Born in the Flame

Chapter 26

The walk back to the house was nothing special. My vision wasn't too impaired since the fog swept over the city, blurring the light from the midday sun. Everything about the walk had been normal, up until we stepped foot back into the townhome.

"So, this is where you've been hiding." A halfling male sat at the dining table. He had shaggy white hair that had a long ponytail hanging from the nape of his neck and down his shoulder. His clothes were thick and fur lined with green and blue designs that I did not recognize. On his brown-skinned face, he wore a scowl that passed over me and onto Uzlos. I could only guess that this was Kirdan.

"Kirdan." Uzlos said, "I didn't want you caught up in what I've been doing here."

"That's what I have been trying to figure out." Kirdan scoffed, now standing. He stood only a few inches shorter than me. "I don't know why you would think I'd let you leave without any explanation. When I heard you had appeared in Oakenshire, only to hear I missed you by mere hours, you can guess I was pissed."

"I owe you an explanation." Uzlos said calmly, but Kirdan wasn't having any of it.

"No shit." His eyes glanced at me, before returning to Uzlos, "Not only did I track you down to Yaanlian, I fucking traveled to Droca because you went there too. I have been tracking you for two years, Uzlos. The moment you left, I did too."

"I am doing what I have to." Uzlos narrowed his eyes at Kirdan.

"Which if you cared, you would have told me." Kirdan matched his intensity, "Once I was sure you were in Yaanlian, and living somewhere in here, I get the privilege to learn from strangers that you had been shot in Lautauis' lounge and run off like a madman in the night."

"I..." Uzlos said but was abruptly cut off.

"I am not finished," Kirdan seethed, "I also get word of how you've been seen with her."

Finally, the full spiteful gaze landed on me. If he expected me to flinch, he was mistaken. I wouldn't lash out, I was too tired and this was Uzlos' business. I'd rather stay out of it as much as possible.

"If you would let me explain, maybe you would understand." Uzlos hissed, adjusting his position to cover me.

"Fucking ease up. I'm not going to lay a finger on her." Kirdan scoffed. "I just do not see why she is more vital than I am."

"Elwin Silvertooth. A pleasure." I flashed a grin, ensuring my canines gleamed with it. I tried, but dammit it exhausted me to try and be nice more than talking to Lautauis did. I knew it was rude to elves to flash a grin with the canines exposed, but that was the point.

Kirdan's expression didn't waver, but he remained silent. I could tell he tried to recall where he heard that name before. If he did finally figure it out, he didn't show it.

"Again, why is Elwin Silvertooth more vital than me?" He pointed the question back at Uzlos, but the fire was all directed at me. I gave him my name, and with ease, he spat it back out.

"Gods, Kirdan, I just didn't want you to risk your life for me." Uzlos groaned. I could tell the verbal warfare was exhausting him. "I'm working with Elwin and Lautauis to kill my mother."

Kirdan blinked but swiftly readjusted himself to the scowl he wore.

"That doesn't..."

"Explain why I left in the first place?" Uzlos finished, "Well, I didn't want to marry Thalia and my mother would have put my head on a pike if I didn't go through with it."

"Why did you even come back?" Kirdan's face softened a bit, but I think the scowl was a permanent part of his face.

"I tried to swallow my pride when I had come across a group of dark mages saying they had plans to free a hestamenn." Uzlos sat at the dining room table. I instead watched from the sofa as he continued. "When I went back to Oakenshire, I was going to tell my mother what I saw. I didn't anticipate her already being with the leader of those very dark mages, conspiring together to make this plan come into fruition."