Dancing on Thin Ice

The instant Hans delivered the news to Dairius— that Katherine was in peril at the Kaze estate—Darius sprang into action. He tore from the palace, urgency propelling him through Silvermoor’s winding streets at a brazing speed. The horizon glowed ominously, thick with smoke and the bitter tang of burning wood.

When he reached the Kaze estate, chaos greeted him. A crowd encircled the courtyard, their shouts swallowed by the roar of flames devouring the manor.

The Kaze family lay dead, sprawled across the ground, their lifeless forms a grim tableau. But at the heart of the inferno stood Katherine—tied to a pike, surrounded by a pyre of crackling logs. Her body hadn’t yet caught fire, but she hung limp, unconscious from the smoke.

Darius didn’t hesitate. He charged into the blaze, the heat scorching his skin. With his hands he tore the ropes binding her. With a final heave, he pulled her free, stumbling out of the fire he put her on a safe distance. However, she wasn’t breathing.