He should have known that the Adderhead wouldn't write his name in the book without testing on someone first. Why did it have to be him? Hadn't Firefox been loyal to him, fought for him, always obeyed him? He glimpsed Helena out of the corner of his eye. Dammit all, why had they brought her here? She was struggling against Basta, who sneered at her.
"Easy now, my beauty." Was all he said. Her jungle cat was chained to the wall at the end of the room. Of course, the Adderhead had promised to set them all free if the book worked. The Adderhead cleared his throat, reminding Firefox of his current predicament.
"The name you were born with, I know that you can write that." The Adderhead said, sounding as if he though Firefox was stupid for that. He looked at the quill, the ink, the book...
Despair clawed at Helena's chest. She had to do something, she owed Firefox that much. 'Dammit Helena, your stupid heart ran away on you. And after you promised you would never care like this again. Doesn't it realize how hard you've tried to protect it?' She thought, frustrated. The flickering torch caught her eye. Maybe... She had tried to talk to the fire last night, she had used the Fire elf honey, perhaps it would work now... She softly called to the flames. It answered her, mocking and scornful, but as always it answered her. 'I need you now.' She told it desperately.
"How sweet." Basta's voice mocked. "Beauty here is praying."
'how wrong you are.' Helena thought, amused. The fire was still ignoring her pleas. Desperation squeezed her heart as she saw Firefox pick up the quill.
'Fire, I command you to obey me!' She sensed the fire's surprise, and relief flooded through her as it obeyed.
Firefox heard the gasps as a wall of fire separated him from the Adderhead. He saw Helena whirl, hands alight, grabbing Basta by the wrists. The man screamed, desperately wrenching away from her, and fleeing down the hall. The Bluejay and his daughter were watching, dumbstruck. Helena screamed something as she bolted over to unchain her cat. The wall of flames grew higher and brighter. Firefox could hear men screaming from the other side of it. She turned to look at him, silver eyes meeting his.
"Run!" She screamed at him. "Get out of here! Go!"
"Where are you going?" He shouted after her as she ran down the corridor.
"To free some of my friends."
Resa looked up as the warders screamed. The roar of Helena's jungle cat echoed off the walls. The silver-eyed girl ran up, quickly unlocking the door with the keys. Resa guessed that she must have stolen from the warders.
"Time to leave!" She shouted. Resa followed the rest of the prisoners out. Helena picked up one of the warder's swords, she winced, and Resa flinched at the sight of her forearms, her wrists were red and blistered, but it was her hands that horrified Resa; hideous burns oozing blood covered Helena's small hands, the blackened flesh already peeling off. They were almost outside when the first soldier tried to stop them. Resa could only think how close they'd been, but Helena impaled him swiftly and unflinchingly on the sword she had taken. The rain pelted Resa hard, but she did not care, they had a chance at freedom.
The Black Prince and his bear were the first to leap to the Prisoner's aid, his men soon followed. He saw the Prisoners trying to gather themselves, one of them had a Jungle Cat by her side. Dustfinger realized that it must be Helena, the girl the Black Prince had told him about. The first soldier attacked, and the cat leapt up, his golden jaws locking around the man's throat in a flash of teeth and a spray of blood. More men were appearing, when a horse collided with several men, trampling and kicking. Dustfinger nearly forgot about the Fire he was trying to wake up when he saw Firefox on the horse's back. Meggie and Resa were standing together, both looked unhurt, Silver-tongue had taken up a sword and was using it far better than Dustfinger could have. The bear was protecting the Prince, it's vicious claws leaving gaping wounds in the flesh of those unfortunate enough to get in it's way. Firefox really was incredible with a sword, the way that he cut down any man in his path... and... Helena's path. 'What do you know?' Dustfinger wondered. 'Firefox has fallen in love.' Then Dustfinger saw him.
Basta grabbed her by the throat before she could flinch back.
"I have suffered enough on account of this accursed fire, you little bitch." He spat at her. "And you are going to pay for it." He growled. "I'm greatly looking forward to fucking you tonight." Helena pulled the knife from her belt.
"You go to hell!" She spat, thrusting the wicked blade into his chest, burying it deep into his heart. Basta gave her an astounded look as he dropped dead at her feet. Firefox rode up beside her, looking at her hands in horror. In the heat of the battle, she had almost forgotten how much they hurt. The Prince and his bear warily approached Firefox, and he wordlessly went with them. Helena followed the rest of the Strolling Players into the mine. She sat there, wrapped up in the pain from her hands when Roxane approached.
"Helena..." She said, staring at the burns. "What have you done child?" Helena told her, and Roxane looked impressed.
"Come with me dear, I'll see what I can do."
Helena sat still as Roxane cleaned the burns with icy water. Helena thought that it was the best feeling ever. Roxane was using several herbs, but the only one Helena recognized was the spiny leaved aloe vera. When Roxane finished with the herbs, she bandaged Helena from hand to elbow in soft white cloth.
"How is it?" Roxane asked. Helena smiled.
"Better than it was." She went into the next tunnel of the mine, with the rest of the people who'd been treated and were trying to sleep.
"Can you sing?" the child, Lianna asked her quietly.
"I don't know any happy songs."
"That's okay." The child said. "Please."
"Okay." Helena relented
WARNING VIOLENT IMAGE BELOW (IMAGE IS SFX)
how Helena's hands would look.
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