Fire

Chapter Twenty

-Fenrir's Point of View-

It's been days since anyone has seen or heard from Ember. I watched as a dragon snatched her right out from under me. If only I had been a bit faster, I could have prevented her from being taken. Viktor has been distraught the past few days and everyone is on edge. Several people went missing but only three were children of elders. Ember, Logan, and Keegan were taken. Keegan disappeared at the beginning of the battle, Logan in the middle, and Ember right at the very end.

She did something extraordinary right before she was taken. She extinguished the fire she had created. She drew it back into herself, it could have killed her. I just pray that she is alright. I don't know what Viktor will do if she is gone forever. I don't know what I will do if she is gone.

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I don't know where I am. Underneath me, I feel a cold, hard rock slab. The air is chilly, but not enough that it will bother me even in the remains of my burnt tunic. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I spin around to see a large figure that is shrinking as it gets closer to me.

"Ahh. Hello again sweetheart," a familiar voice says. "I told you that I would find you again. And that it would be more painful than before. Mmm... but look at this. You look so wonderful lying on the floor of my dwelling. Mhmm... I could just eat you up."

"Emil," I hiss.

"Ahh... so you didn't forget me after the few months I spent away. You did seem to enjoy my other face. Y'know, the soft, innocent one. The one that was so protective of Daddy dearest and trying to prevent you from hating him."

"Keegan..." I whisper as the voice steps into the light.

"Close, but not quite. Have you not wondered what happened to his clan's women and children? You see we, what the clans believe are the dragon riders, have a particular talent. We are quite talented at finding our prey's... pressure points if you will. Yours were very easy to detect," he says smugly.

"What do you mean 'pressure points'?" I ask quietly.

"Oh, y'know. The things that keep you ticking. For example, Keegan's is his family. He had a mother that adored him and a fiancé that he worshipped. Once the sickness took both of the women he loved most and travelled onto his father, he sold his soul to the devil. Almost literally. He traded his body and his life for the little bit of family he had left. I wonder what you would do for that little boy you love so much," he mused. I snarl at him and he laughs.

"Oh yes. That is the response you gave me the last time we spoke of him. At first, I was confused at why you get so riled up whenever I mention him. When I first thought about it, I figured it was just the instinct to protect the young but then, I saw you with him when Keegan had his own mind. Mmm... much more than just a random child. And then you told his father the story. And what a cute story it was. You feel as if he is your own son, and you protect him like a mother would. So cute," he says as he pinches my cheek.

"You stay away from him," I snarl once again.

"But I wasn't done, deary. I also saw how close you were with those friends of yours. They are like family to you, they know everything," he whispers as he trails his hand down to pull at the fire crystal hidden beneath my top. "And this, what a lovely gift. Too bad that you won't be needing it anymore." He yanks it off my neck and holds it up to the light before putting it in his pocket.

"You may want to go to sleep again, sweetheart," he says as he latches a collar like metal strip around my neck. "You won't be getting much sleep within the next few days, you'll be in way too much pain for that," he says with a grin in his voice as I descend into darkness once again.

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Helloo. I'm sorry, I know it has been forever since I posted anything. School has kept me hella busy. I do have more chapters and I will try to update on a more regular schedule from now on. By the way, please don't hate me for what I make my characters go through. The rest of the story isn't gonna be like this. I promise!