Princess of Fire (The Light-Bringer Trilogy, #2)

Five

Akaljot woke them all before dawn the next morning. Her father had woken them all before dawn.

Cal still couldn't believe that Akaljot Bjorndottir—the Everlight—was her father.

She looked down at her worn clothes.

"Here," said Luna, holding clothes out to her. "We look like we could be the same size."

Cal took the clothes into her bandaged hands. "Thank you, Luna."

Luna gave her a crooked grin. "No problem, Cal."

Cal took off her red and gold tunic and burgundy pants—trading them for the sky blue tunic, brown pants, and royal blue and silver cloak Luna had left her.

She left the medical tent, Matias hobbling out behind her on a crutch. Her eyes took in the bustling camp.

A horse whinnied and Cal looked for the source. Her eyes went wide as she saw two horses being led towards them.

"Aerys! Khalesi!" she shouted, running towards the horses.

The handler grinned, his pine green eyes full of mischief. "Clean bill of health for both of them." He handed her Khalesi's reins. "Lucas Bjorndottir."

Cal blanched. "Cal Pyro," she muttered.

Lucas nodded in fascination. "The Princess of Fire herself. Never thought I'd see the day."

"Excellent!" Akaljot said from behind her. "The whole family is together."

Lucas furrowed his brows in confusion. He looked back and forth between their father and her. He ran a hand through his short, bright red hair. "There's no way."

Cal raised a hand, a ball of sunlight shining in her palm.

"Gods above," Lucas swore. "I have an older sister. Can you summon fire?"

Cal looked away. Where her blazing inferno once was, there was only ash and embers. And she didn't want to touch it.

"If you don't want to summon fire, you don't have to," said Lucas. She could feel his gaze on her bandaged hands, the angry red welts on her face.

She pursed her lips. "We should go."

"We should," Matias said, hobbling up beside her. "All of Lucis depends on it."

They mounted their horses and began the long ride to Soturi.

—

For a week, they rode north. For a majority of their days, Luna joined Cal and Matias—quizzing them about their childhoods, what life in the castle was like.

What are your parents like? Luna would ask them.

Matias would give clipped answers. Polite, but clipped.

When they would camp out for the night, Luna would bring them their rations. The first night after running into the Krigereans, Luna wanted to share a tent with Cal. Luna wound up sharing a tent with Frida and Cal with Matias.

It was only another week. Only another week until they could get aid from the Krigereans to stop Melania Andhera.

—

Matias woke up to a stabbing pain in his stomach. He curled up into a ball on his side, chills racking his body.

Cal put an arm around him. "Matt? Are you okay?"

He looked at her over his shoulder. The burns on her face had healed over nicely, but she still kept her hands wrapped in bandages. "I'm okay. I just have some chills and a stomach ache."