Page 71 of A Blaze of Fire
I tensed in her grip as a million scenarios raced through my mind. As terrible as what I imagined, nothing could have prepared me for the painful reality that was about to unfold.
Sage pushed us toward the door frantically. “Go! Now! I’ll try to do what I can from here—”
She didn’t get to finish.
“Ah, our guest of honor has arrived!” The King’s voice boomed around us and the crowd erupted in deafening cheers.
Sage released me. Alarmed, I peered into her eyes, which were full of pity as she blended into the crowd and disappeared. Confused, I stumbled when Alec clasped my hand and led me to the front of the room. We stopped in front of the King’s throne and bowed. I moved mechanically, unaware of my surroundings. When the music faded away, I noticed the crowd looking on with undisguised delight.
The King sat in his throne with Kazimir in his customary spot by his right. However, I was surprised to see Ansel standing at his left. I couldn’t stop the frown that covered my face at the sight of him, but he refused to meet my gaze. Ansel was purposefully ignoring me. Unease slid down my spine with icy tendrils.
Alec squeezed my hand tightly, lending the only source of comfort I had in that moment. My heart raced a mile a second, waiting for the shoe to drop. Because if Sage’s dire warning was any indication, something bad was about to go down.
“We’re all here to celebrate the return of the last dragon!” the King yelled, delighting in the crowd’s excited cheers. “And there can’t be a celebration without gifts … Behold! A tribute to our long-lost dragon!”
My stomach churned as I waited with sick anticipation for what was to come.
“Lower the cage,” the King commanded. His face held a nasty smirk.
I watched as a blanket-covered cage above us was slowly lowered to a spot between the King and us, hovering a few feet off the ground.
“I searched far and wide for this gift, Lady Violet. I hope you enjoy it.” The King grinned as the shroud was removed and its occupant was revealed.
The blood drained from my face and I collapsed to the ground, still holding Alec’s hand. He’d never met or seen my mother, but our faces were identical. There was no denying who she was. Her hair was disheveled, and she had a gag in her mouth to keep quiet. As soon as she saw me, she ran to the bars of the cage and reached out to me, trying to scream my name. Stunned and horrified, I was rooted to the spot.
One person knew her location. Only one.Ididn’t even know it. My gaze traveled to Ansel standing beside the King. He was emotionless and still, refusing to meet my eyes.
A tear slid down my face and I felt his betrayal like a dagger in the heart. But instead of sitting on the ground crying, I got angry. Really,reallyangry.
After quickly scanning my mother and determining she wasn’t injured, I stood and ripped my hand out of Alec’s grip.
“Violet!” he whispered in warning.
I heard the crowd’s murmurs as a distant buzz. They didn’t know who the woman in the cage was and were baffled, trying to make sense of my angry reaction.
I slowly stalked around the cage, ignoring my mother’s desperate pleas. There was only one target in sight. I ignited my hands and arms and flung fire from my palms in a wild, uncontrollable stream accompanied by a guttural scream that seethed with rage, the sound reverberating throughout the throne room and shattering the crystal flutes, chandeliers, and vases.
My former lover, Ansel blocked my barrage of fire with a shield made of rock. Undeterred, I did something I never thought I’d be able to do. I slammed my fist on the ground with such fury, the floor rippled and Ansel’s shield disintegrated in front of him.
That was the first time I’d used my earth elemental magic.
Ansel’s green eyes were wide and he stared at me with true fear.
“You don’t understand, Violet,” he started. “There’s a reason—”
When I opened my mouth to funnel fire into his face, Alec threw himself in front of me and enveloped me in a crushing embrace.
“Violet, stop!” he pleaded. One arm was wrapped around my waist and the other held my head against his chest. The fire that had already begun to stream out of my mouth sizzled against his clothes and slowly burned out.
I sagged in his arms but refused to cry. “I’ll kill him,” I promised, my voice muffled against his chest.
“I can’t let you do that,” Alec whispered. I stiffened in his arms. “For his sake and for yours,” he clarified. “We don’t know what’s going on. Let’s find out first and react later.”
I turned my head to see my mother, who watched the unfolding scene with wide eyes full of surprise and a little fear. I’d never wanted her to see me like this. A monster.
“Are you calm?” Alec asked. All I could do was nod my head. Slowly, he pulled away and turned to face the King, keeping me behind him and blocking my view. “What is the meaning of this? Are you threatening her?” his voice boomed.
The crowd gasped and the whispers began. I knew what Alec was doing. The Unseelie wouldn’t stand for the King threatening their dragon.
