Fire Roars On

(Raijian's POV)

We talked late into the evening again.

"You know... when I first saw you, I was starstruck. I'd never seen someone so beautiful," she admitted as we sat side by side with only our feet in the water. "I thought you were a mirage," she added with a grin.

I placed my hand on top of hers, too nervous to reply, though that was exactly how I felt when I first saw her.

"I'm discovering quite a few lovely things lately," she said, smiling softly. "Maybe living here isn't so awful."

"I'm glad I met you," I said finally. "I... I'm really glad you spoke to that boy by the lake yesterday."

She laughed and laid her head on my shoulder.

"It's getting cold... I hope you don't mind," Aluma whispered.

"You could touch me anywhere and I wouldn't mind," I replied. Her body temperature rose, and I looked up at the sky to keep my thoughts from getting too impure. "You're beautiful too... like the red sky."

She held my hand and intertwined our fingers.

Once the sun had completely set, Aluma stood and said, "I need to go."

"Wait…" I said, rising to face her.

Her eyes met mine, then drifted down to my lips, like she knew what I wanted and was giving me permission.

So, I kissed her.

Our lips stayed locked for only five seconds. I had a handful of her hair; she clung to me, her nails digging into my back. When we parted, she whispered:

"I hope to see you again soon."

Then she rushed off—wherever she had to be.

I'm so glad I'm not crazy… She's interested in me too. It's amazing what a mere three extra years of growth can do.

That thought barely crossed my mind when I heard footsteps. Soldiers. I recognized the clank of metal armor.

I hurried to the hiding spot I'd used the night before and stayed low, concealed by trees and bushes.

"If we don't find him tonight, the Glass King is going to murder us," one guard muttered.

"I'm not going back! Who even knows where the prince is?! I don't deserve to die—!"

No sooner had he spoken than a glass shard erupted from his throat… and another from his forehead. He died instantly.

The remaining guards panicked and began searching more frantically. I stayed still, masking my body heat.

They must have made a pact with my father—probably swore to keep searching for me until they succeeded. Choosing to give up must have triggered the execution. This was getting intense… but I couldn't let them find me yet.

I'd barely had any time with her.

Things eventually quieted down. As soon as I relaxed, I felt my body shrink back to its true size. The transformation only lasted 12 hours. I waited until an hour before Aluma's usual arrival to draw the new rune.

Thankfully, she came. This time, she wore a silver halter dress, held together by three simple knots. It was hard to stop thinking about how easily it could be removed.

"Raijian! Were you waiting for me?" she called out, standing in front of me with a smirk. "You have a crush on me, don't you?" she teased.

"What?" I blushed despite trying not to. She slipped off her heels. Her toenails were painted chrome—which made me notice her matching fingernails.

"I asked because I have a crush on you. I'm sure the kiss made that obvious, but I felt like I should still say it."

Her voice was soft. She looked me in the eye. I lost control and kissed her, undoing the strings I had been staring at just moments before.

"Raijian… mmm… Rai…" she kept saying my name like it meant something. But just as I lifted her legs onto my waist, she gasped:

"Wait!"

I stopped. My breath was ragged.

"I'm sorry…" I mumbled.

"...Me too. I've had a crush on you since the moment I laid eyes on you." She giggled, then wrapped her legs around me and held my shoulders for balance.

I was stunned. I thought I'd rushed things, that I was losing her. But this woman… she's impossible to read.

"That's not it… I… I can't be with you. I…" She rested her forehead against mine. "I want you… but…"

Then she pulled away, got back on her feet, and ran.

"Aluma, wait! Why not?! Talk to me!" I shouted, chasing after her—too far. I hadn't realized how close we were to the palace.

Despite my transformation, the security recognized my biological signature. I was dragged back into the prison I call home.

"I heard the thunder kid set you free," my father said from his throne, laughing.

"You mean Zaikel. Technically, Rytem is the thunder kid," I corrected. My dad frowned—he hates humor.

"I'm never wrong about anything," he declared, "Moving on. I need to make an example out of him. We can't have him hatching any more escape plans, can we?"

He snapped his fingers, and Zai was dragged into the throne room.

"No! He didn't mean to open the gate—I ran off on my own! If you want to punish someone, punish me!" I pleaded.

Zai looked shocked. His eyes stayed on me. The sadness in them faded slightly. He'd already resigned himself to punishment when he walked in—but now… maybe that was changing.

"He's already been punished," my father said with a sadistic grin. "But he hasn't learned his place. I want to ensure this mistake never happens again."

"Loyalty is a better way to control people than fear! If you keep down this path, NO ONE will ever be loyal to you!" I shouted.

That got under his skin.

He had Zai sent back to his room and threw me into one of the torture cells.

But I was still grateful.

That was the day Zai and I finally became friends.

"Why did you stand up for me?" Zai asked, standing below my hanging body. My wrists were bound in power-suppressing chains. I could still feel the fire inside me, but it was faint.

"I wanted to piss him off," I answered.

Zai laughed. "You definitely did that."

I laughed too. Even in this condition, my heart felt light. I must love him. This is what family is supposed to feel like.

"Also… because I want to be your friend."

He looked at me, suddenly serious. The warmth in the room vanished.

"Friends?" he asked suspiciously.

"I can't lie. So you should know I mean it."

He paused, then said, "Fine. Let's be friends. As your friend, should I get you down?"

"No… I'm expected to be chained up all night. It'd put you in a bad position."

He scratched his head, thinking.

"Well… the guards outside your door are already dead."

I almost burst out laughing. The way he said it—so casual. And those guards had abused me countless times. I felt no pity.

"Did you do that?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Maybe I did…"

Then he reached up and touched my foot, sending electrical signals to my brain that dulled the pain.

"My first act of friendship. I'll talk to you more tomorrow."

He left and locked the door behind him.

When the corpses were discovered, my father was furious. But after seeing the scene for himself, his rage disappeared.

He must've recognized her handiwork.

Since my cell was locked, I wasn't blamed.

After being unchained and given a cold shower, I was assigned to a new room. I used to have a furnished suite; now, I was to sleep with the others—no furniture, no door. Supposedly a punishment.

But I was happy.

I'd rather be close to my real family than sleep comfortably.

I went to Zai's room. He was lying down, staring at the ceiling. I got into his bed and did the same. He was uncomfortable for a few seconds, then… I could tell he appreciated the company.

I confessed I considered him—and a few others—my true family.

"Then we can be brothers and friends," he said.

His tone was sincere. Would he be grossed out if I started crying?

Tana knocked on the wall by his door. She gestured for him to come.

This woman… She's the reason my mother's dead. She's in some twisted relationship with the Glass King. And now she's trying to sink her claws into Zai?

"It's time for your extra lessons," she whispered.

"He doesn't want to go! What the hell is wrong with you?! Stop bothering him!" I shouted.

Zai's expression confirmed it—I was right. He didn't like her. Probably more than I ever could. My outburst even surprised me.

Zai tried to comfort me, then promised he'd be okay. He left with her.

When he returned, something was different. His Chosen tattoo had spread to his other arm.

I asked if he was okay and told him I was glad he was back.

He smiled weakly. "I guess you were telling the truth… You can't lie."

Then he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

She came for him again, not long after. But in the days that followed, she came to speak to me.

She told me she could unlock my potential through a power transfer. It required intimacy with her. I refused at first.

She listed the benefits:

Level 1 – I could detect all lies.

Level 2 – Emotions became visible as colors.

Level 3 – I could read minds.

It was tempting. If I ever saw Aluma again… I wanted to know what she was too afraid to tell me.

And… I wanted to piss off my father.

Still, the thought of sleeping with Tana made my stomach churn. But I did it. I reached level 3—by imagining she was the woman I actually wanted. I had her hips up, face pressed to the floor. I was rough with her. When she screamed or complained, I got a twisted satisfaction.

Maybe because I hated her.Maybe because I was furious with Aluma for running away without explaining.

After the final ritual, a mole appeared beneath each of my eyes, and one between my eyebrows. Most people's thoughts echoed in my mind, but Zai's remained silent.

His thoughts were the ones I wanted to know the most.

Still, the disappointment faded quickly. Zai, let me move into his room. We got to know each other the old-fashioned way—through honest conversation.

Tana visited him a few times. She clearly liked him but was now terrified of me. She avoided my gaze. She flinched when I passed her.

...Which made her seem alluring. For the first time.

No.

There's something wrong with that line of thinking.Something's wrong with me.Something I need to fix.