The Prince Of Curses h.s.

Thirty nine

Smoke.

I opened my eyes, the smell of smoke overtaking all of my senses. I coughed as panic rose quickly in my chest. The air was black and thick.

"Ayla," I shouted, throwing the blankets off me.

Moonlight seeped through the window, illuminating swirls of black ash. Outside there was a faint orange glow, one that made me conclude one thing. Fire.

Ayla was up and out of bed before I had a second to think. I could barely see her through the fog.

"What's going on?" She said quickly, her eyes wide.

I looked out of my window, gasping at the sight in front of me. A crowd of people stood in front of our shop with torches. The orange glow was coming from the front of the building, just below our room. Loud voices shouted and cheered as they watched our shop be set ablaze. My eyes scanned the rest of the area, seeing some knights laying on the ground in puddles of blood. Others were fighting off the protesters, but they were vastly outnumbered.

Fright and terror settled in me like a ton of bricks.

No.

"Ayla, run." I grabbed my sister's hand as I threw open our bedroom door. Clouds of smoke quickly fanned in front of us. The floor beneath my feet was warm. The fire must not have made its way into the rest of the building— but it was spreading fast.

The hall was thick with smoke and ash. I could barely make out what was in front of me. The air I inhaled scorched my lungs. I used the neck of my nightgown to cover my mouth as I struggled to breathe through it. Luckily my father and mother shot out of their room by the time we made it down the hall. My mother's eyes were weary and full of concern.

We rushed down the stairs that lead into the kitchen. Billows of smoke poured from the main store and seeped into the back of the bakery. My hands pushed against the back door, shoving it open and stumbling outside.

I coughed and coughed until I was able to catch my breath. It seemed like nothing could help clear the smoke from my lungs. My throat burned like fire. The night air felt like ecstasy as I breathed it in. It was thin and cool compared to the thick blankets of ash I had just inhaled.

Catching my breath I turned, nearly sighing in relief when I realized that my family was safe. Regardless of what was happening to our home, we all made it out alive.

It had finally happened— the thing I dreaded the most. The rioters found me. My childhood home was being consumed by the hunger of a flame.

"Here they are!" A voice shouted. My head snapped in that direction, my magic flipping on like a switch and igniting under my fingertips.

In a panic I looked around, searching for a way out— but there was none. People gathered around us, illuminating themselves with the glow of their torches. They surrounded the back of the bakery, one by one filing in as our home burned behind us. I tried not to let fear overtake me as we became caged like animals.

There was a rift in the crowd in front of us, people shuffling and moving aside before someone stepped out the front. Meccus.

His eyes locked with mine as a sinister smirk pulled on his lips. He let out a light chuckle, "well, well, well, look what we have here. When we got word of royal guards being in the area I never would've guessed they'd be guarding you. Get tired of taking advantage of the prince and leeching off royal services? Or did he toss you back to the filth you came from?"

I ground my jaw, my fist clenching in my hand. I moved slightly, straightening myself. As I did a few men stepped out of the crowd, holding their swords high.