Chapter 50 #2
By the end of the day, Riona wanted nothing more than to set fire to the entire course out of frustration.
The thought itself seemed to manifest, a flame suddenly appearing in her hand.
Panicked, Riona flailed, trying to extinguish it, but all she managed to do was fling small bursts of fire in every direction.
The flames licked at the logs, igniting them one by one.
Her panic deepened as the fire in her hand grew larger, feeding off her rising emotions.
Through it all, Zara remained calm, putting out each fire with precision as Riona unintentionally started them.
Finally, Zara fixed Riona with a stern, unyielding gaze.
“Anger burns fast, Riona. It consumes and then leaves you empty. Use it. Don’t let it use you. ”
The words struck Riona like a cold wind, and to her amazement, the fire in her hand extinguished as if the flames themselves had heard Zara’s command.
She stared at her hand, stunned to find it unburned.
Around her, the chaos had been brought under control, Zara having effortlessly tamed the destruction as though it had never happened.
Zara smiled softly as she approached Riona, placing a steady hand on her shoulder.
“It’s okay,” she said gently. “Once you work with elemental magic more, it’ll become easier to summon.
Remember, everything in nature is balanced.
Fire can destroy, but it also brings life.
It warms, it cleanses, it protects. What it does depends entirely on the one who wields “
The words sank into Riona, deep and unwavering. It was almost as if Zara could see straight through her, the meaning behind the words reaching far beyond today’s training. The realization left her feeling uneasy in Zara’s presence.
Riona nodded, and Zara turned and walked away from the training course, disappearing as she rounded a corner.
Riona stood there a moment longer before heading out of the Keep’s halls and back to Briar. She mounted her horse and rode toward her new home.
The house felt empty. She wasn’t sure if it was the lack of furniture or the absence of the one person she wished was there.
Her heart tightened painfully at the thought of Emry.
She shuddered, her gaze drifting to the hearth, which was filled with ash and dust. The place had been neglected for some time, she realized, noticing the cobwebs, the dirt, and the grime that covered every corner.
Riona opened the windows in the small kitchen and living area, letting in the cold air, and propped the front door open.
She grabbed a broom and began sweeping the dirt out of the house.
She cleaned the hearth first, making quick work of the remnants there, then moved to the floors, counters, and every dusty inch she could find.
When she paused to catch her breath, she noticed the swirls of cold air kissing her warm exhales, creating little clouds.
She knew she needed to gather firewood before the sun faded.
Closing the doors and windows, she grabbed a large basket for wood, slipped a small axe into it, and headed for the forest of Coill Dorcha.
It was getting colder by the day, the ache in Riona’s hands a reminder of the biting wind.
She searched for fallen trees. The ones that weren’t damp or rotting, hoping to make light work of gathering wood.
But nothing seemed untouched by the elements.
Her eyes caught something strange: patches of rot had taken over the woods, twisting the trees into grotesque shapes.
The decay was expansive, right in the middle of the forest. Wilted grass, blackened roots, and frost intertwined in stark contrast, painting the landscape in a haunting mix of black and white.
Riona pushed her way through the tangled limbs, the branches tugging at her clothing.
She wanted to know how far the decay stretched and was determined to find its edge when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Riona?” The sound of her name dripped with honey. “Funny how I keep finding you in such precarious situations.”
She turned to see Vaelric casually standing against a tree, his elbow resting on the bark and his hand propped against his cheek. A smirk curved across his lips as he took in the scene before him.
Riona stiffened, realizing how ridiculous she must have looked, headfirst into tree limbs, her clothes snagged and her hair a disheveled mess.
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she stumbled, trying to free herself.
In her haste, she ripped her shirt sleeve.
She finally stopped moving, attempting to compose herself and act like none of it had happened.
Standing upright, she locked eyes with him. “I’m just collecting firewood and doing a little exploring,” she said with a forced smile, quickly tucking stray hair behind her ear.
Vaelric chuckled softly. “I’m not trying to say anything here, but you look like you could use some help,” he teased, his ember-like eyes glowing in the fading sunlight. They locked onto hers, and for a moment, it was like she forgot how to breathe. She shook it off quickly.
“No, really, I’m fine,” she said, tugging at the small branches tangled in her clothes. “I’m just collecting kindling,” she added, breaking the twigs around her, though her voice lacked conviction.
Vaelric leaned back against the tree, clearly enjoying the view. “I’ll just hang around in case you change your mind.”
Riona’s frustration bubbled to the surface. She shot him a fake smile before turning back to free herself. Her mind cursed her for not carrying the axe, it would’ve made this mess avoidable.
“Are you looking for the axe?” Vaelric asked casually, still leaning against the tree.
“Yes, actually,” she said sharply. “Do you see it?”
He pointed to a far corner where the brambles and thorns wove together into a chaotic web. “It’s over there. Looks like you dropped it, though I’m not sure how or why,” he added, his smirk widening.
Riona rolled her eyes. “Thanks for the observation. Think you could grab it for me?”
Vaelric raised a brow, his grin growing.
“Are you asking me for help?”
She muttered a curse under her breath and seriously considered lighting the entire mess, herself included on fire, just to end the humiliation.
“Nope, I’ve got it. Thanks, though,” she huffed, clawing her way through the twisted branches.
For nearly half an hour, Riona struggled. Small cuts covered her arms and face, her clothes were torn, and her hair was tangled with twigs. Finally, she dropped to the ground, admitting defeat.
“Vaelric,” she called out, exasperated. “Yes?” he drawled, his tone laced with amusement.
“Can you get me out of here?” she pleaded.
In moments, Vaelric was at her side, pulling her free with one hand while holding her axe in the other. Her basket hung neatly over his arm. He smiled at her, his expression softening. “It’s the least I could do. Though, I won’t lie, that was the most amusing thing I’ve seen in a long time.”
Riona couldn’t help it, she laughed, and Vaelric joined in. The tension broke, and for a moment, the awkwardness faded.
She noticed the basket was now filled with firewood. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said, glancing at it in surprise.
“Well, you had enough going on without having to worry about this,” he said, still chuckling softly.
Riona smiled, feeling her earlier frustration melt away. Before she could speak, Vaelric offered, “Can I walk you home? I’ll carry this—you look like you could use some company.”
She hesitated for only a moment before nodding. “Yes… I’d like that.”
They made small talk as they walked, the conversation easy, unhurried. Then Vaelric cleared his throat.
“You know… I understand what it’s like to have a father who’s never satisfied with anything.
” He paused, as if weighing his next words.
“My father…” his voice trailed off, deep in thought.
“He saw everything I did as failure. I was never good enough, and he made sure I knew it. He beat it into me. Every. Damn. Day. He had a bad day? I was the target. He was sad? I was the target. Never a moment’s rest in that fucking house. ”
He shook his head, looking at Riona, anger flickering behind his eyes.
Riona nodded slowly, She didn’t question how he knew of her father.
She assumed that everyone knew who she was by now, it was hard to miss the daughter of the commanding general, and she was sure that he made sure everyone knew who she was.
“I’m sorry. Some people were never meant to be parents. ”
Without thinking, she reached for his hand, holding it gently. The weight of the moment settled between them, but the conversation flowed easily again, shifting back to lighter things as they walked.
By the time they reached her front door, a slight smile tugged at Riona’s lips. “This is me,” she said, swaying lightly on her feet. “If you’d like to come in for some tea… I don’t have much right now. I just moved in.”
Vaelric responded almost instantly. “It would be a pleasure.”
They stepped inside, and Riona went into the kitchen to find a kettle, rinsing it and filling it with water.
Meanwhile, Vaelric examined the small space.
His eyes lingered on the empty hearth before he began bundling small pieces of parchment and broken wood.
With a fluid motion of his hands, the fire sprang to life, flames licking at the cold air until they crackled and roared, filling the room with warmth.
By the time Riona returned with two cups, Vaelric had fed the flames into a steady blaze.
She glanced at the small side table and its matching chair, both worn with time.
The green and gold paint swirled across them, faded in places where they’d been well loved.
Riona sighed. “I suppose we’ll sit on the floor,” she said, setting the cups down before lowering herself in front of the fire.
Vaelric joined her. “Thank you for the tea,” he said, his voice soft as he took in the room. The glow of the fire caught the gold and fiery hues in his eyes, and Riona couldn’t help but stare, losing herself in their swirling depths.
Vaelric noticed her gaze, his own desire growing as he took her in.
She was beautiful and powerful, yet there was a vulnerability that tugged at him.
But then something else caught his attention, the faint glimmer of gold trim sticking out from Riona’s bag.
The firelight reflected off it, and Vaelric’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Riona followed his gaze; it was on the book.
She had forgotten about it, forgotten it just long enough for it to make itself known again.
Her body tensed, and she shot to her feet.
“It’s getting late, and I have training in the morning.
Thank you again for everything,” she said, moving toward the door.
Vaelric nodded and rose, setting his empty teacup on the table before meeting her at the threshold. His eyes held hers, and he leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
“Thanks again for the tea. Goodnight, Riona,” he whispered gently before stepping into the shadows and vanishing into the night.