Ignis Amare

Simmer

It's been a week since the liberation of Muspelheim. At Beatrix's insistence, the three of us are traveling to meet my father.

Now that I have accepted my subconscious and found Kendra, there's something he needs to tell us. I'm suspicious of it, and I don't want anything to happen to Kendra, but I also have to admit that my dad knows more than we do.

Today is the day of arrival, and I have an uncomfortable feeling I just can't shake. May be it's because of the years it's been, or maybe it's because Kendra is with me.

I even got a journal at Beatrix's behest to be more honest with myself.

"So, explain to me again why we can't teleport now? It seems a lot safer than driving." Kendra asks.

"Well, Dante's current location isn't known to you or Aiden, which means you can't teleport there. And number two, both of your flame signatures are being tracked now.

So even if you did know, you would lead the Flame-Keepers right to Nine Hell's doorstep.
Which isn't something we're prepared for right now." Beatrix responds slightly irritated.

"Yeah, I get that, but can't they still track us now? What's the difference?"

"The difference is you aren't using your flames right now. The monitoring system only works when a flame is active."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me." Kendra says matter of factly while turning to me.

"I have a secret for you that only you'll know." A smile dances on her lips.

My eyes widen. "What kind of secret?" I ask with naked excitement at knowing anything about her.

She closes her eyes. There's a soft glow beneath her eyelids momentarily before she opens them again.

My mouth drops. "Is...is that...is that your actual eye color?" I stutter both in shock of the revelation and of the fact that the thought never crossed my mind that her eyes weren't naturally gold.

"Yes.." She looks down shyly. "When I lost control of the Alpha, my eyes turned gold. I had given up on them ever being their normal color again, but when I saw you after Death Scythe, something changed.

I'm not sure what it is, but I feel more..."

"You. You feel more you." I finish.

"Yes." She smiles softly, meeting my gaze again intently. "So what do you think? You're the only one to see them since my parents."

I don't even try to contain the huge smile overtaking my face.

"I don't want you to ever stop looking at me. I didn't think it was possible to love you more, but I'm mesmerized. I don't think there's any eyes of yours that wouldn't have that effect, but this is special. I love your eyes, and I'll forever treasure this moment that they first settled on me."

Kendra subtly bites her lips and turns toward the window.

"Settled is a terrible word choice. Found, saw, grasped, devoured, focused, pierced, all much better word choices than settled."

"Why turn away then?"

"Can't you just read my mind now?" She teases.

"A woman should always have her secrets."

"One day, you may not be so convinced of that. I told you, you're beautiful. Inside and out. It's what you might see in me that causes me to look away. I'm not there yet, but I'm close."

"Close to what?" I respond.

"Close to being beautiful."

"You've always been beautiful."

"May be, but I need to see and believe that for myself instead of someone else telling me. Even if it's you."

I clasp her hand and deliver a kiss to the top center of it.

"I understand. I'll remind you until you can remind yourself, and even after that."

"You guys sound like love sick children." Beatrix rolls her eyes.

"There are worse things to be sick with." I reply with a laugh.

"I suppose, but we're here."

"Hmm." Kendra muses. "I don't see anything."

"That's the reason behind no teleporting. It's a mirage. We're standing in front it and you see absolutely nothing.

B. R. X. 22." Beatrix speaks shortly.

Instantly, a door opens in the middle of the desert, and inside it, what looks like part of a military base can be seen.