Mentored in Fire by K.F. Breene

Twenty-Three

They are all there,Tatsu thought as they closed the distance to his daughter.

Not all. There are no vampires beyond Durant.

They’d stopped briefly at the Haedus sect, knowing full well that Reagan had escaped with her friends. The place was in chaos. Sure enough, they’d left not long before, having severely rattled and cowed the powerful conspector.

Lucifer hadn’t allowed himself to feel the pulsing of pride that she had donned her mantle even while running from it. He’d grabbed the briefest bit of info from the leader—none of the vampires helping her sounded like Vlad—and had taken off after her.

They are working on the wall, Tatsu said, as though he didn’t also have eyes.

Urgency pumped a solid beat within his chest. He could not let her get away. She would make a fool of him. She would show his weakness as a ruler.

She has showcased the strength of your bloodline, Tatsu said. He must’ve let his thoughts slip. She will show the powerful pedigree of her friends. Of her dragons. Of her person. She is your heir, through and through. She is worthy of the Underworld. Of the title of princess.

She is trying to escape all of those things, or don’t you know what fleeing in the middle of the night generally means?

She is trying to escape one she sees as a tyrant.

You’re on her side, are you?

I am on your side. You need to be on her side.

She won’t get through that wall. I used all my best conspectors to help form it. Maybe if she had a few hours, but not in mere minutes. I’ll have her. I’ll apologize and we’ll start again. This can be amended.

What is… He let the thought linger.

The illusion of the beach unraveled before his eyes. Magic ate through it like acid, ripping it into tatters and revealing what lay beneath.

His daughter stood with her friends, grouped around the wall and working on one spot.

If she wanted to break it more quickly, they should spread out, work at different parts of it. But then, there was only one with the magic to do that, he supposed. The other two, the mages, weren’t as strong. They could erode old constructs, but they seemed to need Reagan’s help on his latest work.

Faster, he said, leaning forward, his heart speeding up. We can reach them before they go. Faster.

They will attack.

The mages are nothing. I’ve confronted angelic magic before. Or how do you think I survived?

Reagan will attack, and Archion with her. He is a handful. If Saphira joins…

He shook his head. She might attack, that was true. But she lacked experience. She had brute power, but no finesse. No advanced knowledge. She would not stand a chance. He’d have her, and they could put all this behind them.

Fire flared in front of Reagan, followed by a swirl of what looked like frost. More, in patches, one location and then another. He could not see what else was happening, not from such a distance, but they were working fast, urgently. Another burst of fire, bigger than the last. A white crack wormed up his onyx wall.

“No,” he said, half standing, looking harder. It grew, the crack, before another one started. And another. “No! Go, Tatsu, go!”

She put on a burst of speed. She might not think this was the best course of action, but she was loyal—she’d help him now, just like he always helped her when she asked for something.

The wall began to erode. Cracks ran through the structure, racing for the sides.

How? He squinted, trying to see into the distance. He’d made that wall incredibly complex. It was some of his best work. “How…”

The hole kept getting larger, growing and growing. They now raced for their dragons, Reagan helping them mount with bursts of air, faltering slightly when it was her turn to lift. She was exhausted, panting from the effort; he was close enough to see that. Right on them now. They still had to get up to speed and fly over the Edges. They still had to exit, one dragon at a time—the exit too small for them all to leave together. He could grab at least one of her friends. She’d sacrifice herself for them.

Is this what you want? Tatsu asked as they closed the gap.

All three dragons had made it through the crumbling wall.

“Go,” he growled, willing her to go faster, half wanting to fly himself. He couldn’t compete against a dragon, though. He needed her.

Is this what you want? she repeated as they barreled through the hole, the edges continuing to recede. With time, it would dissipate to nothing, the same way the fog had.

He ignored her. Because yes, this was what he wanted. He wanted his daughter to live down here with him. He wanted an equal to talk to. To rule by his side. He had never wanted to elevate someone to that post by marriage or something so unpoetic as a promotion. He’d wanted his bloodline to dictate the right candidate—the person literally born for the role. All these long years, and he’d never found anyone. He’d never given up hope, though. He’d never bent, always believing it would happen.

And here she was, the woman born to rule. She must want the title that went with her talents. How could she resist? How could she turn away from the beauty down here, the ability to create her dreams and laugh at her nightmares?

“She is confused,” he said through gritted teeth. “Her friends are making her confused.”

They soared over the pits, everyone scattering. He wanted to burn them all where they stood. Clear this place out. It was a cesspool, had been for…countless quantities of time.

In a way, he’d created this mess, this eyesore on the entrance to his kingdom, by putting up the fog. They’d gathered here, the ones who could no longer travel freely inside.

No, he wasn’t the one who’d done it. The elves had pushed this on him. They had forced his hand. He should’ve pushed back before now. He shouldn’t have been so willing to follow their terms.

Reagan neared the exit. Tatsu was right on them. If she got through, then they would get the druid, easy.

No, the druid was pushing up to go first. Reagan was holding back.

You shall have your dragons back, he thought to Tatsu, his focus acute. Most of them, at least.

I do not want them back. Let them go. They’ve been suffocating down here for too long. Let them see clear skies and bask in real sun.

The druid disappeared through the exit. Reagan motioned Saphira on wildly, her movements erratic, desperate to get everyone out. It must’ve been like this when the elves took her. She’d stayed behind and sent the others to safety.

The vampire rose from the back of Archion. He must not have expected it, because he made a wild grab for Reagan, not wanting to leave. The girl on Saphira leaned toward Reagan, her face desperate, as the vampire touched down in a wobbly landing. Her friends did not want to leave her. She was forcing them out, sacrificing herself for them again. Dooming herself.

She thought of him in no better terms than she did the elves.

What Tatsu had said filtered through his mind.

Saphira pushed forward, eagerly, and disappeared from his kingdom. Only Reagan was left, and they were on her now. She had no hope. One push and they would have her.

“Stop.”

His heart broke to hear the word fall from his lips.

“Stop,” he said louder as Reagan turned to him on the back of Archion, not even trying to push through. She must be worried he would follow her. She wanted her friends to get to safety.

Her expression was defiant and resolute.

These last few weeks, he’d gotten the pliant Reagan. The student. The trickster.

Now he could see the steel that infused her backbone. She would never back down, not like this. She could not be forced, Tatsu was right. Just as he could not be, in his younger years. She had been born for the role of heir, and stubborn defiance was part of that.

“Let her go,” he said, needing to hear himself say the words, refusing to sag as his daughter beheld him. Refusing to let her see him breaking. He held up his hand, wishing her well.

Confusion stole over her expression, followed by understanding. She placed a hand on her heart and bowed. Respect given, respect returned.

Turn and go. He tore his eyes away. She won’t trust me to stick to my word. Turn, and let her see us leave.

Tatsu did as he’d instructed, blowing a trumpet to Archion. They got it back, and then they were away.

Shall we go after the vampires? Tatsu thought as they flew over the Edges.

No. Let her deal with them. But if any vampire should come into my kingdom without her, they will see me directly. If they do not, I will make an example out of them.

So you aren’t going to repair the fog?

No. We are going to prepare for war.

They flew, and he let Tatsu handle the details, thinking of his daughter leaving the kingdom. His kingdom. He wondered if she’d ever think of it as hers.

He wanted to ask her.

This time, he would do it on her home turf.

And we will prepare a visit to the princess of the Dark Kingdom. For that will be her title whether or not she accepts it. After this, she has earned it.