Flame Inside ✿ Damien and Matthew

Chapter 41

Thalia began to head back to her room, ready for what was going to happen tomorrow. Everything would be decided then. "You cruel, selfish bastard!" A shout, however, interrupted her journey to her room. She froze in place before turning her head toward a door that was barely open a small crack. It was the door leading to the grand hall, Saero's training room. She couldn't help but wonder why Diana was there and who she was yelling at.

So Thalia gave into her curiosity and inched closer to the door, peeking inside to see Diana glaring into the darkness with her arm crossed tightly over her chest. As Thalia squinted, trying to see what Diana was glaring at, she silently gasped. Saero! Thalia internally exclaimed as a smile pulled at her lips.

Saero was kneeling in the dark before his mistress, his head bowed low in shame. Thalia wondered when he returned. More than that, she wondered why he was keeping his head down. Was he not successful with his mission?

"Where in the Seven Planes of Hell have you been, Saero?!" Ezaeur demanded.

"My lady, I–"

"You left the castle with no notification or warning, and you activated your damn holy magic to deny me the right to summon you to my side. How dare you?!"

"If you would let me–"

"And now you suddenly waltz back into the castle with a smile on your face as if you had gone out and killed the Demon Lord himself! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!!"

Staring at Diana, Thalia could see her face burning red with rage. Her cheeks, however, were glistening as rogue tears ran down them. Saero kept his head down, but continued to plead with Ezaeur, "My lady, I was on a personal quest. I had to retrieve something I believed to be important, and it was incredibly selfish of me to do so. I'm sorry, but I needed to complete the task before we went into battle."

"You placed this quest over your duty to me?!"

"Only this once, my lady. It needed to be done immediately and I greatly apologize for doing so, but I promise my journey bore results–"

"Do you not realize how worried you made me?! I have barely rested these past three nights because of you!"

Thalia stared at Diana wide-eyed in shock. She hadn't realized that Diana cared so much about him. Saero seemed surprised as well, eyes wide and staring at the ground. However, he didn't lift his head, most likely still following a demand previously given to him to keep his head down, "My lady, I'm deeply sorry–"

"Sorry doesn't make this better! What if you were killed?! What if I was killed?! You are supposed to be at my side at all times! You broke the vow that you made not only to me, but to my family, that you would stay with me and protect me!"

"My lady, please–!"

"ENOUGH! I've heard enough!" Ezaeur turned away from Saero, looking to the ground and clenching her eyes shut. More rogue tears ran down her face as she gritted her teeth. Saero finally lifted his face, shocked to see her back instead of her face. "You are dismissed. You are no longer permitted to be in the same room as me until further notice."

"My lady–"

"I said: You. Are. Dismissed. Saero."

"...Ezaeur–"

"You do not have permission to use my–"

All of the sudden, Saero lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Ezaeur's arms and chest, hugging her body to his tightly and she released a tearful gasp of surprise. Saero buried his face in her shoulder as Ezaeur stared wide-eyed at the wall ahead of her. Ezaeur froze in his arms as Saero clutched her body to his, locking it against his chest. "Do not send me away from you." He pleaded, "I broke my vow, yes... but I did it for a reason. I cannot bear the thought of being separated from you... not after what I have discovered."