Fireborn

26 ¦ The Final Vision

Trudging down the stairs, I felt empty and desolate inside, like a part of me had already died. With open arms, I accepted my fate just to save the one person I could still call family.

I'd fallen down the pit of darkness to Hades just like Father. And I hated myself for it.

How could Father ask Peter and Alicia to make the same sacrifice?

When Alicia saw me, she ran over and embraced me. "At last! Did you see him?"

When I didn't reply or squeeze her back, she pulled away with a furrowed brow. "What's wrong? You're as pale as a ghost."

"He's a Fireborn. He's one of them."

"Good gods! What did he say?"

"If I join the Fireborn, he'll rescue Bragda. If I don't, he'll let her die in captivity."

"What?" Alicia narrowed her gaze. "I'm marching up there right now to give him a piece of my mind!"

"No, don't bother."

"What? You already said no?"

I cast my gaze down at my leather ankle boots. "I agreed to his terms."

"What?" Alicia's face turned an odd shade of red. "Oh, I'll tell him just what I think of his so-called offer. I'll tell Papa to take away the funding for his little operation quicker than--"

"The Ministry commissioned the Fireborn, Alicia."

"Impossible!"

"It's true. The Free World is that desperate."

"We'll go up there together," Alicia said with a stern expression. "Negotiate a better deal. Tell him you weren't thinking straight, and you've changed your mind."

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

I sighed and retrieved the parchment contracts from my leather satchel. "I've already given my word."

Alicia gave me an incredulous look and snatched one of the copies out of my hand. We rushed out of the pub and headed towards the trees. As she began to flip through the pages with a furrowed brow, Peter landed on my shoulder.

"What happened?" he whispered in a husky croak.

"I can't believe your father used legal clairvoyants," Alicia said with a huff. "This contract is garbage. It instates you as ruler of the Fireborn, but it sounds like you're beholden to him."

"Ruler?" Peter asked, incredulous. "Beholden?"

"I need to save Bragda. You'd do the same to save Seraphina."

"At what cost?" she cried as she shoved the copy back at me. "No, you go back up there right now and say you've changed your mind."

"I can't."

"Of course you can. It's your legal right. Speak to my father. He's a Ministerial lawyer who can help you get a fairer option, one where--"

"It's too late," I said. "I already signed it."

"So what? Renege!"

"In heart blood."

"What?" Peter and Alicia croaked in unison.

"You signed this document in heart blood?" Alicia exclaimed. "So you can't change your mind, or you die? Are you crazy?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. "It gets worse. Father won't allow Peter's soul to enter the Fireborn unless I sign a contract declaring his unconditional fealty. He won't even free Marcus unless you pledge your life to the Fireborn as well, Alicia."