Dawn of Blood and Magic

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 13

Adika slouched down onto the floor of the ballroom. Her dress was burning, and her chains and bracelets were melting themselves into her skin. Adika summoned up the strength for water to come flowing from the well that was built below in the kitchens. Her skirt was drowned in the water, causing a sizzle to come as the fire and water meshed together. Adika sat down, glassy eyed watching the burnt ashes of the soldiers spread themselves against the burnt floor. Adika was sullen as she noticed the loss of a bracelet that Haider had given her when they were younger. The thing used to be made of copper braids that interlocked with zinc. Now it was simply a mixed metal handcuff around her wrist.

The scared eyes of her subjects looked from the clear panes of the balcony door. They looked aghast. Eyes popped out of sockets. Women clutched onto their childrens. Hiding them behind their skirts.

Adika picked up what was left of her skirts and ran. She just ran. Adika ran through the door. It was another door that had been hidden behind yet another wall, with another brick insert. Adika fell back onto the floor as the door closed. She put her head in her hands, and started sobbing. She felt as if she were drowning under the looks of her people. She knew what they had thought of her before and now it would be worse. She would never be accepted as their queen, and she had just set that in stone now.

Adika shook herself out of it. She just saved their ungrateful lives. Adika grabbed the spare swords that had been left against the wall. She knew that there were some more men to find. If they weren't going to respect her as their heir, she would let them fear her instead.

↣↣ ⇼ ↢↢

Zahrah was running back from the kitchens. She had been able to close any doors that could lead to another surprise attack. Sure, she wished that she could have seen Adika's little light show, but she could feel the heat from a floor down. Luckily she hadn't come across any enemy soldiers and she had been able to keep her parents cooped up in their house. As much she wanted to run into the ballroom and help fight, she knew that would cause more harm than help. She had read too many books where the kid would stupidly run into something that they were not trained for. She was not going to get herself killed just because she wanted some action. Zahrah rounded the bend of the tunnel before smashing into a familiar tall figure.

Zahrah tumbled into Jai, and then on to the floor. Strands of her hair fell out of her scarf. Heaving she locked her eyes with Jai.

"It seems like you can't avoid me this time," Zahrah looked down on Jai. He looked up with an exasperated look on his face.

"I wasn't avoiding you."

"Yes, you were. Don't lie to me."

"Well at least can you get off of me. We've been in this position before and what followed after wasn't good," Jai said, motioning to her legs.

"No. I don't care. You and I are going to talk," Zahrah affirmed.

"We are in public. If you didn't notice, I need to go find more enemies that ended up evading that little fiery inferno Adika let out."

"Fine, but after that we are talking about it," Zahrah let out a huff, before getting off of him.

"Sure thing," Jai called over his shoulder while he made his way, "Also you look beautiful today." He winked, continuing to run back towards the tunnel. Zahrah shook her head, before smiling vividly at herself. She continued on her course towards the tunnels below, quickly twisting her way through the frantic crowds of men and women in colourful outfits.