"Remember your mission and your duty," Edsoward says as he clasps my wrists. "Be careful, and mak-"

"Make the sacrifices that are necessary for victory," I complete his sentence.

He gives me a forced smile that doesn't reach his sea-blue eyes and places his webbed hand on my shoulder. "I'm proud of you, may the gods be on your side and forces favour you."

I smile at him.

Fifteen years.

For fifteen years I've been training for this. Day and night.

"Don't prolong your stay if you get the impression that they're suspicious," Edsoward repeats what he has been teaching me in the past decade.

"Because if they show signs of suspicion it means at least one person knows. One person is enough to compromise our mission," I recite the words.

He nods, his silver brows drawing together with concern.

"Stop worrying about me. I'm your best student," I add with a smile.

"That's what I'm worried about. I don't want to lose you on your first mission."

"I've been training for this."

He sighs, "Audriea, stubborn as ever."

I grin at him.

It's my stubbornness that has kept me alive so far. I don't intend to lose it.

And what's there to worry about? For ten years, we've been studying the Fire court closely. Over half a decade ago the council decided I'll be the best fit to be sent off to this court. I learnt everything about them.

Demaqual's best spies and investigators have spent the past decade gathering information. And I have memorised it, for this mission only. For the survival of Demaqual and its innocent people.

There's no space for errors and mistakes. The stakes are too high. Everything has to be executed perfectly.

I have to do this, for all the humans and innocent lives that are in danger because of these monstrous faes. Even if it costs me my life, so be it.

One life for saving thousands of others. Seems like a fair deal to me.

The door opens, and a mob of green hair peeks inside. I grin at him and he hurries into the room.

"The other officers have arrived," Muverick says as he closes the door behind himself. The lime green coat he's wearing over his white shirt and trousers makes the brownness of his skin stand out. He rushes to me, enveloping me in a tight hug. "It's not fair, today's moving too fast," he mumbles before letting me go, already tears gathering in his eyes. He holds on to my shoulder, his obsidian eyes boring into me. "Promise you'll contact us if you ever felt something's about to go wrong, okay? Damn the operation, I want you back alive, you hear me?"

I giggle. "Muve, don't worry, I'll set their court on fire and be back in no time."

He nods, blinking away his tears. "I'm holding you up to that."

Edsoward clasps his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "She needs to be focused, stop making her emotional."

Muve rolls his eyes and shakes his head, muttering something under his breath.

I have to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing. It's a wonder how these two have been able to be together for over half a century now, they're polar opposites. But I suppose that's what makes their relationship everlasting.

"I'm going to miss you two," I say.

Muve pulls me into another hug and Edsoward pats my back. They've been nothing less than a father and brother whenever I needed whichever of them.

The door opens again and Edsoward pulls Muve back, they glare at each other and from between them I spy Rageni and Juanna behind her.

"Gentlemen, we'd like to have our daughter to ourselves for a moment," Rageni says as she walks into the room and Juanna closes the door behind her. Juanna's porcelain face is red and blotchy, her brown locks have been pinned to her head in delicate swirls. The diamond earrings reach to her shoulders, making her pointy ears seem longer. Her yellow dress hugs her frail figure perfectly and her long slender fingers are fidgety.

Muve huffs, "You know she's not only y-"

"Yes, General, we'll be outside," Edsoward cuts him off and grabs Muve's hand. His bluish skin is an odd yet familiar contrast to Muve's brown tone.

Rageni nods and steps aside for Edsoward to pull Muve with himself out of the room.

"Oh, Audrey, baby," Juanna croons and embraces me, silently crying.

I rub her back. "I'll be okay, I promise."

Over her shoulder I see Rageni frown, clasping her hands in front of herself as she forces a tight smile, trying to be reassuring. Her clothing is the same colour as her buzz-cut hair, dark orange. The medals on her chest glint under the sunlight flooding inside the room from the nearby window. Her amber eyes swipe across the room before she shoves a hand inside her trousers' pocket.

None of them want me to leave, but I was the strongest trainee for all these years, the three Commanding Lords found me to be the best fit.

Juanna steps back and pulls out a handkerchief from her pocket, wiping away her tears.

"I know all these years you've been trained to stay as long as possible and put the mission above your life... but I-" Rageni abruptly stops and sighs, stepping closer to me. The sunlight falls over her skin, giving a gentle golden glow to her olive skin. "You're this nation's only hope, and I'm proud of you and I trust all the decisions you make will be in our best interest... I don't want you to be disloyal to us... but don't do anything that would put your life at risk."

"And do not even think about going after the people who ordered the slaughtering of that day," Juanna quickly adds.

I press my lips into a thin line. That day. The day those monstrous faes cut down my family and an entire village. Curtly I nod. I hate being reminded of that day.

"I hope you succeed and everything moves smoothly." Rageni rubs my arm but take the chance and pull her into a tight hug.

"Thank you for everything." Even though she never let me call her or Juanna Mum they were never anything less than a caring and loving mother to me.

"Okay now," she pats my shoulder. "Don't talk like you're permanently leaving us."

I smile as we part. She brushes a lock of my hair behind my ear, and her brows draw together. "Don't forget to tell Cylton to enchant those ears for you," she says, caressing my cheek.

"And always put on that lotion okay? Those corrupt faes might try to ensure you're a true blood fae." Juanna says, squeezing my hand.

"I already have. Now I have to be careful not to touch anything made of iron all the way to there."

She nods, slightly relieved.

"I think we should go," Rageni says, and glances at Juanna. "I'm sure you want to have a few minutes to yourself. Cylton and the other two lords will be here soon."

With that Juanna hugs me once more before they both leave.

I sigh and turn to the mirror behind me. Gazing at my reflection I can't help but wonder if I'll ever get used to looking all dressed up and overly formal.

Today I'll be entering the Fire court as the eldest heir's soon to be bride or mate, depending on whatever the Lord of Fire finds fit.

My hair is styled similar to that region's style, two parts of the front of my hair have been separated, swirling up over my head, twirling around from atop my scalp to the two loose curls reaching my chest. My dress is also something inspired by their fashion. The orange and blue fabrics swirling together, appear like a blazing flame around my body. The middle part of it is see-through, a mixture of sheer orange and blue chiffon and the skirt is flowy, reaching to the floor.

I almost look like someone who has truly been born and raised in the Fire court... except for my eyes. Violet eyes are near impossible to find in that region. I hope it doesn't cause any problem with my act of being from the Fire court through and through.

Bending down, I pick up the purple cloth on the table and gently kiss it. Wish me luck, Mum. I tie it around my wrist and hide it under a bracelet. Just as I run my hand over my skirt, a soft knock brings me out of my thoughts.

I turn as Ivon steps into the room, locking the door behind himself.

"You shouldn't have come." I frown at him as he closes the distance between us.

Cupping my face in his large palms and tilting my head back to lock his hazel eyes with mine, he leans down me. "But how could I not?" he murmurs against my lips.

I sigh and furl my fingers around his well-built biceps. "Ivon," I start but he silences me, capturing my lips with his in a long slow kiss.

I break the kiss after a lengthy moment, already feeling breathless. "We both knew this day would come, sooner rather than later... and our arrangement-"

He interrupts me, "You know I care for you and things would have been more serious between us if you had allowed it... maybe if it was, you wouldn't have been leaving right now." His lips turn downwards, his brows furrowing.

I run my thumb over the creases between his eyebrows, smoothing them. I rest my palm on his cheek as he wraps his arms around my waist. "Ivon, we've been over this. And I want to do this, you know how important this is to me."

With a sigh, he nods. "I'll miss you."

I laugh. "Me or sleeping with me?" I quirk an eyebrow.

A mischievous glint sparks his eyes. "Both."

Without wasting a second he crashes his lips on mine, this time kissing me with more urgency and hunger. I clutch his collar as his arms tighten around me. Our tongues battle for dominance, he doesn't miss a chance for lightly biting and nibbling my lip. We pull and on suck on each other, knowing full well this might be the last time we'll ever get to do this.

My lucky stars ought to fight with all their might if I'm to survive that literal hell and I don't have any lucky stars to start with.

But just as his hands begin to travel southwards with more frequency I pull away, throwing him a stern look. "You know I'll be meeting the Commanding Lords in a few minutes."

He groans but doesn't push the matter.

A knock on the door breaks away the remaining longing and tension brewing between us.

"The Lords are waiting," a soft voice announces before hurrying away.

Ivon sighs, running his hand through his hair, anxiously glancing at me.

Inhaling deeply, I pull myself to my full height, pushing my shoulders back. This is it.

He steps aside for me as I go straight to the door, feeling his gaze burning into the back of my skull.

Down the narrow corridor and a flight of stairs, I reach the gathering hall and when I enter the room, everyone is already present.

The people who have been training me for the past decade raise to their feet, their eyes fixated on me. Even the three Commanding Lords stand up from their chairs placed across the entrance door. In unison, they descend the three steps.

Lord Cylton stands in the middle, while Lord Arberton and Lord Harvez are on his left and right.

A few feet away Rageni is standing with other high ranked generals. She has adorned her sword to her waist now too, her face a mask of blankness, but her eyes give away her worry.

With slow and steady strides, I near them and stop a pace away.

"We are proud to have you as a part of our community, dear Audriea," Lord Harvez begins. A kind smile stretching across his greenish-brown face. He clasps his fingers, similar to the thin branches of a tree.

"And we hope you use the gifts we've bestowed upon you to everyone's best interest. Our only hope of stopping this war is you." Lord Arberton says, his small fish like mouth moves slowly as he voices out his words with precision.

Lord Cylton steps to me and grabs my hand, waving his other palm in front of my face to make my ears pointier, to appear more like a true-blooded fae. "May the forces of nature favour you and the odds remain in your favour forever and more."

I dip my chin in respect as everyone in the room echoes, "Forever and more."

In a soft voice he whispers under his breath, the words only meant for my ears, "You're our only hope of preventing this war and saving our humans and faes. Try your hardest to not fail."

I subtly nod and hold his yellow eyes' gaze.

Failing was never an option and it won't ever be.

With that, we move outside of the hall, into the back garden, the carriage to take me to the blind spot so we can enter the Fire court without being detected is prepared.

Norvick is already standing next to the carriage, dressed up in the formal attire of the Fire court, bright orange suit, his coat reaches his midthigh while delicate swirls are designed over it in red.

He is going to play the role of my long-lost uncle, who began taking care of me after one of the greatest generals of the Fire court, aka my father, was ruthlessly killed by the half-blooded, dirty Demaqualans.

How Norvick managed to make this alliance with these atrocious faes and convince them to mate or marry their son with me, is entirely beyond me.

The good thing about dead generals though is that one can link any sort of story to them without ever being discovered if it's the truth or a mere lie, so I suppose he took that to his advantage.

We say our farewells, Juanna and Muve with teary eyes, while Rageni and Edsoward are firm as ever.

Ivon watches me from afar.

I get inside the carriage, Norvick follows me and soon we are on the road.

As we pass by the familiar pathway, I note every little detail, etching it to my memory. I'm leaving my home... and there's a chance I won't ever see it again. A pang shoots through my heart but I shield myself against it.

By the time the sun has reached the middle of the bright blue sky, we have arrived at the blind spot.

We get out of the carriage, each of us stands on either side of it as we take out our pouches of fae dust. Simultaneously from both sides, we throw a handful of the green and gold dust in the carriage's direction, making sure the sprinkles of it covers us too.

Norvick shouts the command, naming a place a good distance away from the Fire court.

A bright light flashes around us, blinding me for a moment. When I blink a few times and my vision clears, we are no longer on that grassy hill.

The first thing that hits me full force is the heat. I was expecting this place to be warmer than anywhere I've ever been, but the temperature is far higher than what I had prepared myself for. Even the ground is scalding.

We get inside the carriage and Norvick lays his palm on the wall and it begins to move.

He's one of the few true-blooded faes residing in Demaqual and a loyal subject too. Infiltrating him inside the Fire court was as easy as unsheathing a sword. On top of that, his element of power is fire too, but they prevented him from rising in the ranks, hence I'm entering the game.

It's a short ride and in a few minutes time, the monstrous court of Fire comes into view and my breath hitches.

This is truly it.

Either I become their undoing, or they become my and my nation's doom.

⚔︎ ⚔︎ ⚔︎

Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed, don't forget to vote if you did and comment your thoughts.

The next chapter will be up on Thursday. 

Stay safe, lots of love, happy reading <3