Page 47 of King of Fire and Flames

I blinked, focusing on the item Estella held out, an ankle bracelet fashioned from black metal and carved with flames. “This connects you to Melaya and prevents you from leaving the boundaries of Taln.”

My heart sank as Estella knelt and slipped my shoe off, then fastened the anklet to my leg before re-tying my bootlaces. For all intents and purposes, I had won every event, pretended to be docile and compliant, never making a fuss, and yet here I was—still a captive.

Azarn and Bakhur joined us, the king ranting about the strength and wonder of his son and heir, his claims highly doubtful. Then he waxed lyrical on the beauty and invincibility of his kingdom, but I hadn’t seen enough of the Sun Realm to comment. Finally, bored with my lack of response, he left the arena, his family trailing behind him with all the joy of a somber funeral procession.

Slowly, the courtiers followed, filing past me with curious stares. When I was alone, I settled on the king’s throne and tugged my boot off. I pushed, prodded, and dug my nails into every line of the anklet, searching for a crack or weakness.

“Don’t waste your energy,” said Ruhh, appearing out of thin air as she was so fond of doing. “The mergelyn anklet can’t be removed unless Melaya releases the spell.”

Groaning in frustration, I tightened my laces and stood up, brushing leaves and dirt from my leathers and swaying on my feet again. My stomach rumbled. Dust, I was starving. I could inhale a whole loaf of bread right now. Maybe even two of them.

I descended the dais stairs with care, and then strode out of the Arena of Ashen Souls, my gait a little unsteady. Hopefully, I’d never see the dust-damned place again. Not even in my nightmares.

“Where to next?” Ruhh asked as she floated beside me, her ghoulish smile lined up with the left side of my face.

“Oh, you’re still here,” I said, grimacing as I realized I had a long walk back to the palace.

“They left a horse for you.” Ruhh pointed toward the sunset at the largest spindle tree I’d ever seen, its branches alight with magical flames and Sable munching grass nearby.

Fiery sparks shot from the earth, and the horse reared up, snorting in fear. “What genius left her next to a geyser? Maybe they hoped she’d get burned to a crisp before I found her.”

Ruhh laughed. “Of course not. Sable just wandered over to the juiciest grass. Hurry up and mount. I have something to show you.”

“What is it? I’m tired and not in the mood for games.”

“Wouldn’t you like to use your newfound freedom to explore?”

“Most definitely. But I need water, food, and a bath first.”

“Then I shall meet you near the fire moat in two hours. Follow the palace wall south from the exit Esen leaves your tower by. I’ll show you how to stop Arrowyn for good and not take the blame for his demise.”

“Oh?” A mix of shame and excitement churned inside me. That was what I wanted, wasn’t it? The Storm King’s death?

“Please come, Zali,” said Ruhh. “Make sure you bring the blood orchid petal with you.”

“How did you know—”

“I’m a spirit. I can travel anywhere. See everything. Trust me.”

Trust her? That was the last thing I should do. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued by her offer.

I mounted Sable and returned to my tower room to eat and bathe, not wasting time exploring the palace along the way, even though I longed to satisfy my curiosity. I was also keen to investigate how far through Taln’s boundaries I could travel before Melaya would arrive to punish me. But both those things could wait until tomorrow.

After a blissful bath and a brief nap, I dressed in a clean tunic from my closet, and then hurried down the tower stairs to meet the ghost princess, my mind still sluggish with sleep.

What remained of Ruhh’s gray-white skin shimmered under the moonlight as she floated out of the shadows near the palace wall. Above her, the night sky loomed, an indigo blanket threaded with glittering stars. Fireflies danced through the humid air, and in the distance, a geyser erupted, illuminating the trees near the edge of Fen Forest.

“Right on time, Princess,” she said as I picked my way around rocks on the dark, uneven terrain. “Did you bring the petal?”

Raising a brow, I patted my pocket and let Ruhh guide me through the darkness to the fire moat that ran behind the palace. Lava flowed over the moat’s edge, tumbling off the nearby sea cliffs, down into the glowing mouth of a cave set into the rocks. I grabbed hold of a boulder and leaned forward, squinting into the dark as I tried to make sense of what I saw.

“Don’t ask,” Ruhh said. “The less you know about what happens in that cave the better.”

Of course her comment only increased my curiosity, but the cave would have to wait, too. “What did you want to show me?” I asked.

Ruhh floated closer, damp air enveloping me as she stroked her fingers through my hair. “When rubbed on your skin, the orchid petal will make you invisible, just like your reaver’s cloak.”

“I thought they were poisonous.” I really shouldn’t trust her. She could be lying, but if what she said was true, invisibility was a useful weapon.

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