Page 37 of A Heart of Crimson Flames
“Don’t you ever sleep?” I asked, surveying them from head to toe. They wore a deep purple dress embroidered in giant sunflowers and evergreen sprigs. Beaded earrings hung from their lobes and silver and gold bangles ringed their wrists. Their face was fully painted, making them look more like they were about to attend a ball than sit in the forest by themself.
“I missed this,” they said with a shrug. “I wasn’t able to dress myself how I like for a very, very long time when I was a prisoner. I’m enjoying my freedom now.”
I hadn’t considered that. How simple it felt to me to be able to rim my eyes with kohl and wear my favorite knife belts. How so much of one’s identity could be stripped away with the control Nero was imposing on the humans of his court.
“Not to mention I’m a nighttime creature, much like your kind,” Ora added, their eyes crinkling with warmth. “I’m used to keeping all sorts of hours in this job, performing until the sun rises.”
I grunted an acknowledgment and wandered closer into the pool of moonlight that filtered through the tall trees.
Ora kept their eyes fixed on the oxen as they said, “I already know what you’re going to ask me.”
“Then you already know I won’t take no for an answer,” I countered, folding my arms around me and smoothing down my pebbled cold skin.
Ora chuckled, a smile tugging at their ruby lips. “You are exceptionally fierce, Sadie Rauxtide.”
“I’m also exceptionally right,” I pushed. “We need to see what these songs can do. We don’t need to hunt monsters across the desolate regions of Aotreas. We don’t need to master every species. We just need to learn to control one.”
“You’re right,” they said with a shrug. “If Rasil gets even a whiff of this knowledge, though...” Their eyes grew vacant, leeching their warmth. “Like so many of the magics we protect, we protect them for a reason. I am afraid if anyone besides us learns of the bounds of this power, it could destroy us all.” They slicked their obsidian hair off their face, their jewelry tinkling at the movement. “I never wanted this, you know—humans versus Wolves. Songs versus howls. It should have never been this way. But people who want peace and harmony are often too placid to fight those who want power. I’m afraid we’re going to need to bemore fearsome if we’re going to bring this world back. We’ll need to make sacrifices.”
Their eyes finally lifted to mine and I met their gaze. “Which is why we need to figure out how to do this. Just you and me,” I said with a nod. “If you could control Nero...”
Ora’s throat bobbed. “Too long the Wolves have controlled the humans, but I do not like the idea of the humans controlling the Wolves, either.” They sighed. “This power cannot go unchecked. I love my people, but there’s a reason these songs were hidden from the hungry eyes of people like Rasil.”
“Do you see our cause as the same as his? If ever there was a time to use these songs, it is now,” I urged. “This moment in time is why they weren’t destroyed completely. Humans might not exist at all if we don’t stop Nero.”
Ora hung their head, and I knew I’d won. “I don’t know how far we can push this, but we can try.”
“Thank you for trying.”
With even that small sense of relief, I stepped behind a tree and tugged off my nightdress. I shifted, the change taking me quickly as I relished the delicious feeling of being in my furs under the swollen moon. I prowled back out and stood in front of Ora.
They shook their head. “It will never stop being miraculous, seeing you do that.” They pulled their wooden pipe from the bag beside them. “You ready?”
I nodded.
Ora was about to lift their instrument to their lips when Navin stormed through the forest. “Stop,” he growled, sounding wolfish and predatory in his own right.
He was shirtless, only in his light linen trousers, his hair still mussed from sleep. I swore he grew an inch with each step, reminding me just how tall and formidable he truly was.
He glared at Ora. “How could you do this?”
Ora didn’t look ashamed, just calm and a little forlorn. “This is bigger than either of us, Navin,” they said. “I know you love her.”
“I don’t just love her,” Navin spat. “She is my song, Ora. Have you forgotten what that means? What she means to me?”
Ora’s eyes bracketed with sorrow. “I know exactly what it means. And I know you will lose her, Navin. We will all lose each other if something isn’t done.”
“I don’t like this,” Navin ground out, standing in front of me and crossing his arms.
I darted back to the tree, shifting as I ran, and yanked back on my nightdress.
“Iwanted to do this,” I said, even as my throat was still reforming. “Iasked them to do this for me.” I stood in front of Navin with my arms crossed.
“There’s death in the air. Monsters with a vendetta against us.” He glared at me. “You snuck out of bed. I woke up and you were gone. I—”
“I’m sorry,” I said, placing a hand on his chest. And I was. For someone who had been alone for so long, it was strange to have to consider another when making a decision. I hadn’t, and I realized how much that must hurt.
His hand instantly lifted to cover it, holding me to his warm bare skin. His head dropped, his eyes closing for a second to ground himself in my touch. I knew he was trying to win the battle with his anger.
