Crown of Frost & shadows

Chapter 7 - Malrek

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Malrek stood quietly next to Rav, his heart sinking as he watched Magra drag Ellie deeper into the forest. He knew there was no use in protesting. Rav couldn’t stop it, even if he wanted to. Zār had always said Malrek had too soft a heart, that he trusted people too easily. But Malrek knew, deep in his gut, that Ellie wasn’t lying. She might have been hiding something, but it wasn’t out of malice.

Malrek had a gift, one he’d never told his brother about. He could see the aura of people when he first met them, and if he tried, he could see it again later. He hadn’t told Zār because his brother was always too busy, too skeptical, for something like that. But Malrek had confided in Rav once, while watching the soldiers train. Rav had listened, unlike Zār.

When Malrek first saw Ellie a sleep on the cold floor of that cave, her aura had shimmered with hues of blue and gold—colors unlike anything he’d ever seen. And when she woke up, her aura brightened to a vibrant yellow. That was when Malrek knew, with certainty, that Ellie was good. He couldn’t explain how he knew, but he felt it in his bones.

“You can f**k her after Magra figures out what the fae girl wants,” Thalorin said dismissively, tossing a piece of firewood into the flames. Malrek shivered at the old demon’s words. Thalorin’s aura had always been dull, a stark white with no vivid colors or strong emotions. Malrek never liked him—he was cruel, always wearing his meanness like a badge.

Sometimes, Malrek worried that Zār was becoming like Thalorin. A brute.

“It’s only you who thinks of women like that—as objects to use or discard,” Rav spat, kicking a rock in frustration. “No wonder you’ve never kept one.”

Malrek had already told Rav about Ellie’s aura, about how he believed she wasn’t a threat. Rav always believed him, never treating him like a naïve child, unlike Zār. Malrek knew Zār had too much on his plate to bother with small, insignificant things, but it still hurt. Since their father had died, Zār had changed. He had become cold and unfeeling, driven only by duty. He never laughed, never smiled. He just trained, worked, and remained distant. Ralkov had told Malrek that Zār was carrying the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, but Malrek couldn’t shake the feeling that his brother was slipping away.

Malrek’s gaze shifted to Zār, who stood at the edge of the meadow, deep in conversation with Ralkov. He wondered what they were discussing, but his thoughts were interrupted by his own worry.

“Do you think Ellie will be okay?” Malrek asked, turning to Rav, his voice laced with concern.

Rav sighed, glancing toward the trees where Ellie and Magra had disappeared. “I don’t know,” he said softly. “Magra... I don’t know what she’ll do.”

“Why do you care so much about the fae girl?” A new voice cut through the conversation. Malrek jumped slightly, surprised. Lithan, one of Zār’s most trusted soldiers, had barely spoken the entire time they’d been on this mission. The demon had always been quiet, following orders without question. Malrek had heard him speak only a handful of times in his life.

When neither Malrek nor Rav responded, Lithan pressed on, his gaze fixed on Rav. “Is this about Sinthia? Do you see her in that fae woman?” Lithan’s head c****d to the side, his voice low and probing.

Rav stiffened at the mention of Sinthia. Malrek had heard whispers of her—the beautiful human woman who had stolen Rav’s heart when she accidentally crossed into the demon realm due to a deal gone wrong. It was during the time when demons were still allowed to broker deals with outsiders. Sinthia had been falsely accused of something no one fully understood, and her life had been brutally taken. Rav had found her body, blood scrawled across the walls with accusations written in it. It was a memory too painful for him to speak of, but Malrek knew it haunted him.

“You have some nerve speaking her name, Lithan,” Rav growled, his fists clenched tightly. “When you… you…” His voice trembled with rage as he struggled to maintain control, his breaths coming in deep, strained bursts.

Malrek looked between the two men, tension thick in the air. Sensing the situation escalating, he quietly spoke, trying to defuse it. “Rav, can we check on Ellie? Just… from a distance?” Malrek’s voice was soft but filled with concern.

Rav hesitated, his anger momentarily breaking as he considered the request, but before he could answer, Zārok approached them.

“Check on what?” Zār’s voice was calm, but sharp, his piercing gaze locking onto Rav.

Rav spun around, his eyes blazing with frustration. “Check on WHAT? You threw that girl to the wolves—into Magra’s claws—and you ask to check on WHAT?” Rav’s voice rose, his control slipping. “I’ve known you my whole life, Zār. We’ve seen wars, demons, and vile fae together. And you know as well as I do that the girl you just condemned to Magra… she’s not one of them.”

Zār’s expression remained cold, unreadable, as if Rav’s words bounced off him. “Which way did they go?” Zār asked Lithan, ignoring Rav’s accusations entirely.

Lithan, ever the loyal soldier, jerked his head toward the trees where Magra had taken Ellie. Without another word, Zār started walking in that direction, his face a mask of indifference.

Malrek exchanged a glance with Rav, unsure of what was about to happen. He could feel the tension radiating off Rav, the storm of emotions swirling within him. But Rav said nothing as he and Malrek fell into step behind Zār, with Ralkov close behind. Lithan, of course, would never leave Zar’s side. He trailed behind them as they all made their way into the forest. They heard it before they saw it—a roar of magic and fire like nothing Malrek had ever felt. The air crackled with power, and a sense of dread settled over him as they neared the clearing. When the scene finally unfolded before their eyes, it was beyond anything he could have imagined. A circle of blue and gold flames surrounded Ellie and Magra, the magic flickering and snapping in the air.

Magra’s whip lashed out, striking Ellie’s upper arm, tearing through both her flesh and her clothes. Ellie’s mouth opened in a gut-wrenching scream that seemed to tear through the very fabric of the world. Malrek’s body trembled as the sound hit him, forcing him to clutch his ears. His eyes widened in horror when he saw Ellie’s aura shift—from the familiar blue and gold to a terrifying, consuming black. Her face was vacant, her expression hollow, as though the person they knew was gone.

“She’s lost control!” Rav shouted, panic in his voice as he broke into a sprint toward Ellie. “Ellie, stop!” he called out, desperate to reach her.

But before he could get close, Ralkov grabbed his arm, pulling him back. “She can’t hear you, son,” Ralkov said grimly, his eyes fixed on Ellie. “Look at her face. She’s not here anymore.”

Malrek glanced over at Zār, whose own eyes were wide with shock, something Malrek hadn’t seen in his brother in a long time. “Then what do we do?” Malrek asked, his voice trembling as the forest itself seemed to shudder in response to the rising power. The flames around Ellie shot higher, turning from blue-gold to an ominous black, their heat pressing against them like a living force.

“Damn the devil… Shadow Flames,” Ralkov muttered in awe, his voice barely a whisper.

They all stood frozen, transfixed by the terrifying sight before them. Ellie’s feet were no longer on the ground—she hovered in the air, her body suspended by dark, black wings made entirely of onyx fire. Her once vibrant eyes were now completely white, devoid of life or recognition. Her head was still tilted back, her mouth open in that endless scream, though no sound escaped her now.

The flames twisted and writhed, encircling both Ellie and a frantic, screaming Magra in a deadly, fiery dance. Magra’s whip cracked uselessly against the air, her once-confident demeanor shattered. She clawed at the ground, trying to escape the dark, swirling magic that bound her in place. The flames licked closer to her, seeming to toy with her, threatening to consume her at any moment.

Ellie—or what was left of her—floated above, her eyes still vacant, the onyx wings casting an eerie glow over the clearing. The black flames curled around her like living shadows, bending to her will—or perhaps she to theirs. Her once Fae form seemed almost ethereal now, like a being from another realm entirely.

“Zār!” Rav’s voice cracked as he turned desperately to the crown prince. “We have to stop this! She’ll kill Magra—she’ll kill all of us if we don’t do something!”

But Zār didn’t move. He stood frozen, staring at the terrifying display of power before him. Ellie wasn’t just a fae, and now she wasn’t even the girl they had brought into the forest.

A sudden burst of light erupted from Ellie’s body, and brilliant blue flames surged, overwhelming the sinister black fire that had consumed her. As the blue flames spread, they formed a protective cocoon around her, freezing everything in its path. The once-roaring fire solidified into crystal ice, shimmering in the eerie stillness. Ellie fell to the ground with a heavy thud, unconscious and bleeding.

Magra, still trembling on the floor, scrambled to her feet. Her eyes darted around in panic before landing on Zār . Without hesitation, she ran to him, throwing her arms around him, her voice frantic. “The b***h almost killed me. Kill her, Zār ! She’s a monster!”

Malrek didn’t wait to hear Zār ’s response. He broke into a sprint, rushing toward Ellie. “Ellie! Ellie!” he called, but there was no answer, no movement from her limp form. Rav reached her at the same time, his face tight with worry. He knelt beside her, hands shaking as he moved to turn her over.

“Don’t,” Ralkov ordered sharply, placing a hand on Rav’s shoulder. “Her back is bleeding. You’ll make it worse.”

Rav’s hands stilled, frustration clear in his clenched jaw. But before he could respond, Zār ’s voice rang out, cold and authoritative. “Move aside, Ravareth.”

Rav snapped his head toward Zār, his eyes blazing with defiance. “No. NO! You saw what happened. Even when she lost control, she didn’t harm anyone!”

“The b***h burned me!” Magra shrieked, but her voice was ignored, fading into the background as the tension between Zār and Rav thickened.

Zār’s eyes narrowed, his tone unwavering. “I said, move.”

A beat passed before Zār spoke again, this time softer, but still commanding. “I’m not going to kill her.”

Surprise flickered in Malrek’s chest, his breath catching. He had been ready to beg his brother, prepared to plead for Ellie’s life. But Zār ’s decision left him speechless for a moment, hope blossoming where fear had taken root.

Without another word, Zār knelt beside Ellie, carefully lifting her into his arms, his movements calculated to avoid her wounds. He cradled her with unexpected gentleness, his cold demeanor melting just enough to reveal the weight of his decision.

Malrek watched, a strange mix of relief and awe filling him. Whatever Ellie was, whatever power she possessed, Zār had chosen mercy.

“Find a healer,” Zār ordered, his voice sharp and unwavering as he glanced toward Lithan, who stood a few paces away, hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Lithan nodded and swiftly turned, disappearing into the trees in search of help. Zār didn’t wait to see if he’d follow through. His focus was entirely on Ellie as he began walking, carrying her in his arms with surprising care, as though her fate was no longer in question.

Magra stood frozen for a moment, anger and shock twisting her features. “ Zār , you can’t be serious! After everything, you’re just going to—”

Zār didn’t stop walking. “Enough, Magra,” he said coldly, cutting her off without even looking back.

Magra’s face contorted in fury, but she knew better than to challenge Zār in front of the others. She muttered under her breath, but stayed silent as she glared after them.

As Zār moved deeper into the forest, carrying Ellie, the tension began to ease. The oppressive magic that had filled the air dissipated, leaving behind only the soft rustle of leaves and the distant echoes of crackling ice where the flames had been.

Malrek quickened his steps, walking beside his brother. “ Zār,” he whispered, almost hesitantly. “Why did you…?”

Zār didn’t answer right away, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. “I don’t know what she is, Mal,” he finally said, his voice low. “But I think she could be useful to us if she can control her power.”

Malrek nodded, though still shaken by the events. He glanced at Ellie’s pale face, her aura now faint but no longer the terrifying black it had been before. Whatever she was, Malrek knew they hadn’t seen the full extent of her power—and neither had Zār.