MISTRESS OF FLAME

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 34

THE SCORCHING flame surrounding Hakkeran would surely burn him alive if he left it be. He knew that much, so he drew his swords from his back and slashed the flame in front of him. The slash manifested air pressure strong enough to put out half of the circle of fire, and Hakkeran stepped out as if the flame were nothing, his eyes never leaving the Mistress of Flame.

Then Hakkeran stabbed the tip of his war blades on the ground and put his right hand on his chest, the left one on his back, and slightly bowed.

"Your Majesty, Queen Sollel, Mistress of Flame." Hakkeran looked like he was showing respect before introducing himself. "I'm Imperial Warlord Hakkeran Adral. Would it be too much of me to ask you to come back to the empire with me?"

All the flames on Sollel's body disappeared. She smiled, her ethereal beauty that took the warlord by surprise gleaming against the moonlight.

"Will you imprison me again?"

Hakkeran became slightly flustered by the queen's voice for a moment before pulling himself together. "I'm afraid so, yes."

"Then I'm not going back," said the queen.

"Then I'm afraid I have to capture you, whatever it costs, Your Majesty. I apologize in advance."

Sollel raised her hand to her chest as flames danced on her fingertips. "I have a question before we start, Warlord."

"Pray tell."

The queen's bloodred eyes looked at Hakkeran. "Are you human?"

"No. I'm a descendant of Sappher."

"Then why are you helping them? Descendants of Sappher are noble warriors, and humans are far from being noble."

"A promise was made," the warlord answered, and he tightened his hold on his war blades. "And the emperor is my uncle, so..." Hakkeran shrugged and smiled leisurely like nothing serious was about to go down.

Sollel nodded in understanding and slightly turned her head to the dumbfounded Zassia behind her. "Step back, Zassia."

Zassia, who was too dumbstruck at what she just heard, stepped back mindlessly. Her brain was not functioning well as she looked at her teacher's hair and eyes. She froze and couldn't utter a word while her mind was screaming The queen!

And in that instance, everything made sense to Zassia. The blessing she received, why her flame seemed different, and why her flame was fiercer than others...

It was...it was a direct blessing from the Mistress of Flame! Not a flame essence awakening like I thought! A direct blessing!

Zassia's eyes blurred as tears fell from her eyes. "Oh, my deity..."

Even with her back on Zassia, Sollel could hear Zassia crying as if her most precious wish had just been granted, but Sollel had to tune out Zassia and focus her attention at the warrior in front of him.

Imperial Warlord Hakkeran Adral was strong. Sollel could feel it. He was not even masking his presence. It was overwhelming. One wrong move and she'd be dragged back to the empire, and she couldn't let that happen.

Sollel reached for the war blade on her back, clutching the hilt tightly and unsheathing the sword. It was one of the things she asked Cira to buy from the dwarves before leaving Sarnau.

Just one war blade.

It wasn't enough, she thought, but it'll do.

"Come at me then, Warlord," said Sollel like she was inviting someone to tea.