55. FIFTY-FIVE
FIFTY-FIVE
Darius
Mina’s transformation takes me by surprise. One moment she’s radiant, laughing, and carefree, her smile like liquid gold. The next, she spins in a panic, assessing a threat that doesn’t exist. Not one that I can find at least.
Cheers erupt as colored sparks fill the sky. Mina’s wide eyes turn toward the blossoming flames, and I realize what’s happening. I pull her closer to my chest and force her gaze to me.
“They are a celebratory gimmick. Controlled explosions that create artwork in the sky.”
Mina flinches at the next explosion. Red sparks rain down, disappearing into the wind before they reach us. She reaches for the next burst as if she can catch it, polished nails reflecting the next succession of colors.
“You don’t have them in Kalisham?”
“No.” Mina’s gaze remains glued to the sky. “I suppose your land has a magic of its own.”
Her wondrous smile reminds me of a child’s, unrestrained by the burdens of this life. Mina’s always beautiful, but in this moment, she transforms into the woman I imagine existed before her family fell.
The knowledge that I returned a piece of that to her makes the whole display worth it. Lady Elena’s proposal went through more safety measures than any other aspect of the evening. Staefan and I oversaw the construction and security of each skyflame bundle personally.
“How?” she asks.
I laugh and wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her back against my chest. I whisper against her neck, “I’ll show you the sketches and logistics in the morning. For now, just enjoy.”
She relaxes in my arms and brings her hand to my cheek, guiding me closer for a kiss, decorum be damned. The heavens burn above us but dim in comparison with the feeling burning its way through my chest. It’s heavy and light all at once.
I catalog the moment—Mina’s feminine scent, floral and light, the taste of lemon and sugar on her tongue, her smile when she pulls back from the kiss, a little dazed and content.
“Do you like it?” I ask, nodding to the sparks around us.
“I love it,” she whispers, kissing me again. “I was going to wait until midnight, but…”
Mina pulls out a small silk pouch and gives it to me. I dump the contents into my hand—a purple stone secured to a chain.
Mina’s hands shake as she takes the necklace and secures it around my neck.
“It’s the only thing I have left of my home. A token that’s kept me safe.”
Suddenly the small stone is as heavy as a boulder and more valuable than the riches of the world. I thought Mina traded all the amethysts from her dress for money.
She continues, “Now it will keep you safe. Two halves of my heart in one place.”
Moonlight kisses Mina’s cheeks as she looks up at me, soft lips tilting up in a smile that steals my breath. My heart nearly stops beating, willing time to freeze in this moment.
The explosions fade to a dull roar as all my senses drink her in. I cup the back of her neck and pull her in for a kiss. “It’s perfect. Thank you, Mina.”
“Happy birthday, my love.”
Before I can recapture her mouth, a loud bell shatters our moment.
All eyes turn to the woman standing on a small platform near the end of the dance floor.
“Lords and ladies, thank you all so much for attending tonight’s gala!” Lady Elena’s voice pulls us back to the present.
The weight of our surroundings returns. I put a respectable distance between Mina and me, but when she holds out her hand, I take it without hesitation. I have half a mind to end the gala and take her upstairs, but then we’ll miss the big finale.
Lady Elena continues, “To honor the unity of our emperor and his queen, Mina Ardeshir, we have one final display of skyflame.”
Applause drowns out the waves. I bury my annoyance, not wanting to ruin the moment. Lady Elena’s speech wasn’t part of the schedule, but not entirely unexpected. She loves the spotlight.
“Queen Mina, would you do us the honor of lighting the final display?”
My fingers tighten around Mina’s in warning. This is an unscheduled opening, an audible we didn’t prepare for.
No. I squeeze again.
Sliding her free hand across my chest, Mina nods ever so slightly.
“I would be honored to, but a selfish part of me wants to enjoy such a display with my husband.”
Laughter trickles around us. Mina straightens, her voice reaching a commanding but kind tone as easily as she glided across the dance floor. She leaves no room for debate.
“Tonight’s festivities were born and executed by Lady Elena. I cannot take credit for such a breathtaking display of elegance and joy. The honor of lighting the final display should fall to you. May they shine as brightly as you have in your accomplishments tonight.”
Mina claps her hands toward Lady Elena in congratulations and the crowd quickly joins.
Lady Elena casts a wayward glance behind us before dipping into a deep curtsy. As the crowd’s cheers grow, so does her ego. She smiles and waves like an actress on stage receiving a standing ovation.
Her rose costume—a gaudy red dress that has real flowers sewn into it—fans out as she spins and walks over to the line of powder to light the final display.
The mechanism for the skyflame is several paces behind her. A safe distance away on paper, but the powder itself is still dangerous. I made sure every grain was accounted for, and only the pyro specialist should be handling it as agreed upon.
The specialist in question hands her a torch. Lady Elena turns back to the crowd and raises her arms in triumph. The crowd feeds on her energy as she dramatically drops the flame to the powder. A small light travels farther up the beach, as Lady Elena covers her ears with a pearly smile.
The breath in my lungs stills until the line of fire successfully ignites without issue. Mina flashes me a relieved grin. She can scold me for worrying later, but for now we’ll enjoy the display.
Brilliant blue streaks toward the sky, but before reaching full height, the first explosion goes off. I pivot, burying Mina into my chest and away from the flames.
The premature detonation sends sparks back to the display box, igniting the other skyflames. Instead of flying up, the explosions send each spiral of color out, striking the beach near Lady Elena before reaching the crowd.
Cheers morph into horrified screams as people scatter toward the buildings and down the beach.
Everywhere the skyflame touches, sparks of flame ignite. Buildings, boats, end tables, and even frantic guests are catching fire. Mina struggles against my chest as I drag us both away from the chaos. Guards are fighting the crowd to get to our side, but panic makes the path a riptide.
“Let go!” Mina screams, her nails drawing blood from the back of my hand on her waist. The pain draws my focus back to her.
“Let. Me. Go,” she grits out.
I loosen my hold and usher her toward the nearest group of guards. She dips under my arm and races back toward the mayhem. I catch her arm before she gets too far.
“What are you doing?”
“I can help.” Mina’s voice is tinged with desperation as this corner of Coryntha goes up in flames.
We need to run. There’s no helping now, not with the fire this far gone. I grab her hips, pulling her into the air and away from danger. She yells for me to let her down, but I only have one goal now: to get her to safety.
“Alexi!”
Her scream barely registers before my friend appears in front of us. His panicked gaze flickers between Mina and me.
“Alexi, I have to help them.”
He remains frozen, scanning the inferno crawling closer to the main house.
“Please,” she chokes out.
The sound breaks something in both of us.
Alexi surges forward, his blade narrowly missing my hands as I dodge, nearly dropping Mina in the process. He advances, forcing me to let her go to keep us both from being cut. His wild violet eyes shine with determination and a flash of remorse.
I can’t believe he’s helping her run into danger.
The guards reach us in time to pull me away from Alexi’s attack. They don’t know he’s one of ours.
Alexi throws off the nearest guard and follows Mina toward the engulfed dance floor.
“Mina, stop!”
I elbow a guard in the chest, sending him flying. The others release me in fear of the same fate. By the time I turn back to where Mina was running, she’s lost in a sea of panicked bodies.
I push through them, screaming her name into the void of wind that’s picking up. A storm rapidly forms, matching the raging worry seizing my chest. Fear invades every nerve until my senses are more heightened than any in battle.
I force myself to take a deep breath, but acrid smoke coats my tongue. I cough, covering my mouth with my arm.
Dark clouds snuff out the moonlight, leaving only the red glow of angry flames to light the beach. A flash of gold catches my eye. Heat bites my calf as I run through a barrier of flame. Nothing will keep me from reaching her side.
Mina’s lips move in rapid succession, hands raised to the sky. Thunder drowns out my voice as I yell for her again. I’m only a few yards away when a violent rain descends on the beach.
My pace slows as I come face to face with Alexi.
“Darius, stay back,” he warns.
A part of me is hurt that he chose Mina over me. He’s my brother, my friend, but he’s also so much wiser than me despite his young age. I let myself get so lost in trying to keep Mina safe, I forgot that she’s a living weapon.
I try to reach for her, but Alexi grabs my arm.
“Let me pass,” I command.
“If you pull your head out of your ass for five seconds, you’ll see why I can’t let you do that.”
All around us, flames hiss. The rain reduces them to smoldering embers.
Mina’s using her power to suppress the damage. This violent storm will save an entire city from burning like the dawn.
Rain completely soaks her gown. Power and confidence roll from her like the thunder echoing above.
My fear sputters out with the last of the fires. I suck in a deep breath and force myself to calm down. I’ve witnessed the strength of her control over water and air but never realized just how powerful they could be when used in tandem.
Furious winds whip around everyone but Mina. She’s the calm eye of the storm.
I take a step forward, and Alexi puts his blade to my chest without any pressure. I cover his hand gently with my own.
“The fires are out. Let me pass.”
Alexi’s gaze flickers to Mina. Nodding, he steps away and scans the beach for additional threats. I raise a hand to block the wind as I close in on my wife.
“Mina, enough.” The storm rages on. “Mina.”
I pull her against me, crushing my lips against hers to break whatever enchantment she’s casting. She pushes against my arms, eyes flying open in rage.
“Mina, it’s done,” I yell over the dying wind.
She scans the destruction around us. Smoke and steam are all that remain of the raging fire.
“You put out the flames. It’s done.”
She slumps against me and sobs into my shirt. I scoop her up and head toward the estate, Alexi following in our wake.
I bark at soldiers to start helping the injured and to check the bodies on the beach. They snap to action, echoing my orders.
I locate the servants’ entrance we picked for one of the escape routes. Alexi pries it open, barreling inside. Silent commands pass between us as we pick our way to a private space near the east wing.
Once I have Mina tucked safely into the small closet, I turn on Alexi.
“You and I have a long discussion coming. Until then, you don’t leave her side.”
He has the audacity to smirk. “I never do.”
I cup Mina’s face, guiding her exhausted eyes to mine. “Stay. Rest. I will come for you soon.”
“I have to help. There were so many…” She coughs, tears staining her cheeks black. I wipe away the remnants of her makeup with my sleeve.
“You’ve done enough.” I kiss Mina’s forehead, letting her soft warmth strengthen my resolve. “You saved so many. Let me assess the damage and then I’ll return to give you a full report.”
She grabs my wrists and leans up for a quick kiss. When she pulls back, her jade eyes hold me in place.
“Be safe.” Her command leaves room for no other option.
I lift my amethyst necklace to reassure her. “I will be.”
Alexi takes my place and pulls her into a hug. My anger thaws as she not only lets him, but returns the gesture. Leaving Mina feels like severing my own arm, but we both know I have to go. Alexi will keep her safe.
Leaving my whirlwind of emotions with Mina, I shut the door and march down the hall, settling into the deadly persona I carry into every battle. Fantastical costumes and armored bodies rush around like some chaotic play let loose from the stage.
I need to assess the damage, set up medical tents, and find and question the pyro master if he isn’t dead already. He and Lady Elena were closest to the blast.
I hope for her sake that she perished.
That would’ve been Mina if she hadn’t refused. That should have been Mina.
Rage sharpens my steps as the whole night comes into focus. The explosion was no accident. It was meant for Mina.
I doubt Lady Elena is smart enough to come up with such a stunt on her own. If she knew the outcome of her actions, she wouldn't have eaten up all the attention and set the fire herself.
No. She was a pawn.
Now I need to find her puppeteer.