XVII
Firestorm

"Get your lazy ass up." Is the first thing I wake to, not my wonderful sister or father who usually brings me a cup of warm tea. No, it's my asshole of a brother who is throwing clothing at my face and is fully dressed.

"And why am I getting up if the sun is not up? Are you crazy? Actually, don't answer that, I know the answer. You are an absolute lunatic." I tell my older brother and he just laughs at me, a smile that spreads across his face, like he enjoys the fact that I called him a lunatic.

"Me and you are going out," He says and pulls the blanket off my body, thank the Gods I was actually in my pajamas and not naked. He grabs my hand to pull me out of my very comfortable bed. "You and Nova always have days together but me and you have not. You've seen where Nova grew up but now, you are going to see where I grew up. Our dragons are getting saddled up now and we have quite some flying time to get in." He says and then he's leaving the room. I huff at him and strip out of my pajamas and into the flying leathers that my brother gave. They are furlined, we must be going near the mountain or at least nearby cities that get the effect of the cold that runs that mountain. I brush my hair and teeth, and noting that I most definitely need a shower when we get home later tonight. I grab the dagger my father gave me and put it in the holster on my thigh. I walk out of the room and see Orion waiting for me, already in his riding clothes, a sword holstered on his back and knives strapped on his right arm, going from his shoulder to his wrist.

"Where are we going and how long of a ride is it going to be?" I ask my older brother and he comes to my side as we walk out of the castle. We walk down the stairs and to the stables where Kígyó and Nyíl are waiting for us. Nyíl is a bit taller than my Kígyó just because the males are bigger but jokes on him, females are faster than males. I whistle and Kígyó bends down so I can mount her, and after I do, I grab my riding helmet. I place the helmet over my head and I put on my fur lined leather gloves. Nyíl walks over and stands next to my girl as my brother smiles at me.

"We're gonna be flying for 2 and a half hours to a town called, Tűzvihar, it's Embery for Firestorm. It's the town I grew up in," Not only do I think, of course you grew up in a town that has a meaning of firestorm. Of course, he lives in a town that really isn't that far from here. I give my brother a curt nod and he smirks at me, "Keep up little brother. Hegan!" He instructs Nyíl and his dragon starts to flap his wings, projecting himself into the air. So I do the same. I tell Kígyó in mind to mind, she projects herself in the air and follows close behind Nyíl. The winds are cold but they are not as cold and bitter as that harsh peak wind. That wind is brutal, but now to come think about it, that could easily be my sister's influence. I'd have to ask her about it.

When we arrive, my thighs and legs are asleep. I really needed to ride Kígyó more than I already did. Two and a half hours should not tire me out as much as it does. The people here are poor, that much is obvious. Not skinny or beggars, but for sure barely scrape by. The royal guards are talking and walking with the people here, dressed in red cloaks with gold embroidered into the silk. They carry around a sword holstered at their hip, and armor that sets perfectly on their bodies. They wear thick boots and helmets that are similar to our riding ones but not quite as protective. Their helmets cover their cheeks and go down the bridge of their nose but it doesn't cover their mouth or eyes. When we walk past a Guardsman, they bow, and everytime a commoner walks by, they bow. Kígyó and Nyíl walk close behind Orion and I. I can almost feel the heat of Kígyó's breath by how close she is walking behind me. I don't mind it though, strangely.

"This is the home I was brought to," Orion says, but there is no home, or much to it. It's worn to hell, and half of it is burned to ashes. I don't have the heart to ask if that was an accidental fire or if he did that. So I don't. "When I was 7, my adoptive mother, Lana Erdos, died. Apparently her Mate wasn't fond of the idea of raising another man's child, even if they were being paid way more than it took to take care of me. So in his rage, he lit the house on fire." I reach over to my brother's side, wrapping myself around his arm and holding him. He was 7 when the fire came to him, when fire took from him for the first time.

"Orion-"

"Let me finish." He says quietly, looking at the house. I could finally see those demons in his blue eyes, I could finally see him for who he was. "For the next two years I would beg on the street, you see, Father just had thought that they didn't want to talk to him so he didn't think much of it, but then he saw that the money wasn't being used. He made the Guards put me in the orphanage," I don't remember when we started walking but we were now standing in front of the building. It was a three story house, it still had children running around in the house and in the backyard. It made me sad. I wouldn't be able to adopt till.. JJ had an heir. I shake the thought out of my head as soon as it appears. "The orphanage was actually the one to give me my backbone. I learned how to fight here, I got and gave my first black eye here. We were always fighting for food, or shit, we would even fight over who got the good pillow that night," My brother smiles, "I won't lie and say that my life was great here because it wasn't. I struggled everyday here but, on the good days, I wouldn't trade it. If I had to go through what I had to go through, again, I would. In a heartbeat. Then I found my foster family, I grew up with three other boys and parents. I still talk to all of them. Rurik is my brother as much as you are. " He confesses to me and to be honest, I was surprised.

I was surprised that my mystery of a brother had opened up to me. That my brother had opened up to me because that wasn't like my brother, he didn't do that. He didn't open up, he didn't show a single emotion, and he for sure didn't express his feelings to me. The past month has shown me that. I hug my brother and to my surprise, again, my brother gives me a hug back. He doesn't say anything or cry, he just quietly holds me close and I do the same. I pull back to look at him and he gives me a soft smile, not too big, but not so small either.

"I want to tell you that I can relate to you, but I can't and I won't lie to you, Orion. I got the best placement out of us. You had to go through hell with shitty kids," He laughs at me, "Nova had to be trained as an assassin, for fucks sake!" We both laugh at that. "I never had to worry if my adoptive parents loved me because they did. They loved me no matter what, when I got in trouble, when I didn't deserve it, and I never had to worry about my next meal. I for sure didn't have to give or take a punch just to eat. What I can tell you is that you're my brother, and I love you, asshole and all, you're my older brother. I'm here for you till my last breath and even when I am in the heavens, I will still look over you, my anaia." Brother. The draconei just comes out as my heart pours out for him. My brother gives me a faint smile again, and I squeeze his hand. I'd like to think that maybe peace will find my brother soon, and that those demons will drown in his ocean eyes.

Orion and I got back around dinner time. Nova was on the peak, Zsoka, my adoptive mother had already eaten, and was in bed. Our father was in his office dealing with his Court of Flames. So it was just Orion and I, we decided to eat in my room. The dish served tonight is a popular Embery dish, it's called Goulash. It's a beef stew with roasted vegetables, and an amazing spice-filled broth. My stomach rumbles in excitement every time the cook makes it. He sides it with some sliced bread and when we get up to my room, my brother and I eat it on my table in my room. I sit on the couch with my brother and eat the stew in silence with him. Or at least I thought it was going to be silent when my brother started talking.

"How did you know?"

"About?"

"Jaejin. The bond." He asks me again and I pale. I mean I knew Orion wanted a Mate, but I never thought I'd be the one to explain how it felt. Every Half-Fae wants to find their Mate, I won't say it's rare because it happens a lot, it's just rare for most royal blood children but my generation didn't get the memo apparently.

"I don't know how to explain it without confusing you." I tell him and he looks at me with a look. I'm not sure what kind of look it is. It's cold and unforgiving.

"I'm not stupid Pluto, just explain it." He says with a shrug and I sigh heavily as I nod.

"Okay, well. I've always been in love with Jaejin, he was my childhood friend, my first kiss and before you ask, it was a spin the bottle dare, not sure if I should even count it as my first kiss but," I lick my lips, "Anyway. I remember it was Yule and that I just put our mothers in bed. They had both gotten so drunk and they were embarrassing us." I tell Orion with a laugh, "Jaejin was talking to his girlfriend, and he went to hang out with her and the group. In Black Soul, they have a private school for all of the kids of Court members, High rankings of the army, and even Royals. It's too teach them differently then commoners and to keep them protected as well. Anyway, that whole group are the popular kids who think that you aren't a true Half-Fae if you don't have a dragon because you know, most of those parents had a dragon because they were all High born so they knew draconic. So they never really thought that I was good enough to hang out with the Heir of Black Soul. When I came back down the stairs after dealing with his mother and mine, it just happened. He was kissing her and his eyes opened, I looked into his eyes and there it was. This new line or tether connecting us, an unspeakable bond, and then I ran up the stairs like a coward. We didn't speak about it the next day because I demanded to come here." I explain to my brother as to my last few nights in Black Soul. I missed it. I won't lie. It was home.. but so was Red Blaze.

"You want the truth from me?" Orion asks and I shrug.

"I don't mind. I'm just surprised you're opening up to me in the first place." I said.

"Ixen Sventar. When I was 17, I actually died. Some kid thought he could light me on fire and it felt like my skin was burning, and all I remember is laying on that floor, ready to die. I was a nobody, yknow? Who cares about some orphan kid? They told me my heart stopped. Then a minute later, my body had sucked in the flames and all I remember is that I was waking up and gasping for air. I killed the kid who tried to kill me. I also lit the school building. Luckily nobody innocent got hurt but the point is, fire actually killed me but then it saved me. That's why I'm called Fire Killer."