Queen of Fire (A Light-Bringer Prequel)

Fourteen

Emberly laid on her bed, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She laid in fetal position as the sunlight in her room diminished with every passing minute.

She rolled onto her back, a spring poking her lower back, and stared at the ceiling.

Her mind ran a mile a minute as she tried to figure out what method Miles was going to use to single out the magic-wielders among the palace staff.

There was a knock on the door and Emberly reluctantly got up and answered. She found Akaljot standing in the corridor, bowing his head so he didn't bang it on the ceiling.

"Akaljot, what are you doing here?" she asked, crossing her arms to hide her shaking hands.

There was a grim look on his face as he said, "Captain Gomez is going to start testing the servants. Your attendance is mandatory."

Emberly nodded her head, and began to walk beside Akaljot.

"You have nothing to worry about, Emberly. You don't have magic."

"I'm not worried about that. I'm scared of the captain."

Akaljot raised an eyebrow.

"Haven't you heard the stories?"

He shook his head.

"The captain, Miles, is a madman. He joined the Witch-Hunters right after Marilyn Pyro ran away from Valon five years ago. After he found out that the magic-users were taking iron to suppress their powers, he didn't just threaten the doctors. The doctors who helped them and were caught were brutally tortured and 'executed' alongside the others. He tortured and murdered innocents in the most brutal ways possible, and it's said that he enjoyed it all."

"Holy Gods."

They walked up a stairwell in silence.

"I can see your concern, but you're not a person who can wield magic so you don't really have much to worry about," Akaljot reassured her. "It will be fine, Emberly."

They walked out into a regular corridor and made their way to the Grand Hall, where Emberly saw the servants lined up in a row. Emberly made her way to the middle of the row. Every servant had their scarves off.

"Good," said Miles as he walked into the Grand Hall, stopping in front of the servants. "You're all here."

Emberly saw Akaljot scowl at Miles and the Emperor stiffen as they stood to Miles's left.

"To those of you who don't know me, my name is Miles Gomez and I am the Captain of Lucis's Witch-Hunting Battalion," he said, his voice reaching all corners of the Hall. "You have been summoned here on such short notice for one reason: You are to be tested to see if any of you are witches."

"How are you going to test us?" asked Emberly. "Are you going to test us through torture?"

Miles's head snapped to face her, his expression as cold as can be. "What makes you think that, Miss Feu?"

"The stories of how you would go around Lucis not just torturing and executing whole families, but how you would enjoy brutally torturing and murdering the doctors that would help hide them," Emberly snarled.

Miles threw his arms out wide to indicate the whole hall. "Does this really look like the place where I would... interrogate someone?"

"No, but how are you going to test us?"

"With this." A Witch-Hunter stepped forward with a silver platter and over a dozen needles in his hands. Miles picked up one of the syringes from the platter. "In my hand is a syringe filled with iron. This dose won't harm you if you're human. If you're a witch, we'll know because this dose is semi-lethal. It won't kill you, but it won't suppress your magic, either." Miles looked at Emberly. "Because you're so curious, Miss Feu, you will be the first to go."

Emberly blanched.

Miles walked up to Emberly and brushed her hair away from her neck, his fingertips grazing her skin.

"You have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide, Emberly," he said quietly.

"I'm not afraid," she half lied. I'm terrified. "I'm just nervous."

"Don't be," he said. "If it helps, I've been doing this for a few years. I'm sure you will be fine."

Emberly winced as the needle pricked the skin in her neck, After a few seconds, it was over.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Miles asked sweetly.

He turned and walked back to the other Witch-Hunters, placing the syringe back on the platter.

"Sir," said the Hunter. Miles looked at him and he jerked his chin towards her.

Miles turned and looked at her and he grinned. "Emberly, looks like you have a little... something," he said.

Emberly touched her nose with her fingertips and they came away bloody. Her veins were on fire and she would have cried out in agony if she was able to breathe. She couldn't breathe, couldn't breathe, couldn't breathe. Emberly tried to take a step forward, but her legs gave out from under her, sending her crashing to the floor. She gasped for air, black spots swimming across her vision as she looked at Akaljot. He looked at her in horror. 

Emberly slumped to the ground, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she let the iron take her away.