Burning Flames

Chapter 1 - Mare

Evangeline grabs my jaw, forcing me to look at her. I've never seen her so desperate, not even in the arena. Her eyes waver and her lower lip trembles. "You lost your brother. Don't take mine."

Rage flares in my stomach. Anything but that. Because I've dreamed of Ptolemus too. Slitting his throat, cutting him apart, electrocuting him. He killed Shade. A life for a life. A brother for a brother.

Her fingers dig into my skin, nails threatening to pierce flesh. "You lie and I'll kill you where you stand. Then I'll kill the rest of your family." Somewhere in the twisting halls of the palace, the echoes of battle rise. "Mare Barrow, make your choice. Let Ptolemus live."

"He'll live," I croak out.

"Swear it."

"I swear it."

Tears gather in my eyes as she moves, quickly sliding off one manacle after the other. Evangeline tosses each one as far as she can. By the time she finishes, I'm a weeping mess.

I feel empty without the manacles, but my lightning hasn't returned. Wren walks to me and puts her hands up, and I finally realize why she's here. Those six months of silence can be healed in time, or, by a healer. I close my eyes, ready to be free, when a shot rings.

Instantly my eyes open, and Wren steps back. Evangeline holds a bullet in front of Wren before throwing it back instantly to where it came from. But it was a decoy. We all go down. Silence in thick waves enacts on us, making us scream in pain. My eyes water, I was so close, almost free. I can't breathe, I can't move, I can't do anything, I can't. I am weak and I hate myself for it. An Arven grabs me under my arms and hoists me up.

Nausea hits me like a bullet train, and my knees go weak. Right away the silent stone manacles are placed back on my wrists, and all hope I had disappears. I hear Evangeline cursing and fighting against the Arvens, but silent stone restrains her too. I can barely stand up, so I end up being dragged by the Arvens. I know Evangeline and Wren are being dragged as well right behind me, and I can't help but be thankful to them anyway. They tried, but they failed, and now they will be prisoners like me and be killed.

I can't stop the tears as we are forced out of the palace and behind all the fighting. Evangeline curses and swears as we quickly move. I see a great wall of fire far in the distance to my right, but I know who it is. "Cal!" I scream, "Cal! I'm here! It's me-" A hand suddenly clamps over my mouth.

"Shut it, Barrow," The Arven holding me hisses. I try to scream in his hand, but he forces a stronger wave of silence into my body to shut me up. I groan, and he releases his hand.

"We need to go, now!" The Arven says. He hoists me and starts running away from the fighting and Cal. I try my best to fight against this man, but I'm just too weak, I'm nothing without my lightning.

We're suddenly forced underground, and I see Maven pacing in front of the train, behind his barrage of sentinels. When his guards see us arrive, they tell the king, and he instantly looks up. Our eyes meet, and I can't help but look away as they drag me to him. "What's this?" He asks, looking at Evangeline and Wren in manacles like me.

"Your Majesty," The Arven holding me pants. "They almost freed the prisoner and tried to get her away before me and my cousins could stop them,"

Maven flicks his wrist and they are sent away into the train. His sentinels follow the Arvens, and soon it's just me and Maven in front of the train. I try to stop the tears leaking miserably from my eyes, but I can't. "I thought I lost you," He whispers, looking at me. I don't respond. My focus is on my feet. He steps forward and opens his mouth before a loud thud and glowing light shines behind me.