Crowned in Crimson Cinders

Chapter 44: Preparing for the Mission

"I never said you couldn't fight," Brock muttered, the words a stark contradiction to the derision he'd shown me all morning. Night had fully descended, the sky a canvas of inky black, punctuated by a scattering of faint white pinpricks. The moon offered scant illumination, a blessing in disguise as it aided our movements. The darker the night, the less likely we were to be seen.

"Yes, you did," I shot back, tugging the final straps of the ridiculous outfit into place. Brock had insisted on these all-black ensembles. Mine consisted of black pants with sheaths for my knives along the sides, a long-sleeved black top, and a hood that draped over my shoulders, ending just above my chest. I thought it looked absolutely absurd.

As I surveyed my reflection, Brock's voice cut through the silence. "When, exactly, did I ever say you couldn't fight?"

"It's the way you talk about me in front of everyone," I retorted, my jaw tight. "It's utterly disgusting."

"Since when did you care?" His glare intensified, and for a fleeting moment, his face looked remarkably punchable. I forced myself to refrain, turning back to my reflection and the questionable attire.

"I don't," I said, my voice flat.

"Mhm," he drawled, crossing his arms with an exaggerated flourish. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you just want to impress Aleah."

A flush crept up my neck, a mortifying betrayal. Since when did a woman have such an effect on me? "Absolutely not," I denied, refusing to meet his gaze. The last thing I needed was for him to see my reddened cheeks, though it would be impossible to do so in this lighting.

"Yeah, sure," he scoffed, adjusting his own outfit. "Just don't let her be a distraction tonight. I need my partner to have their head on straight."

A witty retort flickered in my mind, but the words wouldn't coalesce. With a silent sigh of frustration, I conceded the point, allowing Brock to claim a small victory in our perpetual verbal sparring.

"Are you ready to go or what?" I snapped, sheathing my last dagger. Brock pulled his hood up, his face disappearing into shadow.

"Let's go," he said, nodding toward the door.

Brock's room was surprisingly close to Amora's. In fact, all the royal living quarters seemed clustered in one corner of the castle. It was a realization that struck me then—an entire wing dedicated to their lavish lives, complete with personal libraries, private kitchens for the maids to cook in, and sprawling bathrooms. The contrast with Aleah's modest room, with its few bookshelves and smaller washroom, was stark. She had none of these luxuries. No personal kitchen near her room, certainly nothing I'd ever noticed. I realized how much her siblings possessed that she did not.

"You're sure she's not there?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"Shut up!" Brock hissed, a fierce whisper that still managed to sting. "And yes, I'm sure she's not there." I didn't press him. He clearly had more information than I did on this matter.

The halls were draped in an unnatural darkness, as if forgotten. It struck me as unusually dim, and then the reason hit me. All the torches that normally lit the corridors were unlit. I'd forgotten the king's recent decree following the attack on the church. Every soldier was now on a mandatory schedule, with no guards permitted inside the palace. Every single one was posted outside, protecting the entrances and exits. The castle was in complete lockdown, with only the king and queen allowed to leave.

In my opinion, it was one of the king's most boneheaded decisions. If I were king, I would have had soldiers lining every hall since the first attack on Brock. The fact that guards were still stationed at the entrances and exits then, yet saw nothing, meant the attacker had found another way in. Removing the interior guards only made an attacker's job easier.

A knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach as I considered how easily someone could get to Aleah, how easily she could be harmed. But then, I remembered her power. Not just any power—Shadowfire. It was a thought that brought both comfort and a chilling terror. After she told me, I'd delved into my own research, unearthing shocking revelations.

Apparently, she was destined to destroy her own kingdom. It was an absurd prophecy, one I refused to believe. Aleah was, without a doubt, the kindest, most innocent person I've ever known. She didn't seem capable of hurting anyone. Yet, there was her deep-seated hatred for her sister, Amora, a potential gateway for her to succumb to something darker. It was possible that she could be consumed by such anger and hatred that she would lose control of her emotions, of her actions even. And I wouldn't blame her. Her entire life, she had been looked down upon. Her mother, her father, her siblings, even her own people had forgotten her until she was the one to save them all.

How selfish of them. To only care about her now because she was their salvation. If I were in her shoes, I would level this castle, build my own empire, and rule with an iron fist, my name whispered in fear. I tried to keep this darker side of myself hidden from Aleah and my new acquaintances, whom I only trusted because we shared a common enemy.

Sometimes, I wondered if this prophecy haunted Aleah, if it hung over her head like a suspended blade. Part of me ached for the burden she carried. I considered asking Brock if he knew about it, but I bit my tongue, deciding to prioritize our mission over my own burgeoning curiosity.

It dawned on me when we were talking about Amora that she could be the mysterious, hooded woman I spoke with in the halls about my brother. Had she been the one to kidnap him in the first place without telling anyone? What was worse was that I had agreed to marry her in exchange for my brother. If she really was the hooded woman... I don't know what I would do.

But I had a plan. A plan to get Aleah and me out of here forever. I'd been meticulously crafting it since the night we kissed, since my true feelings for her solidified. Powers or not, I would burn the entire world for her. I just needed a way to free my brother as well and we could all go to Trithia. Together.

Soon, we would be gone. Aleah would rule beside me, and with luck, my brother would be reunited with my family, standing by my side. I just hoped I could find him before the wedding, and that she wouldn't hate me so much afterward that she refused to come. Perhaps her hatred for her parents and Amora would be enough to compel her to flee her kingdom. Perhaps she might even find enough hatred within her to ignite a war with me at her side.