A KISS OF RAGE AND FIRE

EIGHT

She couldn't believe the suddenness of all of it. But it doesn't look like she has many choices about it.

"Can I ... can I at least say goodbye to Alastair?"

She could tell Killian is getting irked but he did well in hiding it. "Suit yourself," he merely said and went out of the room. If it's something that should be done for her to be Queen then she won't hesitate to finish it.

"Father, I will complete their task and become Queen. I will not fail you." She held his hand and she could feel him squeezing it. His smile was weary as he said, "I know you won't." Her father said as she felt his warm hands on her face.

She can't say she's close to her father. She never met her mother and she grew up with her dry nurse. Her father was busy running the kingdom. Despite having no magic power, her father got the respect of the people of Adarlan. She never thought of her father being weak. In fact, she thinks her father is the strongest man she ever knew. He is very smart and is always one step ahead of everything. That's why she trusts her father's decision.

Killian was waiting outside her father's office when she went out. Aside from the knife he expertly twirls in his hand, she couldn't see any other weapon with him. He doesn't need it anyway. He always looked regal. Like how a future head of a clan should.

He pushed himself from the marble column and looked at her. His deep blue eyes glinted as he beheld her. And his hair is tied now at the back making her see his handsome face clearly. She won't deny that fact. Killian is a fine man but she doesn't like his arrogance.

"Make your farewells quick. You won't be gone for more than three days so..."

"Mind your business."

He chuckled and with a flick of his hand, the knife disappeared. "I am minding my own business. You are my business now. Your father has entrusted you to me. Now, if you're inclined to go, I'll bring you to Alastair."

"There'll be no need for that."

Her eyes are alert as she looked behind Killian. "Alastair!" she exclaimed looking at Alastair clad in a white Prince coat and a cloak draped in his shoulders. A golden brooch pinned his cloak to the front. Katharine blushed. She could have sworn she saw Killian rolled his eyes.

"Good to see you, Kill," Alastair greeted.

"Isn't it too early for you to be wearing that kind of clothes, Al?"

Katharine bristled at Killian's voice. She doesn't know what's going on but she can feel the tension between the two men.

But Alastair smiled. "Come on, Kill. Is that how you greet me after years of not seeing each other?"

"Is that how you play your cards?" Killian's voice was as dark as the night. And in an instant, she could feel an insane amount of power from the two of them.

Katharine gulped when she could see darkness seeming to swirl around Killian. Alastair's blue aura covered him too. The two men faced each other, black and blue, waiting to see who's going to back down first. The last time she remembered, these two were very good friends. Nothing could take them apart from each other. Hindi niya alam kung anong nagbago at ganito sila ngayon.

"Al, Killian--"

"I don't know what you mean by that, Kill." Alastair's voice was still gentle, very opposite to the brutal power he is showing right now.

"Oh?" Killian just said a smile tugged on his lips, his face dark.

Katharine doesn't have any idea what they're talking about. All she knows is that this is going to be bad if she doesn't meddle in. And with a blast of her power, the two men whirled in her direction. She is now covered in her own aura. It was fiery, a mixture of red, orange, and yellow. Like the color of sunset. Shock is visible in Alastair's face while Killian was smirking as if proud to see her like that.

"If you two won't stop that creepy thing I will blast you to smithereens," she said as she coated her hands with fire. In an instant, the powers of the two men vanished.

Killian looked at her blankly. "You're doing that creepy thing right now,"

I sighed and extinguished my fire. "I wanted to see you because I want to say goodbye."

Alastair's brow furrowed. "Why? Where are you going?"

I looked at Killian. "I'm going to Arythea,"

"With Killian?"

"Of course. How else is she going to fly there?" Nagpapasalamat nalang siya't binalewala lang ni Alastair ang sinabi ni Killian.

"Then..." Al fished something from the pocket of his pants and gave it to her. It was a hairpin but in ancient times it was sometimes used as a weapon. "Please have this with you. That way it won't feel like we're away from each other,"

Killian mumbled something ngunit binalewala nalang niya iyon. All she can think of at the moment is the present Al gave to her and what he said.

Al took the hairpin and pinned it on her hair. Al stepped back to see her with it. She bit her lip but it did nothing to stop herself from smiling.

"Al, thank you--" and she didn't finish her sentence when she felt Al's lips on hers. She stood frozen on her feet until she felt Al stepping away. "Please be careful," Al whispered and looked at Killian.

"Kill--"

"I know what to do, Al." Killian looked at her at tinaasan siya ng kilay. "So is your little farewell done? Can we go?"

She bit her lip as she looked at Alastair shyly. "Yes, let's go."

The moment she said that something covered her field of view. It was black smoke at first and then it took form. It was Killian's wing in between her and Alastair. It was black and the feathers are thick and velvety. Sinamaam niya ng tingin ang lalake. But before she could even protest she felt Killian's arms around her and darkness swirled in. The next thing she knew, she's already on the topmost part of the Palace.

Killian's arms and wings are still wrapped around her. When she felt her feet on the ground, he immediately let go of her.

"What on earth are we doing here?" She looked around. They are indeed at the very top of the Palace. Behind her is a glass window. And one more step forward she'll find herself plummeting down. Thankfully, she's not afraid of heights.

"It's easier to fly from here."

It took her a moment before she realized what he said. "Absolutely not," she protested but Killian just gave her a sweet smile.

"Absolutely yes,"

"How about shadow transport? That's easier."

"How do you know about that?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters now is that I am definitely not going to fly--"

"You're not the one flying. You're just a cargo."

She sighed exasperatedly. "That's not the point!"

"Then Princess, what's your point?" He eyed her state. "With your small built, I can definitely fly you from here to there. What's your problem with that?"

The problem is, she thought, she'll be pressed so much against Killian for a long time. Shadow transporting is faster. And with his power, she knows he can do it, though she never saw him do it.

"And besides, I can't just shadow transport inside Arythea. It's heavily warded. I don't like this idea as much as you but we don't have a choice."

"How about we travel there on land?"

Tumaas ang kilay ng lalake. "Do you have any idea how far Arythea is from here? It would take us a day to go there. Unless you don't want to be back here before your birthday or you want to spend a day longer away from your beloved then we can go on a land trip."

She closed her eyes firmly. She doesn't have any choice but to agree.

"Fine," maktol niya.

"Good girl," Killian said before he lifted her up. She almost yelped when she felt herself up. Killian's one arm is under her knees and the other one is under her shoulders. "Now, stay still or I'll drop you."

She closed her eyes when she felt Killian preparing to fly. She could feel the dark swirls around them and the soft feathers of his wing coating her. And when Killian shot up to the sky, she did not stop herself to cling to Killian's neck while muttering curses on his clothes.

She felt Killian's wings unwrapping itself and they're on the air, steady and slow. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Two strong wings are behind Killian. When she looked down, she gasped at how high they are. She clung tighter.

"Who could have known the swagger Princess is this clingy?" Killian muttered but she just cursed at him. "Well, I never thought you have that shy type side of you until today when Alastair said that cheesy line."

Hinampas niya ang matigas nitong dibdib. "That wasn't cheesy."

"Sure," he said nonchalantly at bigla-bigla nalang itong lumipad pababa. She yelped and buried her face on his neck.

"If I were you, I'd open my eyes," he said but she remained her face buried on his neck.

But she eventually did. Though slowly. And she did not regret it. She could see the whole Adarlan and the crystal blue waters ahead. the rust-colored roofs of the houses clamped below. She looked behind and she could see the Palace getting tinier and tinier. And ahead are mountains full of lush forest.

"We'll be making two stops before we get there."

Napatingin siya sa lalake. Reading the questioning look on her face, he sighed. "In case you're unaware, Your Highness, you're not light. I have to take a rest before I haul you up again."

Sinamaan lang niya ito ng tingin but she won't spoil her mood with his remarks. She enjoyed the view below. Maybe if she could make wings from her fire, she could fly too. Maybe she could try it when she gets the chance.

For now, she wants to enjoy this feeling of flying. And maybe ask Killian to teach her how to do it.

* * *