Finnley’s breath caught in her throat as she opened her eyes to the jagged ceiling of the cave. Her hand flew to her throat as she fought to catch her breath, the cold air stabbing at her lungs with each inhale and the bright light of the new morning burning her eyes. She had been warm all through the night but the warmth had long since left her body, leaving her fingers numb and stiff as she pulled her fur coat tighter around herself. Shivering, she slid her long pants into the borrowed boots, still unable to shake off the lingering erratic beat of her heart.

Squinting against the brightness, Finnley’s eyes locked onto Elek as he stood near the edge of a cliff beyond the cave mouth. As she made her way towards him, braving an onslaught of frigid wind and blinding sunlight, a sharp gasp escaped her lips. But it wasn’t because of the biting cold - it was because of what lay before her.

The misty veil of clouds had shrouded their surroundings the previous day, hiding the true height of the towering peaks that rose above them and the great depth that lay below them. She had believed they had reached the summit, only to realize that they were still a mere fraction of the way up the colossal mountain range.

She strained her eyes and followed Elek’s gaze to the other side, where a group of dim figures materialized midst the snow-covered landscape. If they had been any further away, she wouldn’t have been able to discern them at all. Even now, they were barely visible against the dazzling white backdrop, their dark clothing providing the only contrast. She counted at least a dozen figures trudging through the freshly fallen snow.

“Who are they?” she whispered, her curiosity piqued.

Elek didn’t seem surprised by her sudden appearance beside him at the entrance of the cave, nor did he look at her as he grumbled in response, “Hunters.”

Her gaze flickered back to the distant figures, trying to make out any details about them. “What are they hunting?”

Elek’s lips tightened into a thin line as he adjusted his bag on his shoulders and made his way up the small incline towards her. He glanced at her unruly hair, tousled from sleep, before pulling her coat tighter around her as he had done yesterday. His fingers graze her collarbone slightly and before she can comprehend it, she is warming up through his touch. But his tone is cold as he answers, “If we’re lucky, Dragon eggs and not us.”

***

With careful steps, she descends the snowy incline, her feet sinking into the mud and melting snow. Despite the weight of her boots, she slips occasionally on the slick ice beneath. Elek walks beside her, his movements sure and steady as he guides them through the wintry terrain.

“If Ravi works for you, why was he with me on Earth?” she asks, struggling to keep up with him.

“Ravi has been stationed on Midgard for many years,” Elek explains in a tense tone. “He was there before you arrived, and since you needed someone close to watch over you, he was the obvious choice.”

“Why was Ravi on Earth in the first place?”

“He was on Midgard-” He gives her a pointed look, “because he suffers from burnt vein.”

“Burnt vein?”

Elek ignores how tightly she grips onto him as they move forward. Her hands cling to his coat or arm for stability as they navigate the thick snow and treacherous ice together. “Burnt vein is what happens to us when our star begins to die out. We don’t fully understand it, but it’s a result of living more lifetimes than we are granted.”

The wind picks up around them, sending flurries of snow swirling in every direction. Her hair whips around her face, stinging against her skin.

“It’s a slow and excruciating process on our plane. A punishment for taking more than we are given.”

“And it’s not painful on Earth?”

He shrugs. “Less so then here.”

As she follows closely in his boot prints in the snow, she watches each one melt away under his feet. “Ravi had the choice to stay here and live out his last life, or start anew on Midgard where hopefully his human body would not be affected by the death of his star. At least not in the way it would be here.”

A heavy weight settles in her chest as she already knows the answer to her question: “What will happen when his star dies?”

Elek’s strides seem to lengthen, his steps growing heavier and more deliberate, as he responds with a quiet sadness, “Then he will die, like any other human. That will be the end for him.” She stops in her tracks, overwhelmed by the pain in her heart. This man, her dear friend and constant companion for the past few months, was slowly dying before her eyes. She hadn’t even noticed it happening. Instead of cherishing their time together, she had been consumed by her own pain and struggles. Maybe he never would have revealed the truth to her, never would have shared his burden. And that realization fills her with a fiery anger. Despite being her closest confidant and only ally, she was not his. He had been deceiving her all along; every smile and conversation they shared was nothing but a facade. From the moment she woke up in that hospital room and saw him there, wrapped in an uncomfortable blanket on an uncomfortable chair. He had been the only one who showed up for her, according to the nurses. The only one who seemed to care. But it wasn’t true. Their friendship was a lie, a carefully constructed illusion meant to keep watch over her and ensure that her memories remained buried as he slowly approached his final death.

Sensing the direction of her thoughts, Elek interjects, his voice soft yet commanding. “Don’t feel sad for him,” he says, nodding towards the individual they had just discussed. “It’s an uncommon occurrence and a great gift that the Gods bestowed upon him. He knew the risk and he took it, and was glad to do so. But he also new what the consequences would be. ” His words were heavy with knowledge and wisdom, but also tinged with a hint of sadness. “Ravi has lived many meaningful lives, and has lived on many planes in a way that most could only dream about. He knew his time would come when he had to pay the Gods back for that, and he gladly took it. It will be the last time he is reborn by his star, and at some point he accepted that.” The weight of these revelations only added to her sorrow, knowing that she had missed out on so many of his lives and the chance to truly know him.

“Was this meant to happen to me on Earth?” she asks, her voice trembling slightly. “Midgard,” Elek corrects her once again, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. She rolls her eyes playfully and glances at his unruly curls dancing in the wind.

“Was I supposed to die and then be reborn from my star? To start over?” Her voice was filled with curiosity and a hint of desperation. His shoulders tense slightly as he answers, choosing his words carefully. “You were always meant to return,” he says. “Whether it would take days or years, I did not know but you were not meant to reborn by your star the way Ravi was.”

Feeling emboldened by her own curiosity, she pushes further. “And if I didn’t come back like this, what would have happened?” Elek responds with a grim tone, “You would have died a mortal death. Just like Ravi will eventually.” She continues with another question, her mind racing with the possibilities. “Would I have gone back to my star?” To which Elek replies, his voice serious and unyielding, “I can’t say for certain. Our world, the people of this world believe different things, just as they do in any world. You could ask six different males and they would all give you a different answer.”

Frustrated by the lack of concrete answers, she huffs. As they continue their journey through the snow-covered terrain, she stops herself from asking any more questions when a sharp pain takes hold of her chest at inhaling too deeply. Eleknotices her struggling and reaches for her hand to help her over a fallen tree covered in snow. She notices how quickly he drops her hand as if it burned him, and how confidently he navigates through the treacherous landscape.

“When I said I was right…what did that mean? That I was right about you showing up?” she asks, her curiosity getting the best of her once again. “I’m not entirely sure,” Elek replies, hesitating before continuing. “It could have referred to The Fall. You were certain that Astophel’s death signaled the beginning of it and you were right.” Confused, she questions, “How did I know about this event…this prophecy?” Elek answers with a calm yet guarded tone, “As I told you before, you specifically instructed me to find you again once the Northern Lands had been taken. You believed this was the last territory that needed to be taken before the war shifted.”

“And how did the war shift?” she questions.

“Further away from the original bones of our land.”

Frustrated by his elusive answers, she remarks sardonically, “You seem to know more than you’re willing to share.” To which Elek responds calmly, “You would be surprised at how little I actually know about your plan.” She sighs in exasperation and asks one final question, her voice tinged with desperation. “Then who does have the answers?”

He turns around with a cold glare, his expression mirroring the icy landscape surrounding them. “You,” he snaps, “were supposed to have all the answers. You did have them, but you chose not to share them with me.”

“And you were only supposed to provide safe passage,” she finishes his sentence.

“That’s right.” His shoulders drooped slightly and his breaths came out in puffs of steam, “You got yourself into this mess and it’s not my job to get you out of it.”

She raised an eyebrow “And your job is just to put me back into whatever hell I was in before?”

He chuckled softly, but there was no warmth in it. “It’s not my fault that you ended up here.” His pace quickened and Finnley struggled to keep up with his long strides.

“Well, at least you know that,” she retorts.

He says nothing as he quickened his pace, and Finnley scrambles to keep up with his long strides.

“What about-”

“How about we walk in silence and you can search through your scrambled mind for answers?” Elek interrupts after Finnley begins speaking again. “I clearly don’t have the answers you’re seeking.”

“Excuse me?”

“If we have to travel together, let’s try not to kill each other,” he grunts, glancing back at her. “Your constant barrage of questions makes that difficult.”

Finnley huffs as they turn another sharp corner in the snow, following him closely along the narrow path carved into the wall of the cave.

“I only asked one question,” she protested, “And it’s not like you’ve been the most upfront about what is going on!”

“I already told you I don’t have the answers,” he growls, maneuvering through the twists and turns with ease.

“Can’t you use some kind of magic to take us there? Like you did with the portal or the sleeping powder?”

His deep laugh echoes around them. “Magic is different from Gods given power, Sparkly.”

“What’s the difference between bringing us from Earth to wherever this Celestial Belt is, in the middle of nowhere, and going to this Noctarae?” He let her question hang in the air, refusing to give her a satisfactory answer. “I mean, you’re one of these guardians, right?” Finnley grips onto the snowy wall as she shuffles along the narrow ledge. “But you do have powers, don’t you? That’s how you’ve been keeping us warm?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure, you do.” She argues. “Everything you touch is warm, and you always have hot water magically at your disposal. And since last night, I haven’t felt cold despite being surrounded by snow and ice- except for when you let me freeze this morning.” When he doesn’t respond, she adds, “You could at least tell me something about yourself since you basically kidnapped me. I think I deserve that much.”

She nearly crashes into him as he suddenly comes to a stop and turns to face her. “Listen Sparkly,” he growls with clear annoyance, glaring down at her as his eyebrows furrow, “I am here under oath but if you ask me another question, I might have to leave you on this mountain and let my soul rip from my body. Do you understand?”

Her head tilted in understanding, and he turned to leave. But a flicker of hesitation made him stop in his tracks and turn back to face her. His eyes bore into hers with a mix of warmth and frustration. “Let’s not forget the oath that binds us together,” he reminded her. “You are solely responsible for our current situation and all the anger you feel is a result of your own actions. I owe you nothing, yet you owe me so much more than you can even remember. So yes, you could say I’m getting the raw end of this deal.” He pointed to her ribs, where a black tattoo marked her as his responsibility. “You forced me into this deadly oath and then abandoned me, forgetting everything that could have saved both our people.” Finnley’s gaze followed his finger, studying the swirling ink symbol on his hand. “You’re not cold because I’ll be held accountable if anything happens to you.” he explained, finally answering an unspoken question.

For the first time since they met, she believed every word he said and nodded in agreement, biting her lip anxiously. And just like that, they fell back into their tense silence from yesterday. Despite wanting answers, Finnley knew she couldn’t survive out here without him, and it seemed like something terrible would happen if he chose to leave.

***

The Orion mountains were a majestic sight, unlike anything she had ever seen. Their towering peaks and sharp edges rose above the dense layer of fog that had rolled in like waves over the summits. She knew it was one of the most beautiful places her eyes had ever beheld, even if she couldn’t recall every detail. But as the gentle snowfall turned into a heavy storm, and the ground shook beneath her feet once again, she was reminded of the danger that lurked within this beauty.

Elek had barely spared her a glance in the hours they had been trekking across the mountain side, and she knew he only allowed her to keep up with him out of courtesy. But now, his hand shot back towards her as he looked towards the heavily swaying treetops above their path. The snow came down hard, causing branches to shake violently and sheets of snow to fall from the canopy.

“Another Winter White?” she finally asked as they waited for the snow to settle around them. His amber eyes met hers as he looked behind her, but there was nothing visible in the whiteout over the ridge.

“Fresh snow weakens the ground…and dragons melt it,” he explains before glancing back at her. “An avalanche is more likely.” He jerks his head towards their intended path. “The faster we make our way down this mountain, the safer we’ll be.”

“You seem perfectly fine on this mountain,” she comments as she starts walking towards the dense tree line.

She hears the crunch of snow under Elek’s boots as he follows closely behind her. “I am fine on this mountain. It’s you who would be in trouble without a way to stay warm.”

A ghost of a smile tugs at her lips when she looks at him. “So I was right,” she teases.

He raises an eyebrow at her in question. “About what?”

“The warmth.” she replies, a smirk forming on her face, “That’s you.”

“I never said you were wrong,” he retorts, but a small smile appears on his face at her playful tone. “But I also never said you were right.”

Elek simply shrugs, the furs around his shoulders tickling his ears. Finnley’s eyes roll and grin widens despite his refusal but he says nothing further as they trek on through the tree line, much less deep under the canopy, and for the first time in hours Finnley can pick up her feet completely venturing so deep into the forest that nothing can be seen above them but the dense canopy with their feet, and somewhere overhead the echo of wings flutters and Finnley’s gaze rises far above her. The trees are larger than any she can ever remember seeing. Their trunks so large her arms could not encompass them, and the canopy so full that barely any light peaks through. Every few seconds a new creature scuffles through the foliage, leaves fluttering and snow lightly falling from above. The tail of something small and furry hides beneath a trunk and her mind connects its tail to that of a squirrel but she has the heavy suspicion that it’s something much more exciting.

Taking a step towards the bush, her fingertips tickle where the fuzzy leaves touch her skin and as she pulls back the leaves to reveal the creature in its hiding spot, she realizes for the first time that her fingers are truly cold. So cold that perhaps she cannot feel them to know how cold they are. Numb. They are going numb.

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Whatever was beneath the bush, scurries away so quickly that Finnley’s eyes cannot track it, and all she’s left to follow are the smallest of footprints along the packed snow.

Turning to call after Elek, who had trekked ahead, she freezes.

Elek shrugged his fur-lined shoulders, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he brushed the furs against his long, pointed ears. Finnley shook her head at his nonchalant response, knowing she was right about their location. They trudged through the dense forest, the thick canopy above obstructing their view of the sky. The ground beneath their feet was soft with snow, and Finnley could hear the flapping of wings in the distance. As they walked, she couldn’t help but be amazed by the towering trees surrounding them. Their trunks seemed to stretch endlessly upward, and the thick canopy blocked out most of the sunlight. Every few seconds, creatures rustled through the leaves and caused snow to fall from above. A small furry tail disappeared behind a tree trunk, and Finnley instinctively thought of a squirrel, but something told her it was more exciting than that. She reached out to touch a nearby bush, only to realize her fingers were numb from the cold. As she pulled back the fuzzy leaves, she noticed she hadn’t felt anything for hours. Suddenly, a creature darted out from under the bush and scurried away so quickly that she couldn’t keep track of it with her eyes. All she could see were tiny footprints left behind in the packed snow. She turned to call after Elek, who had moved ahead on their journey, but froze when she saw something else in the distance.

There was just one at first, then another appeared over his shoulder, and another on her left came into view. The sound of heavy boots crunching through the snow behind her alerted her to even more creatures approaching. Her chest tightened at the sight, memories flooding back to her mind. The male in front of her has broad shoulders and a scar along his chin, similar to the one on her neck. In that moment, her mind numbingly wonders if they were both inflicted by the same weapon. She can still hear his voice and feel his grip on her as he caused incredible pain. His laughter echoes in her mind as she screamed. This male before her reminds her of him with his broad shoulders and square chin, but he has a rougher appearance. He is adorned in thick leather with scales of various colors running down his abdomen and legs. Dragon scales.

His intense gaze never left her as he took a step towards her, a blade tightly gripped in his hand. Finnley’s eyes flickered to the male on her right, who held no weapon but instead had glowing fists like they were gripping onto something invisible.

“Where did your Captain wander off to, Princess?” The first male sneered, taking another crunching step towards her through the icy snow.

Her heart rate quickens as she debates her next move. Should she play dumb and hope they believe her? Or should she reveal the truth and risk their wrath? Before she can decide, a booming laughter fills the air around her, sending shivers down her spine. Her eyes dart around, searching for Elek’s reassuring presence but he is nowhere to be seen. She forces herself to maintain a steady gaze, refusing to show any signs of vulnerability or fear.

But then the tall male who approached her pauses, his twisted grin spreading wider across his weathered face. Deep wrinkles pull at his hollow cheeks as he speaks in a low voice, “Who do you think you’re fooling?” A chill runs down Finnley’s spine as he glances towards someone standing behind her. “Out here like no one would know who you are.” Panic sets in as she realizes she is completely alone and defenseless against these powerful males.

She tries to step back, but suddenly her legs give out and she feels a heavy weight pressing down on her chest. It’s like an invisible force is holding her in place, making it impossible for her to move despite all of her efforts. Her limbs refuse to obey her commands as she frantically looks down to make sure they are still attached.

But then she sees the silver-haired man holding her in place with ease, a sharp blade just inches away from her face. The cold metal grazes against her cheek as he speaks with a hint of amusement in his voice, “It seems we have stumbled upon quite the intriguing find today.” He traces the edge of the blade down the side of her face before continuing in a dangerously low tone, “A human bearing an uncanny resemblance to a female that was supposed to be long dead.”

Another man joins in with a smirk on his face, “She will fetch a much higher price than that Winter White ever could.”

Fear grips Finnley’s chest.

The cold laugh behind her sent shivers down her spine as she stood helpless, trapped in the grip of unknown men. Their vise-like hands clamped down on her arms, bruising and restraining her with ease. She could feel their rancid breath tickling her skin as they spoke.

“We didn’t find the Princess everyone wanted,” one of them sneered, his words laced with greed. “But you’ll do just fine.”

A wave of revulsion washed over her as the silver-haired male’s icy touch held her in place, his piercing gaze like daggers through her soul. She could sense his hunger for power, a chilling force that overwhelmed her own.

“Your sister was such a beautiful thing,” he spat, disgust evident in his tone. “A shame she went to waste.”

His words were like poison in her ears, but before she could react, another voice joined in from somewhere unseen. She strained against the invisible hold on her chin, desperate to see who was speaking.

“Our long-lost Queen,” the male mused, his tone dripping with malice. “Now that would truly be worth something.”

“The sister will suffice,” replied the other male with a dismissive wave of his hand. His eyes roamed over her body, sizing her up like a piece of meat. “Don’t you think?”

The dragon-scaled males turned their attention back to their conversation in a language she couldn’t understand, while the silver-haired one remained fixated on her every move.

“That must be the Captain!” exclaimed their leader with a smirk. “Took you long enough to get here! Must have put up quite a fight, Kern.”

“Shut it, Cain,” growled another voice from a different direction. “Looks like the Captain likes to play with fire.”

As the man named Kern came into view, she couldn’t help glancing back at the silver-haired one to see if he was still watching her. Kern was a mirror image of his brother, except for the red strands in his braid and his fierce gaze that seemed to challenge the others. They were all alike, from the intricate tattoos on their necks to the dark blue armor made of dragon scales.

Behind Kern and Elek, she could see seven new figures approaching – all bearing the scent of smoke as if they had just escaped a burning inferno. Cain’s eyes swept over them before settling back on Elek with disdain, and the tension between him and Kern was palpable.

“He lit Conor and Dom up right away. They never saw it coming.” Kern grunted, his teeth clenched in anger before striking Elek in the gut.

Upon seeing the fierce swing of Kern’s fist into Elek, she knows immediately that these males possess an otherworldly strength, something not human. Similar to Elek himself, they hold a power that is distinctly of this world. But the only change in Elek is his expression; he remains motionless as he absorbs the hit with a grunt, his feet staggering below himt. “Seems your men aren’t as skilled as their Dragon Scales would suggest.” Elek snarls at Cain.

Without even glancing at Elek, Cain raises an eyebrow in response. His dark eyes holding her gaze, he speaks once more, “It’s quite an odd combination, isn’t it? A pirate with the ability to control fire. An unheard-of phenomenon, I’d say. And perhaps even more unheard of is that same Pirate jumping between worlds and bringing back a human… who was once a Guardian….A Princess nonetheless.” Kern mumbles something about suspicion and the King’s thoughts.

Meanwhile, Cain tilts his head toward her. She instinctively tries to pull away, but the silver-haired male still holds her captive. When Cain reaches for her chin with his mud-caked fingers, she flinches. But he manages to grasp it anyway and grins at her. “Does your King-” He snarles the word, “ know you’ve returned to this world?” he taunts.

“The King awaits her return,” Elek growls in response.

“Is that so, Finnula?” Cain smirks, tightening his grip on her chin. “Your King waits for you at the palace gates? After all this time? I highly doubt he’ll know what to do with himself when he sees you again. The King was heartbroken when he lost your sister…when he lost you…” His fingers slide down her jawline. “but it seems none of that mattered with what he gained.” She doesn’t understand his words, but she knows Elek does based on the tick of his jaw.

“The King is aware that she’s been secured. If you harm her, it will be his wrath you face,” Elek warns.

Something flickers in Cain’s eyes at this, and he retorts, “The King’s wrath has proven to be of little consequence. It’s the Dark North that poses a true threat. The Dark King would love to get his hands on you.”

“So your plan is to take her to the Dark North?” Elek chuckles, “You won’t make it past the firegate let alone through the fire valley.” But Cain pays him no mind as he places a large hand on the base of her throat. “Your father would have paid a hefty sum to keep you out of the hands of the North, but this so-called New King barely sent out a search party when you went missing. Seems he wasn’t as pleased with you as we were lead to believe. I highly doubt his payment will be as generous. You’ll fetch me quite the reward from the Dark North.” He glances over her once more before stepping away with disappointment evident on his face. His gaze now shifts to Elek, who responds coolly, “The North will pay a handsome price for both of you. The pirate of the Northern Sea who can jump worlds turns out to also wield fire…what a pretty coin.”

“I hate to be the one to tell you but The North will pay no price for my head.” Elek bites out.

“I have a feeling the Dark King would be very interested to learn the famous Elek Abelieen wields fire.” Cain smirks, the joy of whatever secret he thinks he uncovered seeping onto his face. “An element believed to be dead… I feel he will be very interested indeed.”

“Surely the Dark King has more important things to be concerned about then what power I wield.” Elek growls.

The tension in the air was thick as Elek and Cain faced off, their words laced with animosity and venom. Elek’s voice was a low growl, dripping with disdain as he spoke about The North’s inability to harm him. But even as he taunted them, there was a certain edge of fear in his tone - for who could truly stand against the all-powerful Dark King?

Cain smirked, relishing in whatever secret knowledge he thought he held over Elek. His joy was evident on his face as he continued to provoke the pirate. “The Dark King is the sole heir to the elemental fire. You are nothing but a mere pirate who dares to mock his great power and defy the true ruler.”

Elek grunts once more, “Does the Dark King know you are doing his bidding?”

As they stared one another down, the wind howled around them, drowning out any words they might have exchanged. Finnley knew she should intervene before things turned physical, but she found herself frozen in place by some unknown force.

“The Dark King may have many servants,” Cain spat out, loud and angry “but we are all ultimately servants to the old ways.”

“Is that what you are doing out here” Elek huffs in response, “Harvesting Dragon Scales to honor the old ways? Selling off innocents?”

“Innocents?” Cain belows, graspsing her chin harshly, “is that what she is now? Are her disgusting sins washed away in this human body?”

When his fist rises she braces herself, she can practically feel the sting of his knuckles but before he lands the blow, Kern’s fist connects with Elek’s jaw with a sickening crack the moment Cain’s connects with Finnleys. She doesn’t drop to the ground even though the punch was enough to knock her on her ass. She barley moves, and the pain ripples through her eyes and nose, blood quickly connecting and dripping down her lips. Moving faster then Finnley’s eyes can register, Cain is then before Elek, his knuckles bloody from the impact of her face. Finnley winces, watching helplessly as blood drips from Elek’s lip, his eyes grazing over her for just a blink before a smirk begins to pull up at the corner of his bloody lip.

“The Dark King will reward us for our loyalty to the old ways.” Cain growls, “And he will burn those like you who have fallen to the temptation to these false Guardians, they celestial who claim our blood is not pure! We will pull apart those who have chosen to serve the winged beasts that have broken our world apart!”

A smirk pulls at Elek’s split lip, “I serve no one but you would be surprised at how many of the followers of the old ways serve a winged beast.”

“Are you going to divulge to us how you came across the lost Princess?” When Elek stays mute, a smile creeps along Cairn’s face. “Perhaps you’ve had her this entire time.” Cairn chuckles, and Finnley can see the way his hand drifts from her neck to her waist but she cannot feel him there. Cannot feel the hand that grazes her or the snow that slowly falls. She could not feel the wind that swept past her, shuffling her hair. The numbness was not from the cold but from the powerful magic that held her in place. “Perhaps the pirate took you as his whore and held you on the blasted ghost ship. The Dark King will be glad to put the smear on his name to rest, to finally prove that it was not him that killed your father but rather a pirate thief worth less than the crystal he once harvested.”

“Watch your tongue, Cain.” Elek’s warning hung in the cold air, but Cain only responded with a guttural laugh that echoed through the icy landscape.

“Perhaps you came in and cleaned up the leftovers after Astrophel was dealt with.” Cain taunts him, before whipping his head toward her, “Or maybe it was you who finally rid us of your disgraceful father and sister.”

A sudden intake of breath caused by her shock and anger flooded into her lungs, causing her chest to painfully expand. Before she could catch her breath, the ice beneath her gave way, sending her tumbling down onto the packed snow. The frigid air pierced through her leather clothing, making her muscles shiver and ache. She cried out in agony as a new kind of pain seared through her body - as though her very veins had been electrified. This was a pain only known to this cursed world and its powerful magic that held her captive.

Struggling to lift her head, she found herself surrounded by smoke, the acrid scent filling her nostrils and adding to the disorienting chaos around her. Flames danced on the snowy ground with no apparent source, licking at the trees above and showering black soot onto the white surface. Despite the cacophony of shouts and cries around her, all she could focus on was the deafening ringing in her ears as waves of heat washed over them and a thick haze obscured her vision.

In the distance, a tree snapped apart with a resounding crack. Desperate to escape the suffocating inferno, she stumbled blindly through the smoke-filled air, becoming increasingly disoriented with each step.

Her heart pounds in her chest as she frantically searches for any sign of Elek midst the chaos but finds only strangers running for their lives, their screams piercing through the roar of fire

As Elek stood facing away from her, his arm was engulfed in a blazing inferno that threatened to consume him. The bodies of the men who had previously held him were nothing but lifeless husks at his feet, no match for his fiery powers. She called out to him, but before she could even process what was happening, Kern appeared and used an unseen force to knock Elek into the snow. Despite this attack, the flames continued to rage around Elek’s body, casting a red and orange glow against the white snow. She cried out again as a strong grip seized her waist and pulled her towards someone behind her.

“Where do you think you’re running off to?”

Finnley growled in response, struggling against his harsh grip. “Let me go, you son of a bitch!”

When her elbow connected with the male’s ribs, he spun her so quickly that she almost fell over her own feet, and then he struck her across the jaw with a brutal blow that sent shock waves of pain through her head. As if her body wasn’t already burning from within, the impact from the male’s hand was excruciatingly painful.

“Do not harm the King’s property!” A deep voice boomed from somewhere behind her.

“Property?” She chuckled despite the ache that made its way through her jaw and into her forehead. “A little rude, I haven’t even met him.”

Her sarcasm was lost on the male who dragged her along, “Shut it!”

Finnley’s heart raced as the stout male, who had been cackling and sneering at her from beside Cain forcibly shoved her towards the silver haired male, her feet slipping on the snowy ground.Finley stumbled towards the silver-haired man, her feet slipping on the icy ground. As she reached out to regain her balance, she saw the burns that marred his face - angry red blisters covering one side, and singed hair. Her eyes widened in shock and horror at the sight of his missing hand, the stump leaking a trail of black blood onto the snow-covered ground.

“Can’t keep me in place without that, can you?” She sneered, gesturing to his wound with disdain.

But before she could react, he kicked her down to her knees with surprising force, grabbing fistfuls of her hair and yanking her chin up. Pain shot through her injured leg as it hit the hard ground once again, while the stout man pressed his boot onto her ankle with precision. A cry escaped her as her ankle cracked beneath his weight. The silver-haired man looked down at her with a cruel glint in his eye.

“Your human form hasn’t served you well,” he taunted. “It’s a shame for such a powerful Guardian to have your power leaking out of you.”

“Let me go!” Finnley growled, struggling against his grip.

“Is that what you screamed when you ran away from your family’s killer?” The male sneered, “Is that what you begged for before being thrown from that window?”

Memories of her screams echoed in Finnley’s mind, causing her head to snap to the side. But before she could respond, a loud crack filled the air as Elek gained the upper hand and slammed Cain into a nearby tree trunk.

“Do you think her sister begged?” The male behind her grotesquely sneered.

The silver-haired man let out a heavy sigh, sending chills down Finnley’s spine. In the next moment, a freezing blade was pressed against her throat, appearing as if it had been hidden in the snow all along. The stout male pulled her up again, but she kicked and screamed as the blade cut into her neck.

“It’s time for us to head back,” the silver-haired man said firmly, turning away from Cain as she slumped against a nearby tree and collapsed onto the ground beneath Elek. “The pirate isn’t worth it.”

Despite her struggles, the stout man continued to drag Finnley along, his grip unyielding. The blade at her throat only added to her fear and pain. “You’re much easier to manage without all that power and anger that used to simmer inside ya.” he grumbled as they walked.

“I bet you say that to all the ladies,” she retorted, trying to free herself from his grasp. But she knew it was futile - these men possessed inhuman strength that she could never match.

“Only the ones who will fetch me a good price,” he chuckled, his breath harsh against her cheek.

“Now, we just have to decide who to sell her to,” the silver-haired man chimed in. But before they could take another step, a wall of fire erupted in front of them. Finnley gasped as the blade pierced her skin and burned, but she managed to elbow the stout man’s ribs and kick his knee before he could react. As the blade, now stained with her blood, fell into the snow, the stout man was suddenly engulfed in flames. A silent scream escaped from his mouth as he burned.

Finnley watched in shock as the flames surrounded them, growing taller and hotter by the second. She saw the silver-haired male dart towards her, but before she could move again, she felt a jolt strike her hand. And then, as if by some unseen force, thick clouds of smoke appeared around her, encircling her like a protective shield. Flames began to rise up around her in a circle, licking at her skin with an intensity that made her shudder.

“I am in no mood to play games, Hilaire.” Elek growled, appearing behind Finnley with flames still dancing in his palms.

Hilarie, the silver harried male, lifted his single hand palm up. “I have no meaning to take you with us.” He explained, “Cain was the one that wanted you, and he was an idiotic bastard that got what was coming. We will leave with the girl, and you can go on your way.”

“You will not be leaving with her.” Elek growled, the flames at his hands tuning from a vibrant orange to a terrifying blue.

Hilarie signed,“I will be leaving with the girl.”

“Who sent you here to find her?” Elek asks suddenly, a bloody brow raised.

Instead of denying it, Hilarie smirks, “The highest bidder.”

“And how did the highest bidder know that she was here?”

A deep laugh escapes the male, “The highest bidders often know everything that happens in the realm. Most of it, they often do not care about.”

“And who cares so deeply about her?” Elek rebuffs. But steps back one step before a chuckle leaves him, “That will not work Hilarie, without your hand, you have no way to control it.”

Hilarie lets out a deep sigh again, “Listen Captain,” He sneers the word, “I wish to bring you no harm, but I will if you do not let me leave with the Heir.”

“Why in the seven Hel’s would I allow you to leave with her?”

“Because Captain, from what I’ve heard you and I are on the same side of this war.”

Elek spits blood onto the white snow, “I hold to no side.”

“I’ve heard many different things.” Hilarie sneers, his eyes gleaming again. The same way they had when he had taunted Finnley, “I’ve heard you have many dealings, that you hold to no side yet you hold to every-side.”

Elek’s back tensed, “I am done playing this game.”

And just like that without another word, Elek’s hands exploded with blinding power.