement, "Goes both ways."

Laveen rolled his eyes, but carried on, "But he was the one I knew hated the system as much as I did, so I chose him to carry out the plan."

"I did not predict that Del would become so besotted with you." Laveen's eyes widened, "But when you came in wearing one of his mother's dresses, I knew you were his Intwined." Laveen chuckled out, "What are the fucken chances."

"So, I decided to make it quick, give you the Lipsin oils and ensure you left first thing in the morning before he figured it out." Laveen pointed a finger at Del and I knew my Intwined was imagining ways to snap It half. "Del had fallen for the idea that you were Eskar's Intwined, proving that our system was indeed flawed."

I closed my eyes and dropped my head as the events all played across my head.

"Eskar was supposed to get one drop of your blood," Laveen muttered with annoyance causing me to look up at him. His face was heavy with remorse, "One drop." He repeated as if trying to reassure me that was better. "One drop was all it took to kill the Elementals."

"But he went overboard." Laveen barked over his shoulder at Eskar.

Eskar shifted and tensed as his face looked genuinely scared of Laveen. "I am sorry." He muttered swiftly like a scared puppy. I could not imagine what Laveen did to Eskar to ensure he was that frightened.

"But luckily Del and Brallon got you." Laveen looked over at Del who was looking down at the floor in defeat now. Laveen stepped towards him.

He stepped to his side and hung his elbow on Delcallon's shoulder. Del barely moved, he just let Laveen enjoy his speech. One move and I would be shot with the arrows.

"When you shot him." Laveen chuckled out, "Yarris and I thought we would have to wisp you away there and then." He shrugged, "But it was steel."

"Why do you want me at all?" I asked with a heavy tone.

Laveen pushed off of Del and strode towards me again, "For awhile we considered killing you Alinta." His voice turned gentle again, "I feared you were turning into the next Mad Queen." He stopped an inch away from me. "But when you performed the ceremony and said what you said, about people deserving to become leaders, I knew we were on the same side." He gently gripped my shoulders and he looked down at me. "We can lead this world into a new era."

I creased my face at him, "We?" I asked with a distraught tone.

"You are a leader at heart Alinta." He pressed a finger gently into my chest, "And I know, you believe this is the better way."

"I do not know what way you are even talking about," I exclaimed stepping away from him and walking around the room.

I was noting that no one shot Del with every step I took.

"The end of being ruled by Highvarions." Laveen stated sternly, "A world where leaders are not overpowering." He continued, "A world where the leaders are raised like your brother, and not chosen by some religious force." He stated at Delcallon.

I looked over at him with a tilted head and met his eyes, "What do you want me for?"

Del was no longer paying attention, his eyes were on the archers. He had also noticed that they had not shot at us. We needed to find a way out of here. We needed to get to Dorica.

"Just stand by my side with the sigils." Laveen stated calmly as he pointed to my side, "Let the Elementals see that their Highvarion supports this claim."

I creased my eyes at him in confusion, "Why can't Del?" I asked looking over at my Intwined who was looking at us now. His hands were slipped into his pocket, he had either figured out how to get out of here, or he had given up.

"Alinta." Laveen breathed softly, "I cannot allow two Highvarions, Intwined to live."