Love’s Eternal Fire

Chapter 24: Confrontation

Kesiray’s POV

Reeling on my bedroom floor, my hand was on my chest as my breath came in shallow gasps, memories I had been forced to forget playing in my mind like a slide show. I didn’t remember much past being drugged, but I did remember being assaulted and ambushed by warriors from my tribe and Alpha Bastan’s betrayal. Tears were spilling from my eyes, cascading down my cheeks, streaking the makeup I had put on for the night's party. This had to have been my parents doing; they had gone to all these lengths to get me back here and force me to forget Solaris. That must be why they had suddenly decided I needed to take over. They were trying to get me to take a chosen mate and break my bond with Solaris. Making me forget him seemed easy, but to break our bond, I would have to either reject him and have him accept or mark another mate.

Anger began to stir inside me, turning my vision red, and I knew my eyes were swirling in the same vengeful color. How could my parents do this to me? Trick me like this and take away my choice and my fated mate? They hated our relationship so much they were willing to deceive me and force me into someone else’s arms. This ridiculous bull*hit ended now with the regaining of my memories. Jumping to my feet, I clutched Solaris’ note, wondering if he had forgotten me like I’d forgotten him. But it hadn’t worked entirely. There had been peaks of memories, hints of what was lost, just waiting to burst through. Seeing this note must have been the final push that my brain needed.

Storming from my room, I rushed outside, taking flight and soaring towards the hall where everyone was blissfully unaware that I knew what was happening. I planned to confront my parents; they needed to know I knew everything they had done, and I was finished being their puppet. This was my life and my love. I was going to be with Solaris, and I was done hiding it. Landing outside the door, I pushed them open and tried to walk calmly inside. Scanning the hall, I saw both my parents talking to someone I didn't know, most likely the leader of a different tribe. My mom saw me and started approaching me, narrowing her eyes and looking irritated.

"Kesiray, there you are," she huffed. "Halem said you asked for a drink and then just disappeared. Why would you be so rude?"

"Yes, I did leave him because he was duller than watching paint dry," I told her aggressively. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving."

"What are you babbling about? You're not leaving; this party is for you," she said, shaking her head.

"No, this party is for you. It's for you to force me to take a mate and break my bond with Solaris," I said, watching her angry facade flicker at the sound of his name. She looked worried, realizing her plan might be backfiring.

"How do you..." she stammered, putting her hands up and shaking her head.

"How do I know who he is? The problem with erasing someone's memories is that they can seep into your subconscious until you remember," I seethed through my teeth. "How could you do that to me?" Her head snapped up, and she glared at me.

"We did it for your own good. You're not meant to be with someone like him. You're the daughter of leaders; you need to be with someone who understands your kind," she said.

"I'm supposed to be with who I was fated to," I said, raising my voice. "And how dare you try to take that from me!" I yelled louder than the music, which suddenly cut out.

"What's going on here?" my dad asked, standing beside my mom.

"What's going on?" I yelled, throwing my hands into the air. "I know everything you've tried to do, how you drugged me and erased my memories of Solaris. That this party is just a ruse for me to take a mate and break the bond he and I share."

"But how did you..." he asked, looking at my mom, who was still glaring at me.

"Get my memories back? I never lost them. Solaris was always in the back of my mind, and Gwena helped make sure I remembered him. Where is she, by the way? Did you send her away, or did you kill her?"

"Don't worry, Kesiray," a melodic voice said. Turning around, I saw Queen Aranazelia cantering towards me. "Gwena is safe and alive. She is helping another tribe after a disease left them ravaged."

"Did you know about this?" I asked her loudly, not paying any attention to the wave of whispers that went through the crowd at my disrespect for the Queen, but I didn't care. She had to have had a hand in all of this.

"I did," she told me somberly. "Your parents asked for my help, and after you ran away like that, I knew you needed it."

"No, you didn't need to try and erase my mate from my mind," I told her. "That's not your decision to make!"

"It is. I'm charged with keeping all my people safe. You and Solaris are forbidden to be together," she said calmly.

"It's only forbidden because of fear! You're all too scared to figure out what this war between fairies and phoenixes is about!" I yelled; the entire party gathered around to see and hear everything happening.

"Kesiray, you need to calm down," Queen Aranazelia said, still speaking to me calmly.

"No, I need to go find my mate," I told her bluntly. "I'm done with lying and deceit."

"We'll come after you again," the Queen told me.

"Good luck," I said, "I won't hesitate to kill any of you."

Turning sharply, I ran from the room, knowing people would follow me. Slamming the doors closed, I used my powers to create thick vines from the ground, winding their way around the doors, twisting up the sides of the building, sealing everyone inside, and giving me a few minutes. Not that everyone inside couldn't get out in a couple of seconds. I just needed to get to Savion and get out of the fairy lands. Letting my wings out, they lifted me into the sky, and I flew faster than ever before, diving through the canopy of trees toward my destination. Landing in front of the tree Solaris and I used to play in, it was then that I realized what little remained of our secret hideaway was gone. The old platform that doubled as our ship and the tatters of blankets all had been removed. My parent's way of removing him from my life as much as possible.

"Kesiray," a familiar and comforting voice said. Spinning around, I saw Savion looking hopeful at me.

"Savion!" I exclaimed, running and engulfing him in a hug.

"You remember me?" he asked, wrapping his arm around me.

"Yes! I remember everything: you, Solaris, Midnight Stone, everything!" I replied, fresh tears splashing down my face.

"Thank god!" he sighed.

"Savion," I said, letting him go but looking at him intensely. "We need to go right now. It's only a matter of minutes before everyone at the party comes looking for me. I may have confronted my parents and the Queen."

"Why did you do that?" Savion asked, giving me a little shake.

"I was just so angry that they tried to take my freedom," I explained. "I wanted them to know what they did didn't work."

"You could have just left a note," Savion replied, covering his eyes with his hand.

"We can talk about that later, but we need to go find Solaris," I told him.

"Okay, follow me, and I'll take you as close as I can," he told me, spreading his large red and orange feathered wings. I followed, and we both took off, flying at full speed toward the Phoneix territory. It was wild for me to enter their clan alone, but I didn't know how else to find Solaris.

"What happened to you after we got ambushed?" I asked, flying beside him, the wind whistling through my hair.

"They locked me in the dungeons; at least I woke up in the dungeon with no idea how I got there," he told me. "The only reason I was able to escape was because the guards were distracted with the ball tonight. Someone forgot to lock the cell door all the way when they brought me my dinner. I think they were already enjoying the alcohol."

"Didn't you say this ball was a mating ball?" I asked, thinking back to our earlier conversation.

"Yeah, the guards were talking about it. Originally, I thought it was for Ryse, but when you didn't remember me, I realized it must be for Solaris. It looks like his parents are trying to do the same thing yours are, make him take a mate and break your bond," Savion said.

"I haven't felt anything yet, so that means we're not too late," I told him, trying to remind myself we still had a chance to get Solaris' memories back. Following Savion, we flew over no man's land for a little while. I wasn't sure how far we had to go to get to their clan, but soon enough, he descended toward the treeline, and I followed.

"We should walk the rest of the way," Savion said, landing gracefully on his feet. "We don't want the patrol groups to see us. There's not as many out this far since a lot has been moved closer to the main house where the ball is."

"How do I find Solaris once I get inside?" I questioned, hoping he could point me in the right direction.

"Hopefull you can follow his scent, but if not, you might have to wait by his house. He should go back there after the party," Savion said. "I can tell you where that is."

"But what if he marks someone before then?" I questioned, following Savion through the forest.

"Well, you can't just go bursting into the party. As far as we know, Solaris doesn't remember you," he told me. "If I go in and they see me, they'll probably kill me on sight. I'm not sure if they know I'm gone or not."

"We have to think of something," I said, racking my brain for any way to get to Solaris before he marks someone.

"How did they remove your mark?" Savion asked, looking down at me.

"I have no idea. I woke up, and it was gone. They told me I got burned in the fight, and that's why I had the bandage on," I told him.

"They went through a lot to get the two of you back, not to mention Bastan just letting the warriors in," Savion said.

"I'm still pi**ed about that, but he did tell us we would have refugee as long as it didn't affect his pack; technically, he kept his word," I reminded him.

"Still doesn't make him any less of a fu*k head," Savion huffed. After walking for a while, Savion came to a stop.

"Is this it?" I asked, looking forward but still only seeing rows and rows of trees.

"This is as far as I think I should go; the territory is ahead. You can slip into the territory unnoticed if you stay low and in the shadows. Luckily, it's pretty dark, but you'll need to be careful. Find Solaris and do whatever you have to to make him remember you. I'll listen and yell if you need help."

"How about sending an underground tree root? If something pops up in front of you, it means I need help," I said, knowing their warriors would be all over me if I yelled.

"Okay, I'll watch for it," he said.

Squaring my shoulders, I started walking forward, unsure what I would encounter, but keeping my head on a swivel, looking every which way. One thing I wasn't expecting was the stumble on Solaris; tongue shoved down some red-headed girl's throat, his hands all over her half-naked body, dress in a pile at her feet while his red shirt was untucked and unbuttoned.

"What the fu*k?" I said before I could stop myself.