Burning Vengeance
17.

She feels a new level of control and connection to her power. The flames from the fire whisper to her, almost as though accepting her fully for the first time.

Careful to aim away from Alarik, she throws a strong punch in the air. "Yah!" The flames hurtle forward, as though they are an extension of her arm, blasting a blackened hole into the stone wall.

"Fay....you...."

"I think..... I think I can control it now." The power pulses within her veins, as though it has its own heartbeat, its own lifeforce. It comes to her as though it's chosen her. "It feels amazing, like I am finally whole."

"It is amazing..... you are amazing."

Suddenly, she hears footsteps descending into the prison. Her heart skips a beat. "Is it.... dawn?"

"Fay, leave me. You can get away now."

"No. They're planning to execute you. I can't-" the footsteps are too close now. She closes her eyes and breathes her power away, donning her clothes again.

"Damn it." Alarik swears as he pulls on his pants, glaring at the ground. "If you don't get out of here, what is the point of any of this?"

"The point is that I find a way to free us both."

"Can't you see that's impossible?" He squeezes his eyes shut, practically shaking with fury. "Watching my brother hurt you like he did, it almost killed me. I can't go through that again. I can't let you go through that again."

The guards arrive at the door, armed to the teeth and scowling at them. "Well, if it isn't the false king and his human whore."

"Afraid time's up for you both. Lord Killian has.... quite a lot planned for you."

Alarik snarls as they open the cell, drawing closer to her. He whispers under his breath. "Fay, when they get close, I want you to run for that crack in the wall. You can make it."

"No. You're powerless in those chains, remember? You can't-"

"I don't care. Just do it."

The tallest guard draws closer, releasing his venomous fangs with a sickening smile. "I wonder.... with your power drained, what will dragon venom feel like in your veins, slave breeder?"

Her eyes flick to the candles on the wall, the power within her simmering just beneath the surface, waiting to be called forth. Letting her fear get the best of her, she sprints for the crack in the wall like Alarik ordered.

"Get her!"

"Go, Fay!" The last thing she sees as she squeezes through the hole is the tall guard sinking his fangs into Alarik's flesh. "Agh!" His screams echo, even through the thick wall that she scrapes through. Her heart twists in her chest as she tumbles out to safety. Guilty tears fleck her eyes. She sprints back into the castle and tries desperately to find her way back down to the cell.

When she finally makes it down to the cell, the guards are slumped at Alarik's feet as he writhes on the ground in pain.

"Alarik, how did you-"

"It took..... a lot of.... effort...." he screams. She quickly finds the guards' keys and frees him. When he released from the spelled bindings, his pain finally ebbs. He hits the ground, completely out of breath. "You came back. Why?"

"I couldn't leave you. I'm so sorry I ran in the first place."

"No, it's okay. I wanted you to." When he has enough strength, he pulls himself up. They both silently dress themselves in the guards' clothes. "Wait."

"What is it?"

Alarik points at the thin, gold chain that is her slave collar. "It's time you take that off. We don't need to hide you anymore. You don't need to masquerade as a slave for one more second of your life."

Her fingers trace the gold chain at her throat. "Alarik, can you take it off for me?" He nods. She turns around and allows him to slowly unclasp the golden collar from her throat. It falls to the floor. Her bare neck feels as light as air. She faces Alarik with a restored sense of freedom. "How do I look?"

His eyes trail over her uncollared throat, her thick leather armor....

"You look ready for anything that could come your way." He bows his head, leaving the cell with some unseen weight on his shoulders. She follows him.

"What's the matter?"

"What I just said: you look ready for anything that could come your way. And I'm afraid 'anything' is likely." He turns to face her again, his eyes like twin pools of blue fire in the darkness. "Just promise me you'll stay safe, no matter what. You'll defend yourself first."

"Alarik, I promise you that."

He lets out a sigh of relief, taking her hand in his. "Good. Now, let's go. Stay close to me. We need to act like Killian's guards."

Careful to match Alarik's movements, she marches side-by-side with him up through the great hall. A heaviness hangs in the air, a sense of forboding.

Dragons and humans alike make their preparations for the wedding, all the while keeping their heads low.

"Their fear. I can feel it."

"I can too." Suddenly, the doors to the throne room are blown open and bells are rung. "It's starting." She follows Alarik up into the throne room, her heart pounding in her chest. When she sees what's inside, her heart nearly fails to beat.

Celeste and Killian stand at the altar in matching, blood red finery. "It's time, my queen."

"At long last."

And below them, their heads bent over a pit of roiling dragonfire are ten chained, trembling slaves. "No...."

"P-please..."

"We've done nothing wrong...."

"My gift to you, my queen. To honor our union and my coronation... I'll sacrifice these offerings to the fire."

Something hard and terrible rises in Fay's throat. She shakes with anger beside Alarik. "That's cruel. Haven't these people been through enough?"

"He doesn't believe humans are people. He sees them as toys, to torture for his enjoyment."

Alarik's words almost replicate Mikhail's and she remembers his warning.

"What a thoughtful gift. Thank you, my lord."

"Anything for my bride."

With that, Celeste kisses Killian passionately, bending back as his tongue dives down her throat. The assembled crowd cheers. The humans below them whimper and weep. Celeste raises a brilliant gold crown high over Killian's head.

"If he puts that on, it's all over." Alarik growls.

She feels him tense beside her, feels the palpable fear waft from the helpless prisoners. "Then he won't put on that fucking crown."

"What?"

She charges forward, pulling a sword from her waist. "Shit." She looks around at the crowd and forces herself not to move from her post.

Celeste brings the crown down on Killian's head, but right before it hits his head, he laughs. The laugh is low and harsh, boiling up from deep inside him. He turns to face Fay and Alarik in the crowd. "You didn't think that disguise would work on me, did you?"

Guards descend on them, but Alarik fights them off, pulling her to the center of a tight circle they form. "You can't take what's not rightfully yours, brother."

"I was firstborn, Alarik. It is rightfully mine."

"You gave up that right when you lost your power and when you killed my brother."

"When I, what?" He quirks a brow.

"That's right. You slaughtered an innocent child, burned a small boy in order to prove your might. Well, look at how mighty you are now." She steps forward, standing taller than she ever has before in her life. "You are the husk of the king you could've been."

Something clicks for Killian then, a memory taking shape in his mind. "You..... you were the little brat in the barn, with that boy I burned."

"That's right. You're a child killer, not a king."

"The throne of a dragon is not decided by the death of one weak little welp."

"Really? Because the power left you that day. Someone judged your actions, you murderer."

A slow, unnerving grin stretches across Killian's face, far too wide. "If you insist on calling me a murderer, I best live up to my title." He walks to the captured slaves, grabbed the youngest one by the hair and thrusts her face close to the fire.

"No! Please, don't!"

"Killian, I'll kill you if you hurt her."

"You won't be able to, because you're human. It's time you learned your place." With that, Killian raises the girl's face over the fire, its spark spitting dangerously.

"Please!"

Fay wants more than anything to save her brethren, but her legs simply won't move. Cursing silently, she turns away. She hears the girl scream as Killian burns her cheek.

"Rraahh!" Faster than the speed of light, Alarik lunges for Killian, knocking the girl from his grip.

"Oh, should I use Fay instead?"

Alarik catches him by the throat and slams him to the ground. The stone cracks beneath him. "You won't hurt her again."

"I'm sure you believe that, Alarik, but can you really keep me at bay?" Killian raises his threatening hand, the same way he did the last two times he tortured Fay.

This time, Alarik knows what it means. He bites down hard on Killian's hand. "Try it again and I rip the damn thing off."

"You fucking bastard!" Killian grabs Alarik and they descend into chaos, throwing deadly blows at one another and wreaking havoc with their powerful bodies.

Fay dives out of the way as they come hurtling toward her, only to feel long nails around her arm. "You. You ruin everything you touch! Everything!"

"If you're referring to this wedding, it was tacky, anyway. You really don't want to embarrass yourself further by getting married in that ridiculous dress."

"Insulting me at a time like this? You really do have a death wish." Celeste throws her across the room as though she weighs nothing. Fay hurtles right into the throne with a crack. "You look surprised, Fay. What's the matter?" The dragon slides up the steps toward her, a snake-like grind sending a chill down the human's spine. "Did you forget I'm a dragon too? How very uncharitable. Here, let me show you just what I'm capable of!" Fay tries to run, but Celeste grabs her arm, pulling back on it until there's a click, snapping it out of place.

Pain explodes through her shoulder and she drops to her knees. Sensing her sudden urge of agony, Alarik turns away from his battle to find her. "Fay!"

"Alarik, I'm okay. Worry about yourself."

"Yes, Alarik. I'll take good care of her, don't worry." Celeste wraps her bejeweled nails around Fay's temple, pulling the girl into her chest. With lightning speed, she sinks her fangs into Fay's clavicle, releasing her venom. Searing pain, worse than a thousand stab wounds, rips through her. She screams and writhes, but the dragon holds her fast.

"You cold-hearted bitch. I'll kill you." Alarik races for Celeste, but Killian blocks his path.

"Going somewhere, brother? But we're not finished." As she twists in unspeakable agony, Killian lashes out at Alarik, nearly slicing his eye. He has no choice but to fight him.

"Poor little Fay. All on her own." Celeste licks her blood from her fangs, savoring it like fine wine. Then the dragon digs her sharp nails into the wound, expanding it and making her vision blur in her suffering. "You think you're in pain now? Oh, my dear, I'm just getting started. So," her eyes glint, delightfully cruel, whispering in Fay's ear. "I want to make all of Xander's dreams for you come true and then some." With the last of her stored strength, Fay takes the dragon's arm and sinks her teeth down into it. Celeste howls and throws her off. Fay hits the ground hard. "You little conniving cunt! I'll peel your skin off and make you eat it!" The female dragon begins to darken and shift, growing in size as she takes on her dragon form.

Fay crawls away, her mind racing, in far too much pain to think clearly. But like a small light in the darkness, the warmth of her power beckons to her once more. It seems to ground her against the chaos, offering a path to freedom. And a path to vengeance. Unable to control it, she turns and runs away from Celeste, but she's faster, flattening her to the ground with a lazy sigh. "Let's see. What would Xander have tried on you first? Perhaps we should remove this armor and-" but before she can finish, a haunting chant, hundreds of people deep, rises in the throne room. "What in the.....agh!!" Celeste suddenly clutches her head, running from the room in agony.

"What?"

The chanting grows louder, its melody dark and mysterious. As it rises, humans step out of the shadows. She recognizes the one in the lead. "Mikhail?"

"Dark magic. Killian's not the only one who's harnessed it." At his words, the chant grows even more intense. Killian's eyes grow wide and he thrashes out of Alarik's grip.

"No!" She thinks Killian will attack, but instead he soars upward, slamming through the ceiling and flying out of sight. "Get back h-"

Before Alarik can pursue his brother, his face twists in agony. Gasping, he struggles to stay upright, then hits the floor hard.

"Alarik, what's happening to you?"

"I..... I don't....."

"It's us. We're taking him down with our own harnessed power."

"What?" She raises her eyebrows in horror.

"Now's your chance, Fay. Kill the Dragon King."

Alarik's mouth falls open, his eyes widening in shock as Mikhail hands her the golden dagger once more. "Fay, what is this?"

"Go on, Fay. Take it and kill him." Mikhail and his army advance.

Alarik struggles to free himself, but he can't.

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