The Dragon Queen

Chapter 26

Queen Jemma Blythe of Hosephia

Heart of the Realm

The fire is gone in the blink of an eye and a clap of her hands. She doesn't know how it happened, and somehow she knew that if she traveled down that road, she would descend into madness. Some things didn't have answers, and she would have to live without knowing. The only thing she knows is that the voices were whispering in her head, somehow guiding her to where she was. It didn't feel like she was making the choices but rather taking a step back from her own mind. She could see what happened and feel it but was disconnected. It felt like looking through glass.

She is standing there for an unknown amount of time, and the glass feeling starts to fade. Her arms had given out and fallen to her sides, and it makes her wonder how long before her legs do the same. Ahead of her, she slowly comes to take in the scene. She knows there is still chaos around her because she can hear it, but ahead of her, there is nothing but ash blowing in the slight breeze on the two bridges. It reminded her of blowing the dust off an old book. It swirls and vanishes in every spot. Each spot had been a person. A rebel, hopefully, but that didn't make it any better. Life is still a life, and she had taken many in seconds. It will be something she will have to live with for the rest of her life.

Unable to stand the sight any longer, she turns around, feeling soar and drained of energy. The scene outside the castle comes into focus. A man in general gear sporting Vrinian colors arguing with the woman. Either person looked able to tear the other's head off their shoulders, but neither moved. The woman has an elderly man nearby, who looks shaken up with a bag clutched quite close to his chest. The woman occasionally points to him before animatedly returning attention to the general.

Next, she spots the young king, Rory, sporting wide eyes of shock and intrigue directed right at her. But she doesn't question why. The young king has a loosening grip on the one person she could feel nearby the entire time. It is what drove Jemma to allow the voices to take over. The need to protect him, her daughter, and everyone else, was so overpowering that she couldn't stop once she started. It had never felt like that before. Perhaps she didn't want to listen to the voices, or she didn't love anything enough to protect them. Whatever the reason, she is grateful, despite the horrific way it happened.

Henry is freed from Rory's grip. It doesn't take a mastermind to know that the young king had been holding him back. Henry had tried to stop her, or at least save her. He is undoubtedly furious at her, but right now, all she can see in his eyes is a relief. Henry stumbles towards her, hesitating only a second before reaching out and pulling her to him. He clings to her as though he still fears she might disintegrate into ash at any second. "You scared me to death."

"I know." She is surprised when the words fall out of her mouth because her head is now starting to ache, and she doesn't think she can manage it. "I'm sorry, but I had to save you."

Jemma looks up to meet his gaze. "You looked absolutely haunting, Jemma. Your eyes were red, just like before in Sarkin...and how you controlled it...how did you know...."

"I didn't." Jemma shakes her head and clings tighter to him. "It just took over."

He rests his chin on the top of her head. "We will figure it out, I promise." Maybe they will, or perhaps they won't, but she knows they will at least try.

A slow tug pulls at her heart, and she looks back across the bridge. Ash still blows, but through it comes Pyro. He is large, soaring like a majestic bird. It isn't just the phoenix creature that she feels, but she somehow knows that Jaymie and Makena are with him. There is an added relief to understanding that. The devastation she would feel if she lost them, and at her own hand, would have been too much for her to live with.