Heir of the Phoenix: Queen of Death

Chapter 2: The Colmata

I scrubbed for nearly thirty minutes to get the dried blood off my skin and under my fingernails. How blood gets under one's fingernails is beyond me. I didn't even touch him.

My skin feels sticky and thick.

Luckily, my mother was able to heal my father well enough after Hawthorne's intervention. Mother wasted no time in calling the Healers to check him over. Of course, Dad had protested but he was no match for her.

When I arrive at my parents' door, Wilum and Hawthorne are already waiting. The two are lost in their own conversation and ignore me altogether. Hawthorne is the first to notice me. His haunting grey eyes sag, but the color has returned to his face.

"How is he?" I ask.

"He nearly died. How do you think he is?" Wilum snaps.

"He'll be fine," Hawthorne says. His voice is soft yet stern. "How are you?"

"I scrubbed most of the blood away. It clashes with gold."

The corners of Hawthorne's lips twist into a smile. It's the first time I've seen him smile. "No, I guess not. You weren't hurt in the attack?"

"No. I didn't do much, either."

"You saved Dad." Wilum says. "If it weren't for you, that murdering piece of shit would have—"

"They didn't. And they won't." I try to sound as confident as possible. I promised not to read my brother's mind, but I don't need to. "Besides, do you really think Dad's going to die easily and let you inherit all that he's built."

Wilum snorts. "No, he won't. You should change clothes."

"Once I know he's okay. I'll change into something a little less traumatic."

"I should go. It's been a long night." Hawthorne says. "And I'm sure you'd like some time with your family."

"Thanks. For tonight." I say. "If it weren't for you, our dad would be dead. So, thanks."

Hawthorne nods as he leaves us standing in the hallway. His footsteps recede down the hallway until they are no longer audible. I turn to Wilum. His eyes roam over me, lingering too long on mine. "What?"

"Nothing."

Wilum is only twenty-four. The lines on his forehead say otherwise. He's next in line to become a Magister and never asked for it. I dodged a bullet by being born after him.

I pad around the hallway. The wall opposite the door is decorated with family photos. On the dark wood table, my parents have built a shrine to their wedding, complete with candles, roses, and a picture of them on their wedding day.

My parents beam and kiss as rose petals sweep at their feet. My mother's long white dress jostles as my father sweeps her in his arms.

The longer I stare at the picture, the more I get a sense of being there. I can hear my mother's laugh and cups clinking and feel the sun's warmth on my face.

I pull away, my eyes landing on a picture of the family at Seraphim Beach along the coast of Coloaris. I can feel the sun on my skin and hear Wilum laughing. "Do you remember Coloaris?"

Wilum looks over his shoulder. "When I convinced you to bury yourself up to your head?" He laughs.

I roll my eyes. "No. When Britton told you that if you kiss a mermaid, they'd instantly fall in love with you. You chased mermaids the entire time."

"If I remember correctly, you were the one that jumped off the boat in the middle of the ocean."

"I thought I saw a mermaid," I say. "But it was fun, right? It was a good time."