Touch of Flame

Ravina and Malachi had lunch at Araminta's home. It had been a while since they did so and although Malachi liked to have lunch with Ravina alone, he also missed sitting with his family.

"Has the guest been found yet?" His mother asked.

"I just came from there?" Saul beamed, walking into the room. From the happy look on his face, Malachi guessed he stirred some trouble. The man needed to find a purpose in life. "And guess what? He can walk."

All of his brothers frowned and Ravina looked up confused from her plate. He could see the questions running through her mind and he had questions of his own.

"What do you mean?" Araminta asked as she sat down at the table.

Saul pulled a chair out and sank into it with a sigh. "It can only mean that his leg healed."

"Isn't he human?"

"That is a good question," Saul said as he put food on his plate.

"Could he be a witch?" Joel asked.

Saul seemed thoughtful. "I doubt it. Witches... you can just tell."

"Maybe not this one?"

"But why would he hide it then? Witches don't care to do that."

Joel became thoughtful. "This witch perhaps wants something and maybe because Nazneen was locked by a witch he is keeping it a secret so she is more accepting of him."

Could that be? Now Malachi became thoughtful. He had his doubts to believe that Ares was using Nazneen but a man could see through another man. He could not forget the look he gave him when he saw the wounds on Nazneen's wrists and also the way he defended her. Those feelings looked real to Malachi, not that he thought about it.

He recalled the way he danced with Nazneen. His usually masked or nonchalant expression had brightened with a subtle genuine smile. Clearly, he saw something in that woman that Malachi failed to see.

"I still don't understand what happened last night. Do you think he did that to you?" His mother asked, still unaware of the relationship between Ravina and Ares.

He forced a smile. "No." He was still unsure of what happened last night.

"Well, be careful." His mother. "Don't go anywhere without your brothers."

Malachi said nothing and continued to eat his lunch. Once they finished, he took a walk with Ravina outside.

"Do you also suspect him?" Ravina suddenly asked.

Malachi thought carefully of how to reply to that. "His healed leg is suspicious."

She nodded in agreement. "He is very secretive." Her sentence felt unfinished but he finished it for her in his head. He was secretive but she trusted him. What kind of sorcery was this man doing?

"You are not suspicious?" He asked as they climbed up the hill.

"It is odd," she admitted then she turned to him. "Would you let me talk to him? I think it could make things more clear."

Malachi had thought about it. Perhaps if she trusted him, the man trusted her as well and he would tell her. Besides that, they had other things to clear.

"I think you should," he said just as the scent of the man reached his nostrils. Looking ahead as they almost arrived at the top, he found Ares standing near the cliff. He seemed to be watching the mountains ahead.

"Well, he is here if you want to talk to him now."

Ravina looked between him and Ares with hesitance. Malachi forced a smile. "Go ahead. I'll be waiting down." He said and just turned to walk down the hill again to make it easier for her.

***

Ravina watched Malachi walk away for a while before slowly turning to Ares. She took a deep breath. She was probably making things bigger in her head. In her dreams, she had comfortably spoken to him. He had never been difficult to talk to.

As she walked over the distance, she did wonder how he was able to stand. She had seen his broken bone but again, the burn on his arm was gone. Strangely, he still had a few faint scars on his body when the rest was gone.

"Ares?"

He looked back almost startled as if he had been lost in thought. Then he seemed even more surprised to see her alone there. "Ravina."

His eyes quickly scanned the area before looking back at her. "Don't worry." She told him.

He was standing on the cliff she liked. There was something about it. "I seem to have disrupted your thoughts."

"I wasn't thinking. This cliff is...quiet." He said.

She nodded with a smile. "There is something about the mountains and especially this cliff."

He nodded with a frown. "Yes. It seems so." He looked at it thoughtfully before looking at her. "And... we are wearing these clothes." He said, noticing the way she was dressed.

She suddenly wanted to cover herself. It was fine with the dragons who were used to it but he was just like her. This was too revealing. It would be extremely uncomfortable back home.

"No heavy dresses," she smiled.

"Well, I miss my heavy coat already. This doesn't give me much to work with."

"Nowhere to attach weapons," she said, concerned, then wondered where Nazneen was. She thought the woman wouldn't leave him out of her sight after what happened.

"How did you end up here?" She asked.

"I was looking for you," he said.

The dream. It was real.

"Just wanted to make sure you were alright. I am relieved to see you like this." He smiled gently. She could see that he had truly worried and she was glad he came a little late so he wouldn't feel guilty and blame himself.

"Chanan just told me how you already have so many people on your side."

"Oddly, I managed."

"It is not odd at all." He said, looking around a little distracted.

"Your burn has healed," she nodded toward his arm.

He looked at his arm. "Yes. Strange things are happening. I was healed while in a dream."

"Like the one where we..."

"Yes. It felt real."

So they did meet? How strange.

"Do you know how to do it?"

"No. It just happened."

"What about your... death?"

He took a deep breath. "I don't know anything anymore."

It was new to her to see him confused.

"You will be fine," she said as if sure about it.

A faint smile curved his lips and he watched her for a moment. "I am glad you escaped. I know you will do well here."

Ravina recalled his words before she escaped. 'If you pretend for too long, you will become what you pretend to be. When that happens, then allow yourself to be happy.'

She felt emotional remembering his words. How self-absorbed she had been that she didn't notice those things at that time.

She changed the subject before the emotions took over. "What is your plan?"

An unknown emotion crossed his eyes and she could tell it was unpleasant from the subtle changes in his expression. Then suddenly he chuckled as if he thought of something amusing yet disturbing at the same time.

"Right now, I am just riding the waves. There are things I want and have to do and things I just want to do if that makes sense."

It made perfect sense. They had to be tamers and wanted peace, but they also wanted to be free from that burden at the same time.

"Perhaps if we succeed in this lifetime, we will live to find our own path and purpose in the next."

"Perhaps..." he said with eyes distant.

They sat at the cliff for a while, staring ahead while small talking. "Did you gain the queen mother's favor?"

"Not everything in professor Ward's book is accurate. Queen mothers don't hold more power but.. you met her? She is very kind."

"She is."

"I was thinking of asking you about your pistols. I want to make one."

He turned to her with a questioning look. "Why?"

"It will be a help for those on our side."

"They will be dangerous in the wrong hands. Can you keep them safe?" He asked.

"I will."

"Then I will supply with some. No need to make any."

"Thank you."

"If... for some reason I can't supply you, you know where I live. I will let Noah know to give you what you need."

Noah was one of his trusted men.

"We might have more forces on our side." He looked around with suspicion. "I met a half-breed. Dragon. The rightful king of the silver dragons."

"Rightful king?"

"He is half-breed so he was chased from his home, currently living in secret. He also makes weapons and has his own team."

"Oh..." she was intrigued. "How did you meet him then?"

"It is a long story, but I was one of his customers. I bought furniture from him."

"Furniture?"

He smiled. "He has a talent but..." he leaned closer and lowered his voice. "His mother was like us."

He wasn't referring to humans. She was a tamer.

"Anyway, I just met him once. I plan to meet him again soon and see how we can work together."

She nodded. They needed more forces on their side, and this sounded like hope.

"I should go back now," he suddenly rose from his seat. Ravina stood up as well, thinking that he was rushing back to Nazneen so as to not make her worry. "I shall walk you back to Malachi."

He motioned for her to go ahead and they walked together down the hill. Malachi was waiting for her near the river and everything was going smoothly. Ravina was relieved to have talked to Ares until she met a hostile gaze.

Nazneen.