The Queen of Elysium

Chapter 18 - Hearts Aflame

Arms folded, Kai eyes the construction before him; it does not look sufficiently safe. It has been six days since Elissa took out her frustration upon the fortified wall. She has refused to allow the stonemasons to fill the gap; the only sane course of action in his opinion.

He holds back the urge to flinch as Elissa skips beneath the wooden construction which is supposedly supporting the precarious, free-floating ramparts.

"Your Highness, I really must caution you. I am not convinced that it is yet safe." Garrett voices Kai's own concerns and holds out a beseeching hand. 

At first, he was distrustful of all of Lucifer's minions, not wishing to spend time in their oily presence. But, the straight talking and seemingly honourable head of the King's Guard is starting to earn his grudging respect.

Elissa turns her head over shoulder. "My favourite jailer, I appreciate your concerns, but I want to welcome dragons to Avalon."

He watches as Garrett's face scrunches as if he has just tasted something sour. The guard tries once again to appeal to Elissa, an undertone of hurt in his voice. "Please, Your Highness, I only wish for your safety. We do have a formal entrance."

Elissa's tone sharpens, carrying the undercurrent of a pending storm. "Tell me, is the portcullis a suitable size for a dragon?"

Garrett shuffles his feet and stutters out a response, "No, b-but neither is this."

Anger flashes within Elissa's eyes and causes Kai's flames to writhe beneath his skin. There is no doubt in his mind; she is his goddess and he could happily spend his life worshipping at that shrine, though self-doubt still gnaws at him.

Spinning on her heels, she turns to face the wall and raises her arms. The wall explodes outwards, raining fragments of stone and splintered wood down into the river.

"There! It's large enough now!" Elissa points to the chasm, easily big enough to allow a dragon to pass, or a small army come to that.

Dawn saunters over. "What is the ruckus? Elissa, are you wrecking the place again?"

"Garrett was worried about the wall falling down."

"Now, instead he gets to worry about securing a massive breach in Avalon's defences." Kai feels it necessary to point out.

Elissa pouts at him, drawing his attention to her lips. She places a hand on the ground by the ragged edge of the wall. He watches, mouth agape as the earth shifts and a trunk of a honey-coloured stone bursts forth, rising up into the sky. She repeats the movement on the other side of the broken wall and a second stone tree erupts. The two sets of branches arc over and intertwine to create a stone archway.

Standing in the centre of the archway, she faces them and exclaims dramatically, a smile upon her lips, "You shall not pass!"

A slight frown displaces the smile and she shakes her head, evidently not getting the response that she wanted from them.

Dawn grins irresponsibly. "Impressive."

Elissa beams back. "Dawn is allowed to pass. Come on. Amethyst should be here soon."

He follows a few steps behind Dawn, but is stopped in his tracks; with a groaning of stone upon stone, branches reach out between the trees blocking his way. Through the gaps, he can see Elissa and Dawn standing unprotected on the jetty.

"Elissa, I am not amused," he growls out a warning, "Let me through."

She blows him a kiss, then turns her back on him. There is a roar of fire in his ear. She may have his devotion, but he demands at least some respect.