The Queen of Ash and Flame

Chapter Thirteen

I had a peaceful and deep sleep, my mind too tired to create any dreams. I had awoken to the sound of birds chirping, I had gotten up on my elbows and rubbed my eyes. A blanket fell off my shoulders, I didn't remember laying down with one.

My hair was still damp from my late night's swim. Some of the men were stirring, others wide awake. Lucian still sat by the fire, in the same place I had seen him when I came back.

He was staring into the curling flames, but when he heard me move his eyes moved to mine.

"You're finally awake," he said quietly.

"You look like you didn't sleep for a second," I mumbled to him. He shot me a dirty look.

"Shut up," he rolled his eyes at me.

"Make me," I spat at him, annoyed with him. His eyes hardened, an arm jolted forwards. Before I could pull back he grabbed my chin, his fingers gripping my face until it felt like he could break my jaw. I tried to pull my head back but the veins in his arms flexed as he held me there.

"Is that a threat or an invitation Nat darling?" my cheeks heated and my eyes widened. He smiled at the expression he had given me. "Just from your expression I'm taking it as an invitation."

I gathered myself back up, "I would rather die than sleep with you," I spit at him.

He rubbed the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip, pulling it down.

"You can keep on saying that darling but you know you want me."

"Let. Me. Go." I spit at him. He held on for one more second until he released my face. I tried to rub off the feeling of him on my skin, I looked over to the men and they were all staring. Some smirking, some just right out gawking. My cheeks burned from Lucian humiliating me in front of them.

I heard Lucian softly chuckle at my face, I glared at him.

I shrugged off the past couple seconds, and composed myself. I turned to Lucian, "Are we heading for our mission? Or are we just going to be sitting around on our asses?"

"Of course, love, let's pack up and head out," he turned and nodded to the others. I packed up all my things in my pack and strapped it on my horses.

I grabbed my water flask and jogged down to the water, filled it to brim and returned.

"Gather' round everyone," Lucian said. The men circled him to listen, I leaned up against a tree. Twirling my Forbious dagger on my finger.

"To recap our mission," he started. "There's a small village that is rumored to be full of enemy spies. And on the last raid we think we found evidence of hiding forms. So we'll be going there as a surprise, raid and kill the enemies."

The others nodded, and spread out to their horses to get ready for the journey ahead. I swung up onto my steed with no trouble, and slipped my hair into a ponytail. My armour was in a sac tied to my horse, I didn't want the extra layer of thick metal under the steaming sun.

I opened a small fabric sac and picked a handful of nuts and dried berries. The textures were chewed to a paste in my mouth, the sweetness of the fruit and the woodiness of the nuts.

"Love?" a voice pulled me out of my own head. I whipped my head up to see a head of dark fluffy hair, Lucian.

"My name is Natallia, not 'love' or 'darling'," I spat at him. A sparkle of amusement shone in his dark purple eyes.

"Well Natallia," he said mockingly. "You're going to stay with me during the breach."

I scoffed, "No I'm not."

Lucian quickened his steed then pulled it right in front of mine. Making my horse neigh and backup.

"What the hell!" I shouted at him, stroking my horse's side to calm it down.

"You're either going to stick with me, or stay here," he said, his eyes as cold as stone.

"I'm going into that god damned village, but away from you," I say to him.

"I'll use my fucking shadows to tie you to a tree, so you can't move an inch," he said threateningly at me.

"I will tear the tree out of the ground," I spat at him. I pulled my horse around, so I was right beside him. I leaned into his ear and whispered, "You can't and will never stop me."

I saw his body slightly tense, his knuckles turned white as he gripped the leather straps in his hands.

I chopped my reins and sped up my steed, until I was beside the others. I knew Lucian was behind me, because I could almost feel his shadows pulling at me.

We travelled for what felt like forever, the hot sun beating down on us. I had tied up my hair in a high ponytail, the red waves away from my face.

I could see some of the men staring at me once in a while, I rolled my eyes. Pricks. But the only stare I could feel burning into my back, Lucin's eyes boring into my back.

I shivered at the harsh glare. "We're going to set up camp here and wait until nightfall, then we'll breach the village."

I dismounted my stallion and landed on the ground with a light thud. I walked my horse into the tight trees, and tied my horse to a low hanging branch.

I slung my pack over my shoulder and leaned against a tall tree, the leaves ruffled in the wind. The wind caused shadows to dance across the floor.

I saw a tall figure stand over me, I looked up from my knife and I was running across my knuckles. I glanced upwards, squinting because of the sun. A bag dropped down beside me.

"No," I said sternly before Lucian plopped down beside me.

He chuckled, "Nat darling you can't ever get rid of me that easily."

"One day you're going to take your final breath, and the last memory you're ever going to remember is me slitting your throat," I whispered to him.

"The only person dying here by your hand is a pathetic fly," he said lazily.

I got up and bent over him, brushing my lips against his ear. "I guess we'll have to see about that."

I walked into the forest to scope out the lay of the land. Knowing Lucian was watching me walk off. 

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Hey guys, I won't be able to upload next week becasue im going on vacation, but when I get back ill do a double upload. 

Thank you again for over 100 reads!

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