Blue Flames

Chapter 49

Arthur did not wait for our input. He strode out of the door, expecting his orders to be followed. Insufferable man. How could he think of facing a damn army of demons on his own?

"Are you just going to let him do this? On his own?" I asked when the three made no move to follow.

"The Sire knows what he's doing," Kat jumped in. I glared at her.

"There's no stopping him," Harvey said, smiling. "As there's no stopping you."

I stormed right out the door in Arthur's footsteps. He was down the steps and near the edge of the woods surrounding the palace. The area was deserted, but the distant sound of fighting filled the air, breaking the spell of a peaceful night.

"Arthur!" I called running down the steps.

"Stay inside, Elle," he said, his voice calm. Too calm. He was facing the trees, his magic heavy in the air.

"Are you seriously trying to take on hundreds of demons on your own?" I said once I reached him. His eyes were closed.

"Yes."

"That's stupid."

"No," he replied. "What is stupid is you being here."

"You think I can't handle it?" I pulled out my sword and faced the woods. The sound of fighting was getting closer. "Like I can't handle the bond?"

"I know you can't handle the bond," he said, his tone quiet. He was calm. I was not. And I hated it.

"I never thought you'd be a misogynistic asshole."

He shook his head. "Your being a woman has nothing to do with it."

"Oh really?" I said.

"I told you-"

"I know what you told me!" I said, losing my composure and turning to face him. "And I know you're not doing it because I'm a woman."

He stayed silent. He was stubborn about this. Arthur had not shied away from opening his end of the bond ever since it manifested. In fact, I was the one who'd been hesitant at first. So this wasn't about hiding his emotions from me. Arthur did not hide things. Except perhaps...

I narrowed my eyes. "You're afraid you'll scare me off, aren't you?"

I knew I hit the nail spot on when he opened his eyes. He was still not looking at me, his focus on the woods.

"Remember a while ago, when I asked you about dropping your cloak?" I asked "You told me that I couldn't handle it. It's the same thing, isn't it? You've been cloaking your true self from the bond, too, haven't you? And what happened to me made you lose control over the cloak."

"Let's not have this discussion when a hoard of demons is about to descend upon us."

"Coward."

Finally, he looked at me. And his look made it clear he did not like being called a coward. Mainly because he was being one, right now, and he knew it. He was running away from this conversation.

I grinned. Finally, I wasn't the only one being pissed off. Now we were getting somewhere.

He opened his mouth. The ground shook beneath us, but it wasn't Arthur's magic. We faced the woods as one.

It was only seconds before the origin of the disturbance broke through the cover of trees. The mole-like demons we'd seen on camera charged forward, flattening bushes and knocking off parts of tree trunks left and right.

Arthur's men were succeeding in funneling the mini army to us. I pulled my magic forward until it was a breath away from coloring the night blue. I hesitated, not wanting to harm anyone else nearby with the fire. I could see some of Arthur's men still trying to keep the demons from straying away. They would be in danger if I used the flames.