Princess of Flames

Chapter 34

            They were heading back to Terrasen. Asterin had been asleep for six days now. Though Taylor had slept for three days. Asterin had been drained from flying to Karatall, getting them out, then having to fly back to Varese. They were due to be in Illium in a couple of days with her father's magic pushing them ahead. Only one more day of the quiet tension. She had hardly spoken to Brydan, or anyone else for that matter. She stood at the prow of the ship watching the sunset. 

              Liara came up beside her. "I don't want to push but, what happened?" she asked. "Well, it started with me getting Soaren away first. Then, I pushed Sera, who is Brydan's sister, into the water as we were getting on the ship, I tried to climb up the cliff, but someone pushed me off. Sera and I got into a fight, and considering that she is supposedly the most skilled magic wielder, she passed out seconds after I did. And when we got to Karatall that's when he found out." She was silent for a moment. "So Brydan was with them. He played us all then," she said. "Then why is he here with us?" "Because his queen put him in the dungeons the second she heard that we were together." Liara gave her a sly smile. "So you are together then." Taylor shot her a glare. "I don't know. I want to trust him, but after what happened in Doranelle ... I don't know," she repeated. "How did Asterin take it," Liara asked. "We were in a hurry before so I don't know yet. But when Brydan had tried to step toward me in the dungeons she wouldn't let him. So probably not well," she answered wincing a bit. "I can't wait to meet your court," she said changing the subject. "I think you will regret saying that," Rowan said from behind them. Liara jumped, only training kept her from doing the same. They turned towards him. "Evangeline, Aedion, Lysandra, Elide, and Aelin will all be delighted to see you. Lorcan, Fenrys, and Ren will be wary but hopefully warm to you. At least Fenrys will. If Vaughan is back then you might get to meet him," he explained. "Well as long as some of them like me I'll be fine, right?" she asked Taylor. She grimaced, "Not from my siblings." Taylor opened her mouth to say something but Liara cut in, "I'll grab us dinner." Once she was out of earshot he said, "You are not to go near him even when we are in Terrasen. I will discuss this with your mother but for now not even a word." She glared at him. "You can't stop me." He opened his mouth but she cut him off, "I know how to use weapons to my advantage and you wear them all the time," she said with a small smile. "Then I'll take away your weapons, Princess, and you won't find mine," he hissed. "I have magic." "Not against mine you don't." She scowled. "Mother taught me how to only use my hands to put you in a hold in case I ever had to. I practiced on Aedion and it worked," she retorted. He snarled but stalked away muttering, "Of course she did." Taylor gave a satisfied smile to his back. He was way to protective of her. She saw the way he eyed her and Brydan when they were dancing during Beltane. Aelin warned her about his territorial nonsense. He still had no right to tell her that. Liara returned with food. "What did he say?" "He said that I am not to go near him even when we are in Terrasen, and that he will discuss this with my mother," she said midly irritated. "And let me guess you threatened him?" A smile crept across her face. Liara rolled her eyes. "Of course you did." "What is that supposed to mean?" she said in outrage. "Just that you do that to everyone. Soaren, Brydan, Rowan, every other male especially. Go ahead, try to change my mind." Taylor snorted. "Fine. I almost want to go talk to Brydan to see what my father would do." Liara turned away from her food. She pointed her fork at her. "Don't even entertain that idea, Taylor." Taylor gave her a bittersweet smile. "Go ahead, try to change my mind," she said mockingly stalking off towards the hall that led below the deck. As she reached the door her feet turned cold, literally. She looked down to see ice around her feet. The ice evaporated with a flick of her hand. Before he could freeze her feet again she ran through the door and down the stairs. But at the landing there was a patch of clear ice she didn't see until she had slipped and fell onto it. She must have made a lot of noise because Brydan came around the corner to see what happened and saw her. "Don't even ask," she growled taking his hand. He lifted her up. "It's hard not to, so, what did happen?" Rowan came down the stairs. "Him." He was about to say something when Liara came running down. She grabbed Taylor's hand and dragged her up the stairs. They ran over to the side rails and she saw what Liara was so happy about. Terrasen. Illium's coast was on the horizon. They would reach it by nightfall.