Chapter 6: The Rescue
1234 Words
“What the ever-loving f**k?” Tai bellowed. “Get this damned thing off of me!”
Mort screamed, my fire missing its mark and hitting his rather rotund stomach. The sword clashed to the ground as Mort dropped and started rolling against the grass. I scurried over to him where he fell, picking up his sword as I ran.
“Don’t move,” I commanded him, my voice hard and low. “I’ve had a very long week and I’d love nothing more than to roast you alive.”
The sword was gods-damned heavy, but I tried my best to hold it correctly so I at least appeared somewhat threatening. Mort reached for the dagger at his waist, so I kicked his hand with my boot. I enjoyed the yelp he let out very much.
“Don’t even try it!” I shouted at him, hoping that Corvyn would overhear the commotion from across the field and give me an assist.
“Fool girl!” Mort screeched. “They’ll kill me! Let me go!”
“No,” I answered defiantly. “You’ll wait here for your punishment. An assassination attempt, that’s supremely stupid, even in your state.”
Mort lunged at my legs from the ground, connecting with my ankle and sending me on my ass with a thud. I kicked my legs out as hard as I could, dropping the sword and sending fire at the ground around him with both hands.
The fire formed a perfect circle around him, the tall flames creating his own personal prison cell.
By this time, the Prince emerged from his tent, his shocked expression meeting my own satisfied smirk. I was very honestly pretty surprised the flame prison worked as well as it did. Mentally I congratulated myself on my quick thinking and added that little trick to my phoenix repertoire.
“What the f**k?” Mort yelled, sweat pouring from his face. “Release me!”
“I will not. You made me fall and my ass was already sore,” I answered crossly I swished my wrist again and made the flames wider and taller. “Enjoy the heat wave, d**k head.”
A woman, who could only be Claudia, emerged from the tent wailing and screaming just as Corvyn came bounding over. There was something vaguely familiar about her, but I brushed it off.
“Gods help us,” Corvyn murmured, offering me a hand to get myself off the ground. I stood up and dusted myself off, quirking an eyebrow at the stunned Prince.
“Your majesty,” I mock-curtsied, not even bothering to conceal my giggle at his manacled hands. “May I present to you one very stupid assassin?”
“Corvyn, get me out of this manacle!” Tai bellowed.
“I don’t envy you. Those things are quite uncomfortable,” I giggled as Corvyn scrambled over to him.
“Forgive me, your highness,” Claudia wailed as she collapsed at Tai’s feet. “I didn’t want to do it, but he said he’d kill me if I didn’t go through with it!”
“You lying b***h!” Mort yelled from inside his flame prison. “It was your idea!”
“I don’t have the key!” Corvyn answered, ignoring Claudia’s ensuing wails.
“f**k! Desmond had it last,” Tai cursed. “Where the hell is my Captain, anyway?”
“You left him guarding the dragon-blood,” Corvyn muttered.
“Well, he’s clearly doing a s**t job at it,” Tai added angrily, tossing his head in my direction.
“Tai!” a voice called in the distance. “Cordelia’s missing,” Desmond panted as he came bounding up to the campsite. He paused as he reached the campsite. “Oh. Found her!” he grinned. “But what the f**k happened here?”
“Cordelia’s putting you out of a job is what,” Corvyn laughed. “Stopped an assassination plot all on her own. Told you she was something, I did.”
“None of this is funny,” Tai snarled. “Cordelia could have been seriously injured, or killed! Des, if you don’t produce the key to this manacle from your person in the next ten seconds I swear to the gods you will wear the manacle and walk the rest of the way to Isling.”
“Alright, alright! I have it. Just relax, your majesty,” Desmond answered, halting his chuckles. “But you have to admit, that was not well done on your part.”
Desmond’s words sent me into a spiral of laughter, the flame prison pulsing larger the harder I laughed, much to Mort’s dismay.
“Honestly, Tai,” Corvyn began, “I fully expect this from a pup like Desmond, but you should know better at your age.”
“I’ve been distracted,” Tai grumbled, his blue gaze honing in on me with disdain.
“And on that note, your majesty, I will take my leave.” I said as evenly as I could in an attempt to quell the tension. “Thank you for, well, everything.”
All eyes turned to me in shock, except for the Prince. He looked angry. The manacle came off with a snap and tumbled to the ground. Sharp, scaly, blue ridges erupted along the Prince’s neck and his pupils turned reptilian. One well placed stomp from his boot and the manacle snapped in half on the moist ground.
“Are you insane?” Tai growled at me.
“Oh my gods! Delia? Is that you? It’s me! It’s Cara!” Claudia shrieked. Tai took a step back to watch the two of us.
Cara… I knew she was familiar. f**k. There it was, the reason I didn’t like to use my real name. Cara/Claudia apparently had more sense than I did, which wasn’t saying much for me. We were from the same village, although we were never friends. I stared at her, trying to place what she knew.
“But… You’re dead!” Claudia gasped.
“N-no. I’m not,” I stammered. “Clearly.”
“I remember it so well! How many dragon-blooded Delias could there possibly be? You died in a fire! We had a funeral and everything, even though there wasn’t a body…”
“Well, Claudia, I’m not really dead, which is more than I can probably say for you,” I muttered, wringing my hands awkwardly.
“Please, Delia! You’ve got to tell the Prince I would never do something like this!” she begged. Tell him I’m not an assassin! I just got wrapped up with some bad people, is all. Surely you can understand that!”
I looked to the Prince, but said nothing. Honestly I had no idea if she would do something like this. I had been mostly ignored by the others in the village, and I had returned the favor gladly.
“Come on, Delia! You remember what it was like!” Cara/Claudia pleaded. My mother used to buy eggs from your grandmother. I used to help your drunken mother home from the tavern and-“
“Enough!” I shouted cutting her off at the mention of my mother. “Yes, please have mercy, your majesty. Cara and I grew up in the same village. I don’t remember her being anything like this, so maybe don’t kill her. Thanks and cheers.”
That was awkward.
I stalked off towards the darkness, pausing for a moment to reach into the flame cage to snatch away the dagger strapped on Mort’s waist. He screeched when my hands shot out from the flames, but didn’t resist me.
“Might need this for the road,” I chuckled as I shoved the dagger into my boot. Cara shot me a silent look of gratitude and went back to sniffling.
Desmond and Corvyn stared at me, mouths agape.
“Cordelia! Wait!” the Prince called out as he stormed after my retreating form. “You can’t leave.”
Well, he was wrong about that.
- Writer
