CHAPTER 48: YOU ARE FIRE ITSELF

"Mom, why would you do such a thing?" Aeron’s voice sounded hurt in every word. "Why would you speak to her like that? She’s done nothing but care for me, help me. She’s saved my life more times than I can count, and you know it."

Elarya’s jaw tightened. "No. She has not saved you. She has brought this upon you. She caused all of this. They caused all of this."

Aeron blinked, frowning. "They? What do you mean they? It’s just her, and she didn’t do anything wrong. She didn’t ask me to go anywhere. In fact, she told me not to expose myself!"

Elarya’s eyes flashed with a mix of pain and frustration. "She told you that... and you believed her? You really believe her?" She shook her head slowly. "That is how they are, Aeron. Full of sweet words. But underneath, they are manipulators. All of them. You just won’t understand."

"I do understand!" Aeron’s voice cracked with emotion.

"No, you don’t," she said, her voice softening for a moment. "One thing I know is this, she does not have your best interests at heart. It... it hurts me to see you so innocent, so blind to the truth. But one day, maybe you will see her for who she really is."

Aeron’s hands curled into fists. "I can’t stand this," he muttered and turned away. He left the compound before she could say another word.

The moment he was gone, Varek stepped closer to Elarya. "You need to be careful, Elarya. You nearly lost control just now, and in front of the princess, no less. If you’d said too much, you could have exposed yourself."

"It’s just... too painful, Varek. Too painful to watch history repeat itself right before my eyes." Elarya said as she tried to be calm.

Varek studied her for a moment. "Or," he said, "what if fate is trying to correct that history? Ever thought of it that way?"

Elarya looked away, saying nothing.

"..."

Aeron walked down to the Drenn household. His head full of thoughts he felt like he might burst.

Ronan and Yvarra were sitting outside, talking, but both turned as Aeron approached.

"I can’t believe she would talk to Nyella like that," Aeron said without even greeting them. "She scared her, really scared her. All Nyella wanted was to help me."

Ronan raised his eyebrows. "I’m surprised to hear that. I’ve never seen your mother lose her temper before. Honestly, I didn’t think she could shout."

"Exactly," Yvarra agreed. "Your mother isn’t the aggressive type. So if she did something like that... maybe it was for a good reason."

Aeron threw his hands up. "And what good reason could that be? To drive away the princess? Someone who came here to help me?"

Yvarra looked at him carefully. "Aeron... have you ever thought about the possibility that she came close to you because you have a dragon? That maybe she could use you to her advantage?"

Aeron glared. "Don’t sound like my mother, Yvarra. Nyella would never do something like that."

Yvarra shrugged, but didn’t argue further.

Ronan leaned forward. "So what will you do, then? Your mother wants you to leave, to run away. The princess wants you to meet the king. Two very different choices, and neither of them easy. Which one will you take?"

Aeron didn’t answer right away. He thought of Nyella’s promise, the way she had looked him in the eye and told him he would be safe if he came with her. He thought of her standing in front of the king, speaking on his behalf.

"She promised to help me," he finally said. "She promised to be with me. And remember, she’s the king’s only daughter. If anyone can protect me in that palace, it’s her."

He looked at both of them, his jaw set. "So yes. I’ll go to the palace. I can’t abandon my family and run away, not now."

Just then, Varek stepped into the compound and saw Aeron who was still sitting there with his thoughts heavy on him.

"Get up, boy," Varek said firmly. "No time for sulking. Whatever decision you make, whether you run or go to the capital, you’ll need to be strong. Strong enough to face whatever force comes your way."

He tossed something toward Aeron. The young man caught it instinctively and looked down. A sword.

"Pick it up and let’s go," Varek ordered.

Aeron frowned. "You are in no condition to fight, even if it’s me, you’ll tear up your wounds."

Varek gave a little smile. "And who told you one needs a duel partner to train? Stop talking and get up."

Aeron hesitated, then tightened his grip on the sword and rose to his feet.

From the corner, Ronan’s voice called out. "Should I join you guys, Dad?"

Varek looked at him without answering immediately. "A man doesn’t need permission to be strong."

Ronan grinned instantly. "That’s a yes, then." He jumped to his feet and snatched his own sword.

The three of them made their way into the forest and stopped in a small clearing. Varek leaned his back against a tree and crossed his arms.

"Aeron," he said, "stand alone. Picture an enemy in front of you. Take your stance."

Aeron planted his feet, tightened his grip, and raised the sword.

"Begin."

Aeron swung and began to cut the empty air with his blade. He made the moves he had been taught, but slowly.

"You’re slow, boy," Varek said flatly. "Too slow. Your enemy will be faster. And there will be more than one of them."

Aeron gritted his teeth and tried to move faster. His blade hissed as it sliced the air again and again.

"Faster!" Varek barked. "Don’t think, act!"

Aeron kept swinging, faster and faster, until his arms ached. Sweat began to roll down his temple.

"You’ve learned the moves," Varek continued, circling around him, "but now you need speed. Speed wins fights."

Aeron pushed himself harder, his breath quickening, but Varek’s voice was unrelenting. "Not enough. You are not a mere soldier, Aeron."

At the edge of the clearing, Ronan was practicing too, copying the moves, though his strikes were still awkward and a bit clumsy. He still sliced his blade through the air, but the stances were slightly off.

After a while, Varek raised his hand and called them both over.

"Ronan," he said, "if you want to protect anyone, anyone at all, you must be better than this."

Ronan nodded, trying to catch his breath.

Then Varek turned to Aeron. "You’re improving. But you’re still far from ready. You won’t defeat your enemies like that. And you don’t have much time."

Varek’s gaze sharpened. "The last time I saw you fight... You conjured fire."

Aeron blinked. "That wasn’t the first time," he admitted quietly.

Varek stepped closer. "Wow. Show me then."

Aeron shook his head. "It doesn’t come when I want it to. And when it does... It’s not strong."

Varek’s voice was firm and unyielding. "Then you need to make it come. You have to master it, Aeron. You must learn to control it if you want to beat them. That fire is your true weapon."

Aeron stared at the ground.

Varek said in a powerful tone. "You cannot allow them to use what you have against you. You are fire itself, act like one."