Queen of Fire (A Light-Bringer Prequel)

Sixteen

Captain Miles Gomez sat at the table in the Grand Hall, chopsticks in his hands as he ate his noodles.

"Would you like some wine, sir?" asked a servant girl, her Krigerean accent heavy.

"Sure," he replied, bringing his wine glass closer.

The servant had tested negative for magic—unlike Emberly, who now sat in her cell with her arms chained above her head, unconscious, as she awaited her execution the next day.

The servant walked away and moved on to the rest of his men.

Miles took a sip of his wine. He lowered the glass, his brows furrowed.

"Is everything okay, Captain?" asked the Emperor on his right.

"Everything is fine, Your Greatness," he said. "The wine is just... sweet."

Miles set the wine glass down and asked the same servant what the wine was.

"It's sweet-berry wine, Captain Gomez," she said. "It's naturally sweet."

Throughout the rest of the meal, Miles drank the wine and occasionally caught Akaljot looking at him smugly.

At the end of the dinner, Miles bid the others goodnight as walked back to his guest room. He was almost there when his eyelids began to droop, and he staggered into a pillar.

What is happening to me? he wondered in alarm.

"Fatigue thé," said a man in heavily accented Lucinean. "It's amazing how only a small amount of it can make even a full-grown man fall into a deep slumber."

Miles turned and faced the Everlight. "What did you do to me, you unholy witch?" he snarled.

The Everlight put his hands in the pockets of his pants. "Says the man who's under a witch's influence."

Rage flared in his chest. "You drugged me?" he hissed, stumbling as he tried to stride over to the Krigerean.

Commander Bjorndottir walked towards him and stared down at Miles. "I know you can hear me, Miles. I can't fight this battle for you; only you can."

My name is Miles Gomez, and I will not be broken, his voice said at the back of his mind.

You will be broken, said a female voice, drowning out his own.

Miles's eyes drooped; he was so tired, and all he wanted was to rest.

The Everlight looked disappointed in him. "Goodnight, Captain Gomez," he said.

Everything went dark as the Everlight walked away.

—

"Wake up. Emberly, wake up!"

Emberly cracked her eyes open, and found herself looking at Akaljot.

"Bucket, now," she croaked, her stomach turning.

Akaljot quickly handed her the bucket and Emberly vomited blood into it.

"Before you lecture me on why I should've told you my status as a magic-wielder, I just want you to know that my past has caught up and punished me for you," she said.

"There was going to be some very colourful words thrown about, but this will do," said Akaljot.

"Akaljot, we need to hurry!" said a blonde Krigerean in servants' clothing. "I get that they drank the laced wine, but we must get as much distance between us as possible!"

"You drugged them?" Emberly asked in bewilderment.

"She understands us?" asked another.