Chapter 84

The St. Luke children's home. Flame would always be able to recognize that place, it didn't matter how much time passed by. That had been the only slither of identity she had had growing up. Whenever she thought about her roots that was the only place that came to mind. She looked up at the building,and inside it she could see the church that they had always been forced to attend as children. It had been impossible to escape considering that it was right in there. She heard a child's cry and turned to see Aurelia walking gently, her steps were always so measured, so precise and gentle. Creating an illusion, making it seem as if she was floating. Dressed in a cream colored long gown that was now stained in blood. She had used the gown to wipe the red liquid from the baby's form. 

The baby, Flame thought. That was her. 

She had always assumed that her parents hadn't wanted her, that she had regarded as a nuisance and a burden immediately after her birth and so they had abandoned her outside the home and went back to their lives. 

Now wrapped in a soft looking white blanket, Flame narrowed her amber gaze at the child. Then she watched as Aurelia walked to the gate and knocked. A calm look on her face, her eyes holding patience. An old man opened it up, Flame didn't know him. Doubted she had ever seen him before. She watched as he looked at Aurelia with a frown on his face then he looked at the child in her arms. And he was about to talk when Aurelia uttered the word, " Listen...". She said it with the calm fierceness that was a part of who she was. The man maintained his silence and simply stared at her. He looked as if he was in a trance. 

" Take her, ensure she is cared for and fed. If asked say you found her helpless outside your gates......Her name is Flame, " Aurelia gave the child over to the man who took her without asking. Then with movements that seemed almost robotic, he turned around and left. And the second he did so, Aurelia was no longer there either. 

With her hand on her chest, Flame sat up in bed. Her entire form was shaking. She looked around her dark chambers, then she felt Nuriel's hand on her shoulder and his concerned voice as he asked her whether she was okay. 

The images of her dream were still vivid in her mind, and she knew that it wasn't a dream but a memory that wasn't even hers. That was her history. She recalled her plans to ask Aurelia about herself, and it appeared the fairy had gone ahead and provided her with all the answers that she needed without her asking. 

" Your mother was a spirited one, wild in so many ways. But she loved you, refused to terminate you even when everyone thought she ought to..." Aurelia's voice whispered in her head. Then her presence vanished and Flame was left with those memories that she wasn't sure she wanted to cherish. 

" M'eudail?" 

Nuriel sat up beside her and wrapped his arms around her, she moved closer to him and breathed out when he brought his wing around her as well. She breathed him in and laid her head on his chest. Closing her eyes, she saw her mother, her tears as she struggled to bring a child into the world alone. Completely deserted by everyone else. 

" She was so young angel, " Flame found herself saying. Her voice a strangled whisper and the promise of tears in her eyes. Confused, Nuriel asked her who she was referring to. Fearing that she was back to being hunted by her past and the children that she had accidentally killed. 

" My mother, " Flame said,then she looked up and into the silver eyes of the only being capable of calming her without having to say a word. 

" Aurelia just showed her to me, " shaking her head, Flame buried it in the crook of Nuriel's neck. He kissed her temple but didn't say anything. Knowing that all she needed in that moment was to not feel alone. Rubbing his hand up and down her back soothingly, he felt her as she tried to hold it all in. To appear strong and not let the emotions win even if they were tearing her apart inside. 

Flame didn't think that her mother was supposed to die the way she did. No one deserved that. It was clear that she had made some questionable choices in her life but still...

" Just let it out. I'm here, " Nuriel assured her. Then he squeezed his eyes shut when the pained sound of her sob echoed in the room. It hurt him to see her like that, but that was Flame. She would cry it out and then she'd get over it and try her best to move on. 

" That's it, I've got you," He assured her as he combed his fingers through her hair. 

He wouldn't ask her what exactly she had seen, that was her information to give willingly if she wanted to. But he would be there every step of the way. And not because it was his duty, but rather because he wanted to, because it was impossible for him to do anything else. 

She finally cried herself back to sleep, and he covered her up and held her close in his arms. At times like that he hated how helpless he was, knowing there was nothing he could do but watch her as she shed tears. But he loved her, and that would always be enough.

🌼💮🌼💮🌼💮

Back in Umallen news of the murdered young male spread like wildfire. Not only because they were always informed of whatever went on, but rather because of who the young male was. 

Queen Raza fisted her hands as she looked at the emaciated body of her twenty year old son. So deformed she had almost refused to accept that it was him. But she was his mother, she knew her young boy. 

With eyes that hurt from crying too much and a spirit that had been crushed, she held Prince Lucas's hand in hers and clenched her teeth. 

The entire kingdom was in fear, a terrorizer lurked within. 

" What were you two doing out there?" She commanded in a voice that fought to be strong. And when she got no reply she turned to face the young girl that was still silently sobbing beside her.

 Her eyes on her stepbrother's corpse. She shook her head and lied that they had just been passing by on their way to a feast.

With flawless mocha skin and dark brown eyes, Queen Raza turned on her heels and strode back to the throne room. A search was still in progress. The search for a female with red hair and eyes of darkness.

No one had ever heard of her before. And Raza was slowly drawing to the conclusion that she was indeed a foreigner. Perhaps one of the other two kingdoms had tired of their current state of peace and decided to spice things up. 

And if that was the case then she was going to reign down untold misery on them. Digging both her hands into her hair she fell in a heap to the ground. There were guards around but they knew their place,they would act as if they weren't seeing a thing. 

Her son was gone, the only child she had ever birthed. She wrapped her arms around herself and let the tears fall. A while later her mate walked towards her and tried to comfort her. But that was not what she needed. What she really wanted was vengeance. And she would have it. She wouldn't stop until she learnt of who had killed her sweet Lucas, and then she was going to teach the suicidal female a thing or two about a mother's pain. 

With red and swollen eyes she pierced her mate with a level stare and fisted her hands into his shirt, pulling him closer so that he could see how serious she was. 

" Summon the Acren. NOW! " She ground out, he breathing hitched and she darted her gaze across the face of the man she was mated to. 

He sighed and wrapped his hands around her wrists, but then he nodded and stood, bringing her along with him. She needed answers and she was going to find them. Theirs was a land of spells and magic, she didn't need physical effort so as to find the murderer. All she required was a spell. And then she would have the identity of whoever it was that had dared to take away her most precious gift. 

And if her suspicions were confirmed and it turned out to be a being from another kingdom, then it would simply be the start of a war. No questions asked.