MISTRESS OF FLAME

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 38

THE VALLEY OF BONES was a place crawling with thieves and bandits, and it was called that way because this was the place where thieves and bandits die. Bones were scattered all over the valley, old and fresh ones. The valley had become a burial ground. It was said that that the valley had a pungent smell—the smell of death and decay.

But even with a scary history, some people still lived outside the Valley of Bones. At the entrance to the valley was a town—the town of Osta, under the Kingdom of Thurene.

The town was filled with criminals—thieves, bandits, murderers, and the likes. Everyone in town was a degenerate, running from the law and hiding from the wanted list. And the Kingdom of Thurene just let them be; as long as they didn't enter the city in Thurene, they wouldn't be persecuted.

Knowing all that, Sollel was not comfortable leaving Naya behind in such a place. But what choice did she have? Their journey was much more dangerous than this town.

Sollel fixed the hood of her cloak and then Naya's after entering the town of Osta. She didn't want these degenerates seeing their faces, but Zassia didn't want to wear a cloak. Instead, she and Grath became their bodyguard.

Zassia might not be a high-tier flame sorcerer, but she was directly blessed by the Mistress of Flame. That would make her flame fiercer than anyone since her flame essence didn't come from her lineage but from the Mistress of Flame herself.

And with Zassia's flame and Grath's flaming claw, no one dared to touch them as they entered the town filled with criminals.

Almost immediately, Sollel's group saw a flying bird made of paper, and it seemed to be trying to lead them somewhere, so they followed with a suspicion that it might be Zassia's grandfather.

And they were right.

The paper bird led them to a small hut in the corner of the town. They immediately saw Zassia's grandfather as they entered the small shack.

"Grandpa!" Zassia ran toward her grandfather and launched herself at the old man whose face softened upon seeing his granddaughter again.

"Little Zaza..." Zio, Zassia's grandfather, hugged his granddaughter affectionately. "I missed you, Little Zaza."

Zassia pulled away from her grandfather's embrace with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Grandpa. I dragged you into my mess. I'm so sorry."

"Silly girl." Zio dried his granddaughter's tears. "Grandpa is not blaming you. It's okay. It was my decision to save you. I promised your grandma I won't let anything bad happen to you on my watch."

Zassia cried even more at the mention of her grandmother. "I'm really sorry, Grandpa."

Seeing Zassia blame herself, Sollel couldn't take it anymore and interjected, "It was my fault. I apologize."

Both Zio and Zassia turned to Sollel, but it was only Zassia who kneeled. "Your Highness! Please don't blame yourself. It was my own decision to help. You're not at fault, please..."

Zio was surprised and confused by his granddaughter's action that he found himself staring at the cloaked figure who apologized to him. "Who might you be?"

Sensing Zio's inquisitive stare and hearing his question, Sollel pulled down her cloak's hood to show her bloodred hair and eyes and introduced herself to Zio in a quiet voice but with grace and elegance.

"I am Sollel, the first blessed queen of Yther and the Mistress of Flame."

Zio's eyes widened in disbelief, but when he saw her granddaughter nodding at him earnestly and proudly, Zio was in more disbelief and became speechless. Then he found himself on his knees, kneeling and bowing.