Cinder: In No Way, a Hero || Book 3

~ Chapter 21 - Strength ~

Soot paced around the throne room.

He had been doing so for hours, maybe days.

Phoenixfire would go to bed, encouraging Soot to.

He would stay out, always saying he wanted to see Eagle when they got here.

So Phoenixfire would go to bed, trusting he would either watch her throne or find someone who would.

But then Phoenixfire would wake up bright and early, and find that Soot was still pacing around the throne room.

She sighed. "Have you slept at all, Soot?"

Soot looked to the queen, startled, and stopping pacing, bowing. "Y-Y'er majesty," he stuttered.

"Get up. You know there's no need t' be fancy. Now answer my question."

"I..."

"It's a regal order, general. Now, did you or did you not sleep at all, Soot?"

Soot sighed, lowering his head. "I did not, y'er majesty."

Phoenixfire sighed, hugging the smaller SkyWing. He started to sniffle, and eventually started to sob quietly.

"I know, I know. It's hard. But knowin' you, you'll get through it. Y'er one of the strongest dragons I know."

"Then you haven't gotten a good sample," Soot exhaled.

"Well, I got the best of what I could from bein' trapped in a cell f'er...Moons, how long was it? 30 years? 40? Doesn't matter. Out of everyone I met, you stood out to me."

"Prob'ly 'cause I'm the weakest out of all of 'em."

"Actually, you were the strongest."

Soot looked at Phoenix, sniffling. "What?"

"Seeing you stick to y'er family's tradition as long as you did, that's strength. Y'er father and grandfather both gave up on me eventually. But you, Soot, had never given up. From the day I met you to the day you freed me, you still kept me alive."

"I knew I had to have a plan when Skyblaze died," Soot admitted.

Phoenixfire nodded. "That's why y'er so strong. I watched as y'er family slowly became corrupted by Skyblaze. And they knew they would. It was a cycle. A cycle I never thought I would see break. Until you, Soot. You broke the cycle."

Soot nodded slowly. "Still, I feel so weak. I couldn't 've dethroned 'er any sooner. I had to wait until my own sister became a known criminal across the continent. Until the kingdom had become so corrupt everyone accepted Skyblaze. Until I, too, started to accept it."

"If you were weak, you would've kept waiting."

"I-" Soot stopped. "Really?"

Phoenixfire nodded. "Yup."

Suddenly, talons landed on the floor of the throne room. Phoenixfire straightened her crown, letting go of Soot, and walking toward the throne. Soot followed, standing at her side.

It was a relatively large group. Leading was a large golden SkyWing. Phoenixfire couldn't remember his name.

"Soot," she whispered to the general, "what's the Golden one's name?"

Soot held in a laugh. "Apollo," he answered.

"Right, right." She looked back at the SkyWing. "Dearest Apollo, have you brought back the dragons?"

Apollo arched his back into a regal bow. "Indeed, y'er majesty. I have brought to you Eagle and their friends."

"Thank you. You may rise and leave." Apollo nodded, rising and heading out of the throne room.

A familiar SkyWing stepped forward. They were dark brown with pink spots. They bowed to Phoenixfire. "Y'er majesty, Queen Phoenixfire, I have arrived on behalf of the important letter I was sent."

"Ah, Eagle. I remember you, dear. You may rise."

As Eagle rose, Soot ran to them and hugged them. "Eagle! Y'er ok!"

Eagle laughed. "Of course I am, nothin' can kill me." They looked back to their group. "I also have company."

The "company" was a smaller adult SkyWing, a little taller than Eagle, with pink scales, a pastel gradient for wings, and purple limbs. She was definitely a hybrid. On her back was a SeaWing fledgeling, with blue scales. Her smile included two fangs. Next to the SkyWing hybrid was a tall, slender HiveWing, whose entire form was black, except for his wings and underbelly, which were both a white to black fade.

"Speaking of company, who exactly are these dragons?" Phoenixfire asked.

The dragons then bowed to the queen. "Our apologies," the HiveWing answered.

"That's alright. You may rise."

The HiveWing rose. "Your majesty, I am Jacques." He pointed to the SkyWing. "This is Comet, and the SeaWing is Angel." The dragonet waved happily. "You're very pretty!"

Phoenixfire smiled. "Thank you. You, too, dear."

"Now," Jacques cleared his throat. "Where exactly are Ronin and Cinder, your majesty?"

Soot and Phoenixfire looked at each other. "Get the RainWin,'" she ordered. Soot nodded, walking off. "As for Cinder," she turned back to the group. "Cinder is dead."