Fireheart

Chapter 37

Over the next few weeks, I bounce between training with Thanom, and training with Yong'in. The divine flames come to me as easily as the rest of my flames. The ice gives me no issues, but I cannot harness the wind as well as I'd like, though I am content being able to push gusts of wind across the room.

Today, however, when I make my way to the training room Thanom uses, there is a note.

Take today off, Fyre. You have been working hard. Ask Matilda to help you to Phoenix.

-Thanom.

I almost burst with glee as I run back into my room, and into a tight red dress. I yell down the hall for Matilda, who comes as soon as she is able.

When she comes in, she clicks her teeth.

"That isn't very modest." She says, glancing at my dress. I shrug.

"I haven't seen my husband in three weeks. He is going to ravish me."

"Like how Yong'in has?"

I bare my teeth.

"You know for a fucking fact it isn't like that. Not only is he my nephew, he is the great grandfather of my husband."

She shrinks back as I growl the words out at her. For a few days the last few weeks, Yong'in had taken to staying in my room. It was always a friendly visit. He stayed on top of the blankets where I had stayed under them.

Yong'in had become my best friend. Even more so than Garnet, though not on the level of Rebecca. He understood as Phoenix did, and would listen to me and solve my issues. And he was a patient teacher. Through him, my Raising had increased a hundred times over. I was now capable of raising a week old corpse.

He thought I would be more powerful than Thanom with more training. I believed him.

Not expecting an apology for her claim, Matilda leads me out of the room.

We come to the kitchen, and down another hallway in the kitchen. Just before the Brother's rooms, we turn into a door that takes us down into a basement.

"These are just bedrooms." Matilda says. "The doors just can't be opened up from the inside."

I could see why they were like that. There was a latch on the outside of the doors. And no curtains. We could look into each and every cell, into every corner. I'd be able to tell if they were crouched and ready to attack or not.

Each cell is empty. Save for two. Martina in one, and Jimmin in the other. They're both sleeping. The rooms are decently sized, with exercise gear and a stuffed bookshelf next to the beds.

"Thanom does not wish to seem harmful." Matilda explains. "This is where family prisoners come. If you are friendly, or arrest them yourself, they will come here."

We get to the very last cell, and I peer in.

Phoenix is in there, lying in the bed. His breathing is deep and slow. He looks groomed- his face is shaved and his hair is even kept.

"We take care of them." Matilda says as she undoes the latch. She opens the door, quietly, and allows me inside. She shuts the door behind me. I do not hear the latch.

I can hardly keep myself from waking Phoenix as I approach the bed and carefully lay in it next to him. I take a deep breath and his brimstone and death smell fills my nose. Tears well up in my eyes as I carefully lay my arms across his shoulder.

He jerks once, and his breathing changes to become more aware. It seems his sleep wasn't as deep as I thought.

I hear him breathing in his nose, taking in my scent. His breathing catches as he flips himself over in the bed.