Touch of Flame

Nazneen was exhausted after a sleepless night, knowing that Ares was gone somewhere and that she wasn't sure about his safety. Although his men had found the letter he left behind, she couldn't shake the growing sense of unease that gnawed at her. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, each more dreadful than the last. What if something had happened to him? What if he was in danger? Could Ephraim be trusted?

She should not have let him go alone! She was so annoyed and angry with herself.

"Nazneen," Ravina spoke to her softly, breaking her out of the battle inside her head. She realized she had been sitting in front of the dresser, her hair still tangled. "Here, let me help you." Ravina took the comb from her and gently brushed through her hair. "Ares was a pirate. I would say he still is. He will be just fine." She assured.

"He is somewhere where I can't even find him," Nazneen said.

She could see Ravina's thoughts spinning in her head before she forced a smile. "We will have to trust him and wait. He must have a reason for leaving a letter and disappearing."

Nazneen sighed. She didn't know anymore. Ares was still somehow a mystery to her, but he had promised he would return quickly.

Downstairs, his men weren't worried at all, and everyone prepared for the last day of the trials. The results were also being summoned to see which ones were the final ones and in which categories they would be appointed. The prisoner she had spoken to,  Keth, and offered a deal to, agreed at last and joined the trials. He had a bit of a tough time because everyone knew what he had done. Nazneen could hear how some of them spoke ill about him and others even confronted him.

"You are lucky Queen Nazneen is merciful." They told him.

Merciful? No one had ever called her that. She was just trying to get information.

The trials ended and the sun set yet there was no sign of Ares. Nazneen didn't know what to do.

"Does he do this? Just leave a message and disappear?" She asked Noah.

He chuckled. "You are lucky if he leaves a message sometimes. He is very spontaneous sometimes, like when he just disappeared to stay with you."

She sighed. Of course, his men didn't worry then but... Ugh...

She went outside, shifted, and took a flight to calm down. As she took off further and further, she could feel the change in weather and smell the rain from far away. Soon they would have rain too. Once she felt better, she was back home and sat outside. She didn't know how long she sat there before she heard a familiar voice.

"You seem distressed."

She turned her head slightly and found Malachi in the courtyard. "What are you doing..." She was about to ask. "Ah... you missed your breedmate." She smirked. "She reeks less now."

Malachi remained serious and came to sit with her. "I heard there was an attack."

"Everything is under control now," she assured. "Except Ares is off to meet some half-breeds with dangerous weapons, and I don't know where they are."

Malachi frowned. "When did he leave?"

"Yesterday morning. Do you think he will be fine? Should I not worry?" Why was she asking him? But then again, he was the only other dragon she knew with a human breedmate. "I feel so stupid. I want to keep him but everyday I worry that maybe I am making a mistake. This is not his world. He is human! With dragons!"

Malachi leaned back against the backrest with a sigh. He looked slightly at the sky as if thoughtful. "Isn't the point to merge our worlds?"

She leaned closer, studying his expression as if looking for any hint of doubt. "Do you think it will work?"

He turned to her. "I have to think so," he said calmly. "I know you would like to believe that you can let him go but..." he leaned in and whispered. "We are too selfish." He grinned, and a smile tugged at her lips as well.

He returned to being serious. "They are not children. They can make their own decisions, and they are not as weak as we think."

She nodded, relaxing. He sat with her for a while, which she appreciated, and they spoke a little about what she did with the trials. He had been focused on making some changes as well while Ravina was staying here with them.

"Anyway, I shouldn't keep you here. Ravina is upstairs," Nazneen told him. "And don't worry. She reeks less."

He just shook his head at her before leaving her to find his breedmate.

Ravina was folding her clothes, sitting beside her chest, while her thoughts were occupied with her sister. She had been eagerly waiting for Ares to return just to hear some good news, but now, even he was gone. She couldn't help but expect the worst because every time she thought she was close to finding her sister, it turned out to be wrong.

Six years! Six years of searching were torture. It crushed one's spirit over and over again. Feeling restless, she stood up and paced as she folded the clothes, placing them on different surfaces. Her mind was absent, but a at a certain point she saw a glimpse of a large figure reflecting on the window, and since she knew that danger could be around any corner, it was as if her body was prepared to fight. Without a second thought, she dripped the clothes, pulled the sharp pin out of her hair that she kept as a discreet weapon, and aimed for the neck as she turned around.

Of course, she prepared for a counterattack in case her first attack was blocked, which it was. A firm hand gripped her wrist, and before she could lift her knee to kick the person in the groin, he pulled her closer, and she stumbled forward, colliding with his chest.

She gasped but didn't panic, as she saw who it was right before she collided with him. She looked up just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

"Malachi?"

He smirked. "You are a lioness now."

She let out a breath of relief. "I could have stabbed you."

"Better safe than sorry," he said.

"Well, I would be sorry too."

While still holding her wrist with one hand, he reached for the pin with the other and pulled it out of her hold. Then gently he placed it back in her hair, "it looks better there," he said, reminding her of the first time she tried to stab him.

How things had changed. Back then, he had threatened her with finding her sister, and now he had looked for her without her even knowing.

"Malachi." She breathed, looking at him in a way he couldn't understand.

"Yes."

"I...I miss you."

Malachi's breath caught in his throat. He didn't expect this, and she seemed slightly surprised as well. Although he knew they had grown closer, and she had come to care for him, she was not one to express it verbally. His lonely night seemed to have paid off, and warmth spread through his chest.

He grabbed her face between his hands and said, "I missed you the moment you left."

She smiled as if pleased to hear that. "Is that why you're here?"

"Yes."

"I have to go back," he said, just to see her reaction.

A slight frown settled between her brows. "Now?"

"Yes," he tried his best to look sorry.

"But you just came?" She said.

He tried to hold back a smile. He was enjoying this too much. He shouldn't do this to her.

She looked down slightly, her voice lowering. "Can't you stay for a little while?"

He drew in a sharp breath. God, she was hard to resist, not that he was planning to do so.

"A kiss would make me stay," he told her.

She looked up, her eyes narrowing, and then she raised a brow. He almost chuckled.

"You are one greedy man."

"Only greedy for you."

She looked down again, her fingers playing with his vest. "If you stay, you will get more than a kiss." She held back a coy smile.

Oh! This woman was going to be his death!