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Jade visited Corvin a few times in the healing room while he recovered. While she was there, the healers also treated her burns from the fire tournament and with their medicines, her shoulder healed completely.
When Corvin finally gained consciousness, Jade asked how he was feeling.
"I feel a bit strange," Corvin said. "My heart is beating so fast... like the speed of a train."
"Is that normal?" Jade asked the healer, worried. The healer assured her that he was fine.
"I am sorry. You are here because of me," Jade said. "If you hadn't been helping me in the dungeon, you could have escaped with Raven in time."
"My sister told me what you did for her, how you protected her," Corvin said. "It was the least I could do."
Jade blushed.
Aeron was listening too. He hadn't said a word to her in days and just spoke to Corvin.
"Has anyone come to get you?" Aeron asked him.
"Not yet," Corvin replied.
"I wish I could help," Jade said, feeling guilty. "But I don’t know how."
"Don't worry about me and Raven, you should worry about your sister," Corvin said. "We will be fine. We will find a way."
Aeron nods to Corvin, but avoids looking at Jade. She tried not to let it bother her.
Aeron watched over Corvin like a hawk. Whenever someone tried to take Corvin away, Aeron appeared like magic and stopped them.
Jade wondered how long he could stop them from sending Corvin to the front lines.
She tried to think of a way to get both Corvin and Raven out of the fire realm, but she didn’t know the layout of the palace, nor did she have time to find out. The security was intense, with fire soldiers everywhere and her week-long stay was ending.
Jade was eager to go to the ice realm to find her sister, but she couldn’t leave without feeling guilty about Corvin and his sister.
She wished she had sent Kyle a message, but doubted that even the rebels could help them inside Helios, the heavily fortified capital of the fire realm.
The room Jade was staying in the palace was bigger than her house, but as days passed, it was feeling like a golden cage. She didn’t know where Aeron’s room was or if he even had a room.
For all she knew, he might spend the night wandering around the palace like a miserable ghost.
A hauntingly beautiful ghost.
The day of the send-off banquet arrived, and Jade wanted it to be over as soon as possible.
She was wearing the beautiful green dress that Prince Cinaed sent to her room earlier that day, with a hand-written note saying, ‘It matches your eyes.’
Her father taught her not to accept gifts from strangers, but she already knew that this gift came with strings attached and she had no choice but to accept it grudgingly.
Despite her new dress and the title of the guest of honor, Jade still felt out of place in the opulent grand hall. There was a ridiculous amount of food piled on the tables, even greater than the last time she was there.
When she first entered the room, Aeron looked at her, stunned. He looked as spellbound as she was the first time they spoke to one another. Jade couldn’t help but smile.
Before the feast started, Prince Cinaed asked for her hand, “Will you dance with me?”
Was it a trick? With him, she couldn’t be sure.
Aeron, who had barely spoken to her since she told him about her father, interrupted the crown prince. “The tradition states that the guest of honor chooses their dance partner.”
“I know the traditions. What is your point?” the crown prince said with irritation.
“I am asking Jade for the first dance... if she accepts,” he said.
His request perplexed Jade. Was he trying to save her, or was he doing it to vex the crown prince?
Cinaed raised an eyebrow, but said, “It is up to the lady then. I am curious to know, will she choose a tramp or a prince?”
“I choose neither,” Jade said, as both boys looked at her with surprise. “I want a dance with the fire king.”
There was an audible gasp from a court member who had been eavesdropping on their conversation. Aeron glared at him and he scampered away quickly, his feet moving as if his life depended on it.
“A dance with the king? Your ambition is surprising,” the crown prince said, grinning. “I think I like you even more.”
“It is nothing like that,” Jade said, blushing. "You misunderstand me."
It was the only opportunity she would get to talk to the king.
“I only tease,” Cinaed said with a wicked grin. “Your blush is exquisite to witness.”
Jade furtively glanced at Aeron to see his reaction, but his expression was unreadable. It was almost as if the conversation bored him, but his hands were turned into tight fists.
Was he angry? Jade thought. Or was he actually jealous?
“The king is not here so you have to choose one of us, oh pretty one,” the crown prince said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“What do you mean, he is not here?” Jade asked. Not once in her week’s stay did she meet the king, but since the palace was so big, she just thought she missed seeing him.
“He doesn’t live in this palace, but somewhere else... for security reasons,” Cinaed replied.
For his security or ours? Jade wondered.
“Can I speak to him before I leave for the ice realm?” she asked.
It was the only chance she would get to talk to King Cyrus about freeing Corvin.
“I will arrange a meeting with him, if he agrees to it, but first the dance,” the crown prince said, impatiently. “Who will it be?”
Jade turned towards Aeron but he had disappeared.
The crown prince came near and whispered in her ears, “Don’t look for that coward. He only cares about himself.”
That is not true, a voice whispered in her mind, but since Aeron wasn’t there, she ignored it.
Without a word, Jade extended her hand to the prince. Prince Cinaed took it gently and kissed the back of it. His lips lingered on her hand, and he gave her a devilish smile. He faced the court and announced, “We shall start the first dance!”
The courtiers politely clapped for their prince. There were a few girls that were visibly upset with his announcement, and some were openly glaring at Jade.
Jade ignored their jealous stares. They could all have him, she thought. She didn’t come here to steal their precious prince.
Cinaed put his hand on the small of her back and brought her closer. Jade could feel her temperature rising. They danced slowly to the music playing in the background.
Cinaed was looking closely at her; the gold rim around his dark eyes was startling. The way he looked at her was how Jade imagined a predator stalking a prey.
“Remember our deal?” he asked in a low voice.
“How could I forget?” Jade replied. “You asked me to kill someone.”
Cinaed looked at her with amusement.
“I am almost sorry you are going with him,” Cinaed said.
“Why? Aren’t you eager to get rid of him?”
“Clever girl. Of course I am,” Cinaed said as he dipped her low. “But I am not keen to part with you.”
Jade blushed again. “I am curious. Why do you want to get rid of him?”
“He is a nuisance,” Cinaed replied haughtily. “Spend time with him and you will itch to get rid of him, too.”
He twirled her and brought her close in his arms again. “Jade... the daughter of a hero and the daughter of a traitor,” Cinaed said. “You are an enigma.”
“There is nothing special about me, I assure you,” Jade said, trying to divert his intense gaze away from her.
“On the contrary, I find myself lost in your puzzle, oh pretty one,” Cinaed said. “First, you break my strongest soldier like he was nothing- Oh, I know all about that- then you win the fire tournament. I know a winner when I see one... You are as hungry as I am.”
“Hungry for what?” Jade asked.
Cinaed leaned in closer and whispered in her ears, “For everything.”
Jade blushed. “I just want to save my sister,” she said.
“What about after that?” Prince Cinaed asked. “Would you be content to live a life of anonymity? It won’t be possible now that you have shown what you are capable of, my darling.”
Jade kept silent, but the prince seemed to read her thoughts. “If you try to hide, Jade, I will find you,” he said. His voice became a deathly whisper, “You can’t run anymore, especially not from me.”
The dance slowed and then ended. The crown prince gave her a bow before leading her back to her table.
To her surprise, Cinaed remained a gentleman through it all, despite the tone of their conversation. They might have talked about murder, but he treated her like a princely host.
The crown prince raised a toast to her. “I expect great things from you, Jade,” Prince Cinaed said, grinning. Jade nodded politely in return and raised her glass to him.
Prince Cinaed sipped his wine and looked quietly at Jade.
I know it will be you, Jade; he thought. I know you will be the one to destroy him.
——-
An admirer distracted Prince Cinaed for a few moments and Jade took the opportunity to escape. She stood outside on the balcony when she heard Aeron’s voice.
He emerged from the shadows like a wraith and stood by her side.
“Are you ok?” Aeron asked. “What did he say to you?”
“You didn’t seem so concerned when you left me to dance with him,” Jade said. “Why worry now?”
“I know Cinaed is a scoundrel, but even he won’t do anything foolish in public,” Aeron replied. “Fragile as it may be, he has an image to maintain as crown prince.”
What Aeron said wasn’t untrue, but Jade was still irritated that he abandoned her.
“You seem to know a lot about him?” Jade asked.
“Everyone does,” Aeron replied.
“What about you?” Jade asked.
“What about me?”
“What do people know about you?”
“Nothing. There is not much to know,” Aeron said stiffly.
“I beg to differ. You reached the finals of the fire tournament,” Jade said. “I was there, and I barely made it alive.”
“That was only because I knew my opponent’s weaknesses,” Aeron said. “And I used my strength to my advantage.”
“And what might that be?”
“Strategy. Patience,” Aeron said. “The fire realm’s fighters aren’t patient since fire runs through their veins. I wore them down and waited for the right moment to strike.”
Just like she did. Maybe they were more alike than she thought?
“So, patience is your strength,” Jade said. “I wonder what your weakness is.”
“I hope you never find out,” Aeron said, surprising her.
“Why is that?”
“Because the moment you find out, we will all be dead,” Aeron said in a grim voice.
Jade couldn’t respond to his bone-chilling statement as Cinaed’s soldiers came to get her. They announced that her visit to the king was now.
Cinaed was keeping his promise? It surprised her.
Aeron looked like he had a question. A question that was burning him up inside.
“What is it?” Jade asked.
“Why are you meeting the king?” he asked.
“Why wouldn’t I meet him?”
“Shouldn’t you hate him?” he asked.
“I should hate him, but I don’t,” Jade said.
“But why? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Why? Because I won’t let what happened in the past cloud my judgement."
"But your mother died because of him..."
"My mom is the reason why I don't hate him. She was the one who taught me that life is what happens to you, but also what you let happen,” Jade said. “I don’t want hate to be the feeling that wakes me up every morning. My father did that and I watched it consume him.”
Aeron was silent for a few moments. “Do you forgive the fire king?” he asked.
“No... I do not,” Jade replied. “But perhaps someday I will? If only for my peace... if only for my sake and for that of my loved ones.”
Aeron listened to her quietly but made no effort to join her. Jade took it to mean she was meeting the king on her own. Again, Aeron acted aloof, but Jade swore he looked sadder than before.
As the soldiers took her to the king, Jade pondered Aeron’s words. What was his weakness? And why was it such a deadly secret?
Was this the reason Cinaed wanted to get rid of him?
———-
The soldiers took her through a series of tunnels underneath the royal palace. Jade was astonished when the paths led to the fire mountain.
The sky was an eerie orange, and the heat was almost unbearable.
The soldiers kept walking until they were climbing on a set of stairs at the side of the mountain. The stairs ended in front of a dark cave lit inside with torches; the flames flickering ominously on the walls.
By the time they emerged from the cave, it was nighttime, and she could see the moon glowing in the sky.
There were no words to capture what Jade saw. What she had thought to be just a mountain held a small wonder in its midst.
There was a large rock column in the middle, with a castle on top of it. A vast chasm separated the castle from the edge of the cave. She saw angry red lava flowing underneath.
The castle shone a metallic blue grey, grander still under the moonlit sky. Jade gulped. She felt like an ant up there; the winds threatening to make her slip from the cave’s edge.
How was the rock column and castle holding up inside a volcano?
It must be powerful magic, she concluded.
A metal bridge extended from the column where the castle was to the nearest edge of the cave.
Why does he live out here? Jade wondered.
The soldiers kept still, so Jade crossed the bridge on her own.
She didn’t look at the chasms on either side, though she thought she could feel the air ripple with the lava’s heat. As soon as she reached the castle, the bridge was drawn back again.
There were several floors, the lowest reserved for the servants. They seemed to be on edge and were talking to each other in whispers, afraid to make any loud noises.
The servants guided her to the library, and left as quickly as they came. Jade surveyed the library while she waited for the king. It was a beautiful library, with mahogany shelves filled with gold-foiled volumes of books.
The walls were bare, except for the large painting of an angelic-faced prince. He was the sun personified, everything from his sunny smile to his golden eyes. There were scorch marks on his arms, but they were golden and ethereal instead of shadowy and serpentine.
There was a glass case in front of the painting. Jade peeked inside to see an intricately carved knife, with symbols of the sun etched on it.
“That is Aurelius, the sun prince, and that is his knife, Deianira.”
It was King Cyrus.
“Aurelius? I hadn’t seen a portrait of him until now,” Jade said. Although she observed that there were many portraits of Fireborne throughout the palace. “Why was his knife called Deianira?”
“This is Aurelius’ castle, built for him by his father,” King Cyrus replied. “His knife was called Deianira, or destroyer, the only object in this world that could defeat him. He carried it with him at all times. This, of course, is only a replica.”
“Why would he keep such a weapon on him?” Jade asked. “Shouldn’t he hide it somewhere to be safe?”
“Aurelius had no enemies. He feared no enemies,” King Cyrus said. “Why did he carry it? According to legend, the sun prince wanted to give his greatest weapon to his true love, as a sign of his devotion and trust.”
“What happened to the original?” Jade asked.
“Deianira went missing the day Aurelius went to see moon’s daughter, Selene. Neither the knife nor the sun prince were ever seen again,” King Cyrus said.
“What about his guardian? Didn’t he go looking for him?” Jade asked.
“Sol went looking for him but couldn’t find him. When he returned, Sol was so distraught that he locked himself in this castle. It was only after a month did he emerge and became the fire king, Fireborne, for his people,” King Cyrus said.
Jade had many more questions, but now was not the time to ask them.
“Why did you want to see me?” the king asked, his voice contemplative.
"Prince Cinaed lowered the age requirement of soldiers to sixteen, even forcing those without fire abilities to join," Jade said. "Did you know that?"
"We need soldiers for the war," King Cyrus said. "This was his solution. My son will oversee their proper training."
So does King Cyrus trust Cinaed? Either the son was fooling the king, or the king was fooling himself by trusting him.
"Is this why you came to see me?" he asked.
“I want you to stop this war,” Jade said. "You are losing people, harming animals, and destroying lands by continuing it."
“You are not the first to ask for it,” the king said. “And you won’t be the last.”
“Why do you fight? What do you have to gain from it?” Jade said. “If neither you or the ice queen stops, our world will turn into a wasteland.”
“You won the fire tournament to complete my task,” the king said. “I want to know, will you kill the ice queen?”
“I don’t want to kill her,” Jade said.
“I admire your honesty,” the king said. “But we must kill the ice queen. I cannot rest until she is dead!”
Jade stayed silent at the outburst, as the king paced the room in agitation.
This was the king that her mother thought could be saved? The famous King Cyrus of the fire realm. Jade couldn’t help but feel discouraged about how their conversation was going.
Jade hadn't even asked him about freeing Corvin, and she wasn't sure if the king would listen.
“Will you answer a question truthfully?” he asked.
Jade nodded her head ever so slightly. She couldn’t think of what the king might ask.
“You think I am mad, don’t you?” King Cyrus asked.
“I don’t,” Jade replied, surprised by his question. “I am just trying to understand your reasons.”
“The ice queen wants us all dead. I am trying to stop her," King Cyrus said, irritated. “What is left to understand?”
“How can you be so certain?” Jade asked. “The ice queen hasn’t openly attacked your realm. She has stayed on her side for nearly fifty years.”
“I am certain because I have seen it,” King Cyrus said.
“Seen it?” Jade asked. “As in a vision or a dream?”
Maybe he is mad? She thought. Jade wasn’t sure she could keep on believing the king was sane.
“Yes, I have seen it!” King Cyrus said. “I can show it to you, too.”
With that, he turned and started walking quickly. Jade was startled at his abrupt departure, but followed him before she lost him.
Jade knew the king wanted her to follow him when he stopped several times for her to catch up. The king took her to the room at the top of the castle. It was empty, except for a large trunk by the window.
The room was dark. The only source of light was the moon sneaking in through the barred window. The king reached into the trunk and brought out a cloth. Wrapped inside it was a mirror shard.
“Look into it,” King Cyrus demanded.
Jade complied with his strange demand. At first, Jade saw nothing but a reflection in the mirror. She saw her weary face, but nothing more.
“I don’t see anything,” Jade replied.
“Look closer!” Cyrus said.
Slowly, images started forming, but they were too blurry to see. Jade looked and looked and then gasped.
She saw a vast landscape of ice and snow. A huge clash of orange and brilliant blue, and then darkness.
Jade didn’t know what it meant.
“You saw it, didn’t you?” the king said, looking at her expression.
“I don’t know what I saw,” Jade said truthfully. “What is this mirror?”
“It tells the future,” King Cyrus said. “My ancestor snatched it from the first witch herself.”
“Can it show the present, too?” Jade asked. “I want to see my sister.”
“You can try,” King Cyrus said. “Perhaps then you will believe my words.”
He passed the bundle of cloth with the mirror shard in her hands. The image shifted again as Jade looked into it. She saw her little sister Kia, sitting on the floor, holding the hem of someone’s dress.
Kia’s lips were blue, and she was shivering violently.
“Oh Kia!” Jade exclaimed. “My little sister... she is freezing to death.”
“The ice witch will do the same to us all,” King Cyrus said. “You saw the darkness, so you know why I can't risk being in the battle myself. Do you believe me now?”
Jade nodded her head in a daze. She couldn’t see anything except her little sister, freezing to death by the feet of the ice queen.
“I have to leave now. I need to save my sister!” Jade said.
“Be careful of the witch’s words,” the king said. “Do not believe her lies. Kill her before she casts her spell on you.”
Jade was about to leave, but she stopped.
“Why did you tell me all this?” she asked the king. Jade had a feeling she was the first one he had shown the mirror to.
“I know you are Adalynn’s daughter,” King Cyrus said in a low voice.
He knew who she was.
“How did you know?” she asked, carefully.
“You have her voice,” King Cyrus said with a sad expression. “And she used to look at me the same way you are looking at me now,” he said.
“How?”
“Like I am not mad. Like you can save me,” King Cyrus replied. “Don’t bother... that false hope got her killed. Stay as far away from this realm as you can, even if you kill the witch.”
His words shook Jade to the core. "But your majesty..."
The king then grabbed Jade’s hands in his and pleaded, “Do not return here, child. This is no place for someone like you.”
Jade nodded her head, stunned. Aeron had said the same words to her.
“One last thing before you leave...” the king said.
“Yes?”
“Save the boy,” the king said. “The one who is leaving with you.”
There was desperation in the king’s eyes. He looked so lost and weak.
“I will,” Jade replied. “I promise.”
——-
While Jade was away to the fire mountain to see his father, Cinaed called Gonan into his study. He took one look at his broken nose and burst out laughing.
“Why are you laughing, your highness?” Gonan asked, confused.
“When you said someone beat you to a pulp, I thought it was someone twice your size... but it turned out she wasn’t even half!” Cinaed said.
“She caught me by surprise!” Gonan protested.
“And you were drunk. Yes, I heard your excuses before,” Cinaed said with a wicked grin. “What is stopping you from killing her now?”
“Your orders?” Gonan said, confused. “You didn’t want me to harm her.”
“Do you want to harm her?” Cinaed asked.
“I won’t disobey your orders,” Gonan said.
“Such loyalty! You are my favorite for a reason,” Cinaed said with satisfaction. “Despair not, dear Gonan, for you can soon have your revenge.”
“You want me to kill the girl?” Gonan said, surprised. “But why? I thought that you...”
“Such a simple mind you have,” Cinaed said wickedly. “That is why I favor loyalty over a shrewd mind. If you were any smarter, I would have to watch my back. Getting rid of her and that tramp brother of mine is part of a bigger plan.”
Gonan grinned. “What are you thinking, your highness? What do you have in mind?”
“Wait until the two of them cross into the ice realm and then make sure they never return,” Cinaed said. “When our ‘peace ambassadors’ go missing, we can openly declare war on the ice queen. With his favorite gone, maybe father will finally step into battle himself. This war can finally end.”
“You believe we will win?” Gonan asked.
“If father doesn’t kill the ice queen, then I will,” Cinaed said. “Or if he stops her, he will be too weak to stop me.”
“You will kill your own father?” Gonan asked.
“I haven’t decided if I will kill him or capture him and make him my puppet. That is for later,” Cinaed said, waving his hand dismissively. “So, are you clear on the plan?”
“Wait for the two to cross the border into the ice realm and then make them disappear?” Gonan said, smiling. “I will do it with pleasure.”
“Excellent. Make sure you leave no signs back to yourself, or back to me.” Cinaed said. “Leave now and don’t let them out of your sight.”
Gonan bowed and left to gather his men for the mission.
“When you asked to see the king, I thought he would refuse.... but he didn’t,” Cinaed said to himself. “I didn’t want to do this, Jade, but you left me with little choice. My only concern was Aeron.... now, I will get rid of you both.”
“It was so easy to smear my brother’s name when he ran away. People of the fire realm forgot who he was and remembered him only as a coward. If he acts noble and brave now, then that will be a different story. Aeron will take away everything that I have worked hard for.”
Cinaed stood up from his desk and walked to the window. He could see himself reflected in the windowpane; the golden rim of his eyes glowed menacingly.
He raised his hand and a small orb of fire ignited and hovered over his palm. He twisted and turned his hand, playing with the fire he created.
“You should know this, Jade. I will not tolerate any threats to my throne... be it now, or ever,” the prince said. “I am Cinaed Fireborne, and I will protect what is mine.”
Cinaed closed his palm, and the fire put out, leaving behind a smoky trail.
Despite trying not to, the memory of Jade dancing with him snuck into his mind. The way she felt in his arms. Her beautiful face and her soft, alluring lips.
It ignited a fire in him greater than any he felt before.
Cinaed paused. Perhaps he was being too hasty? The smart thing would be to plan for any and all eventualities.
“Unless,” he mused. “Unless... despite everything, you still survive.. then, my darling, you will truly be worthy of being by my side. I will make you my fiery queen... Jade, the jewel of my new kingdom.”
———-
There was chaos everywhere when Jade returned to the palace after her meeting with King Cyrus. Fire soldiers rushed past her, shouting to one another as they frantically searched the royal grounds.
“What happened?” Jade asked one of them.
The soldier narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, but when he recognized her as the king’s champion, he relaxed.
“A prisoner escaped from the healing room,” the soldier replied, slightly out of breath.
Jade felt a ray of hope. “Who was it?”
“It was that kid, the one that Teman hit with the paralyzer gun,” he said, before rushing past her. “Be on the lookout!” he said to the others.
So Corvin escaped? Jade felt relieved, like a heavy weight had just got off her shoulder. When Jade saw her sister in the mirror shard, she was so distraught that she forgot to ask King Cyrus for Corvin’s freedom.
Jade hoped that Corvin and his sister would escape the fire realm and make it safely to the rebel base. Now she could go find her sister in peace.
She wanted to talk to Aeron, but he was missing. She wondered if he escaped, too.
Would it matter if he did? A voice said in her head.
No, not at all...
Maybe?
It’s crazy. I should stop thinking about him. I have other things to worry about, she thought. But she couldn’t help notice something odd.
No matter what she tried to do, it all led back to him.
First, it was the oracle that asked her to find him, and now she was stuck yet again in another predicament because of him. The king made her promise to protect Aeron, but Cinaed expected her to kill him.
One royal wanted her to save him, and the other wanted him dead... but why?
What was so special about him?
His haunting voice, his deeply moving eyes, his sorrowful expression, a voice said in her head.
Jade was getting more entangled in his mystery.
Aeron could have won the tournament, she was sure of it. He made it to the final rounds through his strength and skill.
Yet, he didn’t even try to stop her.
Aeron stopped trying the moment he saw the king. At first, she thought it was because of Prince Cinaed, but later realized it was the king that affected him the most.
The king's presence paralyzed Aeron in the arena.
What was his story? What was the connection?
She could ask him, but she doubted Aeron would tell her anything.
And her sister... Kia was the reason she came here, and now she wasn’t sure if it did any good. Her little sister was alone with the ice queen, freezing to death.
Didn’t Prince Cinaed say that the ice queen had found her heir? Then why did she still keep Kia?
Why didn’t she let her sister go?
Jade wished she could hold her sister in her arms and make every bad thing that happened to her disappear.