Crowns of Flame and Ice - Book One

(46) Kings Are Like Stars

I couldn't breathe, couldn't get air into my lungs fast enough, I felt as if I was drowning. Someone had taken Quilo, someone had him, someone, who likely wanted to hurt him. I didn't dare scream, not if it could alert anyone to my presence. My magic brushed up against my skin, purring like a cat that wanted to be let out. I couldn't let it out though, it would attract too much attention and any chance I had at saving him would be lost. I squeezed Quilo's dagger in my palm and closed my eyes. I sucked in a breath, held it until it burned, and then released it. When my eyes fluttered open and my jaw clenched, my vision became focused. Fury doused my senses, someone had my soul bonded, someone had my king, and someone was literally ripping my soul in two.

I closed my eyes again and focused on the bridge between Quilo and me, pushing thoughts down it. "where are you" I whispered, "are you hurt? tell me what you see. Quilo I'm coming for you. It'll be okay, I'll get you out. Talk to me". I hadn't realised I was sobbing until I heard myself begging in my mind. Then I was running, following my instincts guiding me forward. I pushed over the bridge again and met... nothing. I was a snarling and growling mess of tears and teeth then as I realised that Quilo wasn't awake and not in a peaceful way. I'd tried to speak to him when he'd been asleep once and I found myself on the edge of his dream but then when I'd seen him sitting with two blonde-haired women who shared his eyes, I'd stopped the communication immediately. I knew that had been his mother and sister and I wasn't sure it was right for me to walk in at that moment. I knew what it felt like to walk in on his dreams and this wasn't right, I could feel that he was asleep but he was not present. He'd been drugged or knocked unconscious. Based on the blood I found I was guessing the latter.

I snarled at the idea of someone hurting him, someone other than me having their hands on him. I hurled myself through trees and twigs, branches and leaves, ensuring I followed the trail they'd left behind. I could almost see the path they'd taken, they being what I thought looked like four others judging by the individual scents I could feel prickling my nose. "Quilo!" I tried again, "please, please, please answer me. I just need to know that you're okay. Any sign, even if you curse at me, just give me anything to know that you're okay", there was no response. He hadn't used his powers... had he forgotten about them? mine was gnawing at me for release, to destroy and burn. I didn't think he could've been much different. Snarling softly I came to a stop in another clearing and sniffed, I was close. I could smell fear, it wasn't from Quilo but those who had held him. Smiling savagely I hoped that meant he had at least injured one of them.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It didn't take me long to appear in front of an old ramshackle house in the middle of the forest that had been constructed entirely of wood. Its appearance did not matter, not when I knew who was inside. I could smell him, feel the tether urging me forward with a blinding amount of urgency. "Quilo?" I whispered over the bridge, but there was no response. I ran for the door, cutting down two guards that approached me with their weapons drawn. The faint sound of floorboards creaked as I entered and a breeze ruffled the ends of my hair. "hurry" it seemed to whisper "they're here". I stood in a narrow hallway, one that likely hadn't been used in a long time judging by the thick later of dust that clung to the tilted paintings on the walls. It was a strange place for a house I thought, right here in the middle of a forest. That was not my concern right now.

Steps that were not my own sounded on the staircase to my left and I looked up, my heart lurched into my mouth when I saw two familiar figures descending the steps. A familiar broad-shouldered man with wiry grey/black hair held a dagger to a short brow haired woman's throat. "hello Anala" my father crooned, laughing when Rosie whimpered. Tears tracked down her beautiful face. She wasn't crying because of the grip my father had on her, she was crying because of the memories it made her remember, I saw it in her broken expression. My heart didn't shatter as her wide panicked eyes met mine, it didn't so much as speed up. My name is Anala Castilio I am alone and I will not be afraid, my name is Anala Castilio I am alone and I will not be afraid. Before I could think too deeply about how I'd not used those words in months I tossed him a wide sarcastic grin. "Father dearest! Oh, how I missed you. A day didn't pass when I didn't think of you" I drawled, batting my eyelashes at him for extra emphasis. He blinked at me, his features contorting into distaste, "I see you've been busy". He must've seen my confusion because his eyes flicked up to my head, to the crown, "what, did you think you could steal the object for yourself? It is mine you foolish brat". I would've laughed at him if it wasn't for the fact he still held a dagger to Rosie's throat.

"there was no object," I said bluntly, the saccharine smile never once faltering. He huffed out a bitter laugh and walked down the remainder of the stairs. Rosie let out a sob as her eyes once again met mine, the king smiled down at her fondly, his bargaining chip. "foolish little brat" the king spat. Fury brightened his eyes as he looked up at the crown, he snatched his hand forward intent on grabbing it. the crown's temperature spiked and his hand shot back, his other hand holding it as he hissed. I frowned dramatically at him, "did you hurt yourself?" The king snarled, "is that all your using the object for? A fancy crown? you're not worthy of it". I threw my head back and laughed hysterically, "and you are?" I was more worthy of it than him, I was the heir of fire. It didn't matter that I still wasn't one hundred per cent sure what that meant.

My father lunged for me, jostling Rosie out of the way with a hard shove, I winced as her head hit the railing, the only emotion I could let show. His hand was immediately reaching for my throat but I easily dodged the move. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw three figures at the top of the stairs, two glaring, one silent. My father had brought my mother and sisters to what he presumed would be my downfall. He swung a sword at me and I cursed myself for not picking up any of my weapons and leaving them at the campsite. To my credit, I hadn't exactly expected my father to trek out to the middle of the forest intent on killing me. All I had was Quilo's dagger which would be no good against a long-range weapon. I swiped out my leg, causing him to wobble off balance slightly. He snarled but recovered quickly, immediately swiping at my head with his sword. I couldn't use my magic against him, not with Rosie on the steps behind him and whoever else in the house. I bent backwards to dodge the attack but he flipped his blade at the last second and the flat edge collided with the side of my face.

I flew back, leaning against the wall to stop my feet from collapsing under me. The king took three slow steps toward me, twirling his weapon in a gesture I knew too well, "you fight well. You certainly are my daughter". I spat at his feet and his lips curled. My father was going to kill me, he was going to plunge that sword through my heart and laugh as I bled out on the floor. Oh, gods... Quilo. I imagined what it would be like to have that other piece of you ripped away, feel everything they did as you died. "I'm so so so sorry Frosty" I pleaded across the bridge, "I love you so so much. Please never forget that, please get out of here alive. I love you, I love you, I love you". I felt the words being tugged forward and I knew at that moment that he was awake. "I love you so much Quilo, more than you'll ever understand. I only wish I had longer to prove it to you". I felt horror on the other end of the line, but there was no response, I wondered if it was perhaps because he couldn't. Is that how the bond worked? If they were in physical danger were they unable to communicate? I buried my fear, Quilo was okay, he was okay because he had to be. The blood I'd found couldn't have been his, he was stronger than that, he could fight, he was a prince... he was a king. My father grinned down at me and, mustering what little strength I had left, I smirked back at him.

Just then a flash of silver caught my attention and I dragged my eyes toward where my mother and sisters had stood at the top of the stairs. I willed my eyes not to widen at the sight before me. Grace had vanished, likely into one of the rooms along the hallway hardly visible from where I stood. My mother, the woman who I thought detested me as much as my father did, had one hand wrapped around Vivian's mouth. I could hear her muffled shouts with my fae hearing, "Father! Father! Look at mother!" I knew no one else could. The queen's eyes met mine, her eyes crinkled in the corner in what I presumed was a sad smile, and then she threw the sword she held in the other hand toward me. I managed to catch it, only just before it clattered to the ground, then removed my father's head from his shoulders in one easy sweep. It clattered to the floor in a squelchy thud, rolling a little before coming to a stop near my feet.

I couldn't look at my mother, couldn't think about what she'd done, so I instead ran for Rosie. "can you walk?" I panted, eyes roaming over her face and body for signs of hurt, I found none. She nodded and stood, a hand going to the railing to steady herself. I nodded, "Is there anyone else in the house?" Rosie considered my question for a moment and when she spoke anger spiked within me at the hoarseness of her voice, "the rest of your family, the prince and his father and a few guards". Clearly, she hadn't seen my mother throw the sword and hold my sister back otherwise she wouldn't have said the first part. I nodded, "run, get out of this house. You'll find our camp about half a mile away, stay there until either Quilo or I return or until it is no longer safe to do so". I saw that she wanted to resist, saw that she wanted to stay and help, but then her eyes lifted to my crown and she nodded. I watched as Rosie sprinted from the house and disappeared into the line of trees. Then I swiped up my father's head with a fistful of hair and stalked toward a nearby room on the ground floor, one I knew held the remainder of the Ramos family.