Restoration of Fire

Chapter 6

Winter slowly opened her eyes. Above her was a ceiling and for a moment she wondered where she was, until she smelled the familiar scent of lavender that reminded her of Swindle. She turned her head to the side, seeing him reading in a chair beside the bed.

"What happened?" She asked, but her throat was raspy. Swindle looked up with wide eyes, almost dropping his book.

"Winter! Here, drink this." Swindle handed her a glass of water before helping her sit up to drink it. The liquid coated her throat and she cleared it before speaking again.

"What happened?" Swindle set the glass and his book aside.

"What do you remember?" He asked her and Winter thought back.

"I remember smashing the jewel...but beyond that it's hazy." Winter sat back against Swindle's headboard, her body still aching. Despite that, her clothes had been changed and the blood washed off making her wonder if Achille and Bittie had done that.

"After you smashed the jewel, your power was released and it was quite violent. With one blast, you killed Xagithel. You told us to escape and..." Swindle trailed off, trying to think of how to describe it. Winter felt a knot forming in her stomach at his words. What had she unleashed?

"After your power subsided, we returned to find you had...changed." Swindle continued and Winter tilted her head curiously.

"What do you mean?" He let out a sigh as he thought back to when Winter had changed. Sitting forward, he placed his elbows on his knees and folded his hands.

"Do you remember when we were in your mind and you banished the spell your mother had placed over you? Do you remember how you looked?" Swindle asked and Winter thought back.

"Kind of. Even then I couldn't really see myself." She answered and Swindle nodded.

"You had grown horns, claws, and bat-like wings, but they had ripped from your body. All over your arms, shoulders, and any exposed skin was teal scales. Your eyes had turned a teal color and the pupils were slits. You were unlike any demon I've ever seen or heard of." He explained and Winter's eyes widened in horror. She looked at her healed hands, trying hard to remember, but all she remembered was white noise.

"The power that was released, was released so violently, it tore your body apart inside and out. It took me two full days to heal you." Swindle continued and Winter looked at him.

"How long have I been out?" She asked, afraid of the answer. The other demon met her gaze and Winter felt the knot in her stomach grow.

"You have been unconscious for five days." Winter felt bile rise in the back of her throat and she held her head in her hands. She was completely overwhelmed by everything that had happened.

"Winter, I have to ask you a question." Swindle asked her making her look up at him. He let out a long sigh as he clicked his claws together.

"Are you our enemy now?" He asked, looking up at her. The question had caught her off guard. Before she gave him an answer, she actually thought about what it meant now that she had powers. Despite that, there was only one answer she could give him.

"No. I'm still on your side. The Underworld will never have my allegiance and I love this world too much. I'm not your enemy, Swindle." She answered. The trickster demon let out another sigh, but this one was a breath of relief.

"I'm sorry. I had to ask." Winter shook her head and smiled.

"No, it's alright. I'm just trying to sort through it all." Winter replied and Swindle echoed her smile.