[HIATUS] The Amulet Series: Queen of Fire [REWRITE]

2|| Bleeding Innocence

The King's castle was nestled at a much higher altitude than most other edifices scattered around it. Scarlett found it natural enough to witness the symbol and strength of Badel to be elevated at a higher peak, paralleling the Havens of the Keepers, sacred temples settled atop mountainous peaks themselves. The castle was a massive structure, intimidating Scarlett when she had first stepped foot within its halls, viciously unmatched in its architecture and beauty. Stone outcroppings of various shades of grey and brown littered every side of the castle, with some layers extending further than others. Although the side from where Scarlett stood was generally straightforward to trek upwards, all the other sides invited inevitable death. The sublime image of the castle never failed to astound Scarlett, and she often found herself gazing upon its grandeur for a few moments before beginning the journey towards its gates.

Blue's raven hooves crunching the leaves tugged Scarlett from her thoughts, noticing that Dante and Blue were already ahead, beginning their climb up the slope. Pulling on the reins ever so slightly, Scarlett pressed her heel against Ivory's side, breaking into a trot. The path was akin to an evergreen, silently still as it had been when Scarlett first set foot upon it nearly a year ago. Dante had been with her at the time, strolling alongside her beneath the canopy of trees lined up on either side of the path. Her hands had been shaking then, trudging alongside the man that had saved her from an irrevocable fate, her thoughts ever falling within her rage like thunder. But now...

Now her hands held Fate. Held steel.

"You ignored my signal." Dante was the first to break the heavy silence, a glacial tone reeking with a hint of disappointment.

Scarlett tore her eyes away from the polished grey stone of the castle that was slowly but steadily coming to view. It took her only a moment to comprehend what Dante had meant to communicate, her sudden movements during the mission, driving her blade into the man carrying out the Duke's repulsive plans.

"He was going to kill you." Scarlett returned flatly.

Dante scoffed, as if her reasoning was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard since waking up that day.

Perhaps it was.

"I gave you explicit instructions to remain in the corner and wait for my signal to attack. Orders are given for a reason, Scarlett. What would happen if both of us disregarded the importance of communication, blades falling wherever we pleased?"

"Attack?! It was one man!" Scarlett bristled. "Was I supposed to wait and watch him cut you down?"

Dante fell silent for a moment, staring straight ahead at something that didn't seem to be there. "I knew he was there." He finally spoke, words laced with a mismatched venom Scarlett failed to recognize. "The Duke may be skilled with his silver tongue, but his intentions are as brittle as a child caught in a lie he cannot justify." Even with the hood over his head, Scarlett could almost sense the storm in his dark eyes, the lightning within fizzing and crackling.

Annoyance prickled within Scarlett. Not even a slimmer of gratitude. "Alright, so you say you knew, and yet, you chose not to act?"

Dante's reply was swift as always, "I did not need to. The chance to was so unexpectedly snatched from a certain Apprentice who failed to follow simple instructions."

Gripping her reins tighter than she had meant to, Scarlett bit back her spite, willing herself to keep her cool and focus on returning home. No matter how she justified her actions, Dante would always find fault in her words.

I know I did the right thing. Scarlett thought bitterly. But of course, you would never see it that way.

She had shielded her mentor from a certain death, but to Dante it was simply an act of stepping out of her boundaries, stepping out of her duties as an Assassin's Apprentice.