Rise of the Flame

by K.N. Lee

“Looks like the duke fancies that one,” a guest chuckled as he ran a knuckle up Rahki’s forearm. “Where did she come from?”

  “Exotic, this one,” the duke said, his eyes locked with Lilae’s as though in a trance.

  Lilae was furious, but she immediately looked away, remembering Rahki’s advice. The Duke of Avia’Torena had obviously taken an interest in her. She was ready to snap his neck, if only she had the chance. She almost reached out and slapped him, but she forced herself to keep her hands at her sides.

  Kavien approached from the crowds of guests with a golden goblet. Lilae looked up pleadingly at him.

  Noticing her look, he spoke to the duke. “This one is mine. Stay away from her.”

  The duke nodded, bowing in apology. His face flushed. “Absolutely, Emperor Kavien. My apologies.”

  “All right everyone,” Kavien called, and Lilae noticed how they looked at him. He stood at least two feet over the other men with his muscular body showing even through his regal garments. “Settle down. Dessert will soon be served.”

  Kavien kissed Lilae's forehead and she felt her heart soar. There was something about his touch that made her feel disoriented. It was toxic. Yet she oddly found herself craving it.

  The guests retreated begrudgingly and the other girls all fixed themselves. Some of them had their sashes loosened and their upper halves exposed.

  Lilae knew what she had to do. She scratched at her belly. The symbols Dragnor had tattooed onto her itched. She ignored the annoying itch and focused on how much she was sickened by this place. She balled her fists, glaring after the guests as they followed the emperor from the pavilion. She couldn’t let herself be absorbed in this world. It was not her world. She had bigger things to do.

  “Come girls,” Vasira called and they came to their feet to file out after her.

  Lilae followed behind the group. She looked over her shoulder at the party and saw that there were girls dancing with shimmering skirts and scarves. The girls had mounds of jewelry and very little clothing as they danced in unison to the musicians that sat on a colorful rug in the corner of the room with their lap drums and flutes. The girls’ faces were covered from beneath their eyes to their necks with thin silk and eyes heavily traced with black liner.

  Lilae saw Kavien sit upon a large embroidered cushion on the floor and drink from his goblet, his eyes weren’t on the dancing girls, but watching Lilae as she left the room. She almost felt sorry for him, for what she was about to do. Something told her to not worry. It was her time to escape.

  She was careful to stay far behind the others and waited for the group to turn the corner. She silently pressed her back against the wall and listened for the guards. She scratched at her belly again. She hated how much the writing that Dragnor engraved on her flesh irritated her both physically and mentally. The constant itching was more than an annoyance. She wanted to kill him and be free of it.

  No one noticed that she had left the line. Lilae ran as fast as she could down the hallway. She had taken note of the exits. Still, she would have to be stealthy in her escape.

  All Lilae needed was a weapon. She noticed that the guards all came in pairs, so she would just have to kill both before either could alert anyone. She ran lightly, her feet softly padding the ground so that no one would hear her. Her heart beat rapidly and her hands began to sweat with anticipation. Lilae stopped abruptly when she heard the heavy footsteps of boots on the wooden hallway floor.

  This was her chance. She waited silently around the corner for the two to pass her. Lilae looked around to make sure no one else was coming and quickly turned the corner behind the men. She only hoped her strength was the same. She tried to muster enough courage to go through with her plan, which only consisted of killing those two men and getting to the exit. She quickly came up behind the guards and yanked a knife from one of their belts.

  They turned in surprise, their hands immediately going to the hilt of their swords. Lilae quickly slashed the blade across one of their throats. She withdrew the knife so fast that before the other could draw his sword, she covered his mouth with one hand, and went to slit his throat with the other. He shocked her when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her around.

  Lilae flew into the wall, slamming her side hard against the stone. She grunted and tried to use her Evasion. She scrambled to her feet before he could come at her again, and the guard caught her with one hand and slammed her into the wall once more.

  He countered her Evasion.

  What is this? Lilae paused her attack, feeling the pain of being tossed around like a rag doll.

  What skill could counter hers so easily?

  She didn’t understand the Mithrani, their powers were much like the humans but she wasn’t sure what else they could do. Worry filled her mind and body, making her freeze. She thought back to the man who had almost raped her in Lowen’s Edge. He had overpowered her with his strength.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” the guard growled, his bright gray eyes glaring at her as he readied his sword.

  She was on her feet, the knife held ready as they stared at each other. Lilae was unsure of what she could do now. The knife was no match for his sword, and he could counter her abilities. This wasn’t going the way she had imagined it in her head. She couldn’t believe she had been so sloppy.

  Lilae looked around nervously, hoping that maybe she could still run. He lunged at her and she sidestepped him. She took the chance to stab him, but his body was so hard with muscles that the knife barely did any damage. She sucked in a breath as he turned around, pulling the knife free. His eyes were furious then.

  Lilae turned and ran. He chased her, yelling for the other guards now and she knew that she had failed. She only hoped that a miracle would happen. She was faster than the guards and crossed more ground before they could catch up. She grinned when she saw the corridor ending at a large set of double doors. Lilae quickened her speed. The door was finally within her reach.

  She grunted. Her eyes widened as someone stepped before her. It was as if he came out of the shadows. She gasped when she looked up at Dragnor’s face. To her shock and utter terror, when he looked at her face, he simply smiled.

  “I barely began to evoke the spell and look, you’ve come to me,” he said as he leaned towards her. “And what’s this?” he looked at the guards who were chasing her. Lilae felt her stomach collapse. Dragnor’s smile widened. “You’ve been very naughty, Lilae. Very naughty indeed.”

  Lilae’s heart sank into her stomach and she felt queasy. She already anticipated the pain. Sure enough, with one touch he sent what felt like shards of glass throughout her body. She collapsed to her knees and screamed. She wanted to fight the pain but it was too strong. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes as she squeezed them shut, trying to block out the agony she felt. How foolish she had been to think she could escape.

  “You will pay for this,” Dragnor hissed.

  The guards caught up and grabbed her. She could barely keep track of where they took her as the pain slowly subsided. They took her deeper into the palace than she had ever been. She fought and kicked, yelling the entire way. Her nails scratched the skin on one of the guard’s neck and he tightened his grip on her wrist.

  Lilae shook her head when she saw where they were taking her. “No. Please.”

  The stairwell landed at the dungeons. It was dimly lit and the air was stale and smelled of excrement and burning flesh. She felt her dinner almost back up in her throat.

  The floor was slippery with dark liquid that Lilae knew was either water or blood. Dragnor led the way past the holding cells. The cells were barred and in each sat a few unlucky folk. They were skinny, miserable, and barely clinging to life.

  “Murderers and rapist dwell here,” Dragnor informed her. “And tonight, you shall join them in their putrid cells.”

  “Please,” Lilae pleaded. She felt foolish to think that she could actually escape on her own. Her mind went to what Kavien had said about what
Dragnor would do to her. The thought of rats nibbling on her made her shudder.

  Dragnor ignored her. “I can’t pretend that I am displeased by your disobedience. On the contrary, I am thrilled that you have done this.” He glanced back at her as he went through a narrow doorway. “The Ancients made you resilient in more ways than one. But, you’ve finally showed your true colors, and Kavien will now see how much of a nuisance you really are.”

  Lilae took note of the torture devises as they went deeper into the large room. Memories of her night with Dragnor resurfaced and she fought the guards again. Dragnor barely took notice. Her belly itched.

  “Did you do this?” she asked in an anxious cry. “Did you make me come to you?”

  Dragnor grinned. “You’re learning. Good girl. I did. It was a test, and my dear, you’ve passed.”

  “It’s not true,” Lilae whispered as her face paled. She refused to believe that she was tricked. “You cannot control me! I ran because I wanted to!”

  He laughed then, holding his stomach as if what she had just said was hilarious. “Oh I don’t think so. I know about you and the emperor.”

  Lilae shook her head. She tried to reach up to claw at his face. “You know nothing! My will is my own.”

  Dragnor’s smile faded. “Not anymore. You are mine.” He leaned close to her face and grabbed her cheeks. His breath was rancid. He licked her lips.

  “You’ve been lucky until now,” he continued in a low voice. “If it were up to me, I would engraved High Jordanian over every inch of your body, and keep you as my pet for the rest of eternity.” Dragnor’s eyes met hers. “Tonight, I will do just that. But first, you must be punished.”

  Lilae felt her cheeks tingle and she tried to keep from vomiting. She was terrified. Her entire body shook.

  Dragnor motioned towards a devise that had shackles that hung from the ceiling.

  The guards clamped Lilae’s wrists into the cold metal shackles, and she stood on a square shaped platform. She looked at Dragnor, her eyes pleading when he moved so quickly that she only saw the air slightly waver at his speed. He appeared before her and she winced when he slapped her face. The back of his hand struck her so hard that she felt blood squirt from her mouth.

  Lilae squeezed her eyes shut as she turned to face him. Her neck was sore from the impact of his slap. Her head spun, her left eye stung. She surprised him when she spit the blood onto his face. Her cheek throbbed but she felt her pulse race with rage.

  For months Lilae had been too afraid to try to use her power. Now, she called it. Desperately, she reached inside, to that secret place where her power used to hide.

  Nothing. No response.

  Dragnor raised his hand to strike her again, his eyes wild with anger and resisted. He shook his head, his nostrils flaring and growled. A guard approached with a long thin black, whip.

  “I want to do it myself,” Dragnor growled like a beast. He snatched the whip from the guard who bowed his head and stepped away. Dragnor’s eyes narrowed and he held the whips handle close to Lilae’s reddened face. She breathed quickly as she looked at the long thin leather.

  “You filthy savage. I told you that you will pay.” Dragnor stepped back and whipped her directly across her face.

  Lilae screamed. She was shocked that he would do such a thing. The pain seared through her eye and cheek. A vessel burst in her left eye, spilling blood down her face and went into her mouth, and she continued to scream.

  Dragnor was silent as he took a few steps around to the back of her and Lilae closed her eyes, bracing herself.

  Lilae thought that being whipped across the face was the worse, but the first lash on her back stunned her into silence. She would have screamed, but her voice was caught in her throat. By the third lashing, she screamed again, unable to hold back. She felt his anger all too clearly. With each strike, she was sure it would be the last. She prayed that it would soon end. Her back burned.

  After the twentieth lashing, all of her weight was supported by the shackles. She hung slack, her legs weak, and her body throbbing and burning with pain. Her eyes were sealed shut and she barely breathed, except for an occasional tremble of her soft sobs.

  Dragnor was angered even more by her surrender. He would have gone on until he was spent of energy but it was obvious that she was unconscious. He grabbed her hair and pulled her head up.

  “Giving up so soon?”

  When she didn’t respond, he peeled her eyelids open. Her eyes rolled back into her head and he sucked his teeth.

  “Should we take her away?” a guard asked timidly, he looked at the girl, wondering if she were dead.

  Dragnor shook his head. “No,” he said. “Leave her there.” He would make her suffer as much as possible while he had the chance.

  ***

  Hours went by and Lilae woke up to more pain. She was lying face down. Her arms were strapped to her sides and she realized that she was back on Dragnor’s table. A sharp sting assaulted her sore, bloodied, back as Dragnor returned to his work of carving those symbols into her skin. She screamed and her eyes popped open. “Good afternoon, Lilae.”

  Lilae’s eyes stared at the wall. She could only move her head an inch. Her sore cheek was pressed to the course wood of the table. She began to hyperventilate. “Stop please. Take me back to Kavien!”

  His grin widened. “You aren’t such a quick learner after all. You really think I care what Kavien thinks. He isn’t what you think. I trained him. He is my protégé. You think he is falling for you? It is a trick, trust me. Kavien cannot love. He can only conquer.”

  Lilae felt tears trail down her face. “I don’t believe you. You are a liar.” She spoke in a whisper. Dragnor’s words hurt more than she thought they would. She wouldn’t believe what he was saying about Kavien. She had seen his other side. He was good. She knew it.

  Dragnor stopped his work and came around to put his face next to hers. “Let’s test this new spell out, shall we?” Lilae tensed. She felt her flesh begin to burn. Dragnor wiggled his finger in the air next to her ear and recited words. Lilae felt her breathing slow. The air was sucked from her lungs. Her eyes widened. She panicked.

  “Stop! I can’t breathe!” Her restraints were stifling. She couldn’t even get enough air to scream for help.

  Dragnor grinned. “That is the point.”

  Lilae’s body bucked and she felt her lungs burn as if she were drowning. It was no use. Before long, the lack of oxygen put her made her pass out.

  Lilae was sure she was dead this time. She only hoped the man from her dreams would be there to welcome her. She couldn’t believe Kavien didn’t come for her.

  Chapter 47

  “What a foolish girl you are!” Vasira exclaimed as Lilae opened her eyes to the empty surroundings in the torture chamber. Vasira squeezed her nose closed to keep the stench out. She looked at Lilae distastefully. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

  “I cannot fathom why the emperor keeps you around.” She unclamped Lilae’s shackles. “He does it simply to give me more work! To cause me more trouble!” She swirled on Lilae and pointed to her face.

  Lilae’s knees were weak. She wobbled to the ground and Vasira scowled down at her.

  “You couldn’t just keep your mouth shut and obey orders.” She screamed at Lilae, her voice echoing off of the dungeon walls.

  Lilae felt queasy and swallowed hard to not vomit. She noticed that her hands were in small puddles of her own blood and the pain came back to her. Her entire body throbbed and she started to weep again. She barely heard Vasira’s complaints. She would never forget that horrible night.

  Vasira growled and grabbed Lilae by her armpits.

  “Someone help me!” She ordered the nearest guard. Lilae was exhausted as they led her to the harem.

  Rahki and Faira rushed to Lilae once Vasira and the guard left her inside the entrance to the harem. They both ducked under an arm, draping her arm around their shoulders. They helped her walk to a small room n
ear the bath house. There was a small table with tightly tucked linens wrapped around it.

  Rahki and Faira helped Lilae lie on her stomach. Lilae laid there, her cheek pressed against the linens. She was utterly broken and the sisters knew it. Tears sprouted anew as Lilae squeezed her eyes shut. Her entire body screamed with burning, pulsing, pain.

  Rahki covered her mouth as Faira peeled Lilae’s satin garments wrapped around her body. The welts were large and gruesome. They were bloody and red, the cuts scattered across Lilae’s shoulder to her lower back and buttocks. Lilae felt so ashamed, she knew they were staring at her.

  “Faira,” Rahki called in a cracked voice. “Ask the slaves for some clove oil, salves and some bandages.”

  Faira stood stiff, staring at Lilae’s back in disbelief. Even her lower eyelids filled with moisture at seeing such barbarity.

  Rahki became impatient with her sister. “Faira!”

  Faira nodded hurriedly and rushed from the room.

  “I’m so sorry this happened to you, Lilae,” Rahki said solemnly. She bent down to her knees and tenderly smoothed Lilae’s hair. “But, what made you think you could escape the imperial palace?”

  Lilae was silent. She sniffled and turned her head away from Rahki’s eyes.

  Rahki shook her head. “The emperor favors you. You should just accept your new place before he loses interest. Would you rather live in the dungeon? Or even worse, do you want him to have you killed?”

  Silence. Lilae missed her family more than anything at that moment. They had died because of her and she tarnished their memory with her weakness. What would Delia think? She was weeping there like a defenseless little child. But had she ever been less powerful?

  “Just leave me alone,” Lilae answered between sobs.

  Rahki didn’t budge. “No,” she replied softly and hugged her, careful to not disturb Lilae’s wounds. She snuggled Lilae’s tangled hair. “I will not leave you alone.”

  Lilae sighed and wiped her nose. She lifted her head, resting on one arm. She stared at Rahki. Her exotic face was full of concern and empathy.