The Phoenix's Fire

Chapter 13

Carena:

I stood leaning on the island in front of the long dining room table in the boys' apartment. Sain sat on the counter behind me his forehead resting on my shoulder. He hasn't said anything since we made it up to the rooms three days ago. No one pushed him to talk ether. I could see that Isadore was itching too but one glare from me had him backing off.

"How was the ritual?" I asked Isadore, as he sat down in one of the chairs.

Isadore scrubbed at his face, "Draining."

"She still alive?"

He nodded, "I did as you told me and left her healing power alone. It's not like that power is going to be any help. I also got contact with Cobalt and he got word to the king. Someone will be here sometime today to take Sabrena to the dungeons."

"That doesn't sound like everything."

"What doesn't sound like everything?" Core asked as he barged through the kitchen door, taking an apple from a bowl. "Do we have to do more?"

"No," Isadore responded to Core's last question, "Carena has been requested by the king to return home."

I sigh, "Not a surprise. I take it someone will becoming to escort me home?"

Isadore winced, "Yes."

"Is that a bad thing?" Core asked.

"It means one of her siblings will be coming to get her." Isadore clarified but Core still looked confused.

"Isadore, got one of my brothers pissed at him before he left." I told Core, "His is hoping that he is not the one to come escort me."

Core smirks, "Ahh, that makes more sense."

"Shut it," Isadore snarled, "Her brothers as terrifying."

Aku shove the Kitchen door open, "And Core isn't?"

Isadore did a reasonable job of assessing Core, "Nope, her brothers as scarier."

"And bigger," I comment, "What did you do to piss off Kallen? He is the hardest to piss off."

Isadore pailed, "Don't ask."

"Oh he did something that I'm going to get back for." Snarled a voice, "He tricked me into walking into a vat of quicksand in the training yard."

Sain's head lifted from my shoulder to peer at the new person. I looked too at him. Looked at my older brother with the others' eyes. Kallen stood taller than any door frame in this school by a good four inches. If the size of him wasn't enough to scare someone, then the scare that went from the middle of his forehead, down between his gray eyes and slash onto his left cheek, would. He looked hard and mean.

Core insatiately placed his hand on his sword. Kallen eyed Core and found something as he un-slunk his shoulders and rose even taller. "Nice to meet you all. I'm Kallen. The second prince of The Unknown Kingdom. Carena's eldest brother."

Coin pushed in past Kallen something clutched in his arms yelling, "Big brother Core, look what I got." He shoved something gold and fluffy in Core's face.

Core leaned back to actually to see the beast. "A puppy?" He said hesitantly.

"A dingo pup," Said another voice, as he slipped by Kallen, "It is from the king." The man pushed his big glasses up his nose. The man was shorter than Kallen but by no means short. He still towered over everyone in the room. "I'm Tallon, the third prince." He held out a hand for Core and Aku to shake.

Sain set his chin on my shoulder and said quietly, "Your family's blood has giant in there somewhere. Isn't there."

I smiled, "My grandfather on our mother's side was a giant."