The Queen of Ash and Flame

Chapter Thirty Two

I felt warmth around me, my body was wrapped in something. I blinked my tired eyes open and looked around in blurred vision. It was dark around me, a cool wind on my face. It must be night. I rubbed my knuckles across my eyes, getting the crusted sleep out. But when I moved my arms, something fell off of my shoulders. A blanket.

I looked around and saw trees around me, a fire was in front of me. Crackling and spinning up into the star filled night.

Where am I?

I looked to my left and didn't see anyone, I looked over to my right and saw the cart I had been in. Wait, where's Lucian?

I heard a twig crack and my head whirled. Who was there?

I went to grab my knife from my hip, but my fingers brushed no metal. Where did my weapons go?

I got up and stayed behind the tree.

I heard the footsteps come closer to me, I swung my fist towards my follower. They ducked before I could hit them. I brought my hand back and was going to slap then across the face before I felt hands on my wrists and I was spun into the tree.

My cheek was pressed into the bark, hands behind my back and feet together.

"What the hell Nat," a voice a knew far too well said.

I let out a breath and the tension and fear slipped away. "Get the fuck away Lucian."

"No," he snapped. "You almost killed me."

"Because I thought you were a thief or something," I said back, my words still muffled by the tree.

My words must have been enough, because his weight was lifted off of my body. I turned around and saw him looking at me.

"Where are we?" I asked, straightening my clothes.

"Not far from the next city," Lucian said.

I turned and walked back to our curling fire, I plopped down and reached for my pack. I grabbed a bag of dried meat and started devouring it.

I didn't look at Lucian, still not wanting to talk to him after what he's said to me. I stared off into the burning wood and the falling ash, how peaceful it sounded. That's what was inside of me. The raging fire.

"Natallia," Lucian said sternly.

I glanced at him and saw him looking me dead in the eyes, "What?" I snapped.

"I called you many times and you didn't respond, the hell is up with you?"

I scoffed and turned back to the fire, if he hasn't figured out by now that he fucked up then that's it.

"Talk to me Nat," he said.

I got up and looked at him, my hands shook. "I'm not talking to a scumbag piece of shit," I seethed at him. I chucked the last bit of dried steak at his face and stormed off. Muttering curse words as I walked deeper into the forest.

The sound of the fire crackling got quieter as I walked further into the foliage, the sound of night birds and crickets keeping me company.

"I swear to fucking god," I swore under my breath. "You, Lucian Mendelaz are a fucking ass."

I continued on, not looking back.

The birds stopped chirping and the crickets stopped their lovely hum. I brushed it off. Without the sound of nature I was left in the silence of my own thoughts.

I was so caught up in my own thinking that I didn't hear the people that were right behind me.

And as a black glove came down over my mouth, the smell of...what was that?

Shit.

Hydrangea oil.

That was my last though before my vision blacked out and I was thrown into a deep forced sleep.