I rolled my eyes, taking a page from Rexi. “Overdramatic much? Just tell me what the legend said already.”
Kato continued pacing, talking to himself now more than me. “I mean, it sounded like a bunch of fairy dust. Why would changing the color of the flames matter? But for generations, we’ve tried everything anyway—tried feeding the fire with gemstones and magic, crossbred until we had dozens of different colors and species of fireflowers, but we could never get flame like the one the legend described.”
You know that feeling that you get in the pit in your stomach? The one that goes along with the warning bells ringing in your head that screams, Don’t ask! You don’t want to know. Yeah, I had that feeling.
“What color?”
Kato stopped pacing and used the full power of his ice-blue stare. He winced, as if saying it would hurt. But hurt him or me?
“Emerald. The legend says that only emerald flames can free us from our vows.”
I said nothing, waiting for the ax to drop.
“Dot, you need to kill Blanc.”
“All the trouble stemmed from my body image issues. I just couldn’t escape the mirror. It lied; the reflection I saw of myself was horrifying.”
—Wicked Queen, Shattered Reflections
20
Mirror, Mirror, Broken on the Wall
Even while my mind balked at the idea, Emerald flames leaped to my fingertips. My vision clouded over, and Blanc glowed like a flare.
All that power. Yours for the taking. Make the world the way you want it. Make yourself into a real hero.
So easy. I could be strong and no one would call me useless again.
Heat danced across my palm.
“Are you okay?” Kato flicked his tail against my leg.
The thump returned my vision and senses to normal. The flames disappeared, but I still felt an oily residue where they’d been. Not a physical coating, but the kind of stain that would never go away, no matter how many times I washed them.
“No,” I answered simply.
“No, you’re not okay? Or no, you won’t fulfill our alliance and eliminate Blanc?”
“Both,” I said and walked away.
I thought about going back to “my room,” but I needed some time…just…away from everyone. After watching Blanc’s story, then feeling the lure of my own flames, an unwelcome theory started to form in my mind, an explanation for why the story had skewed so far off course.
Maybe I wasn’t the hero.
Maybe I was the villain.
I roamed the vast network of caverns for a long time, trying very hard not to think or glance at my fiery reflection in the shiny obsidian walls. Unfortunately, that meant I paid no attention to where I was going. All the pointy rock things looked the same, and I was lost.
More than just directionally.
I slumped to the ground and put my head in my hands.
Someone tell me what to do.
Mom and I had our issues. Mainly because she wasn’t content running the whole kingdom; she had to rule everything about my life too. Though it was a trait I hated, I could use her take-charge attitude about now.
I really miss her.
Someone snorted. Has to be Rexi. I looked up.
She was leaning against one of the caves many turns, munching on some sort of steaming red fruit. “You’re going the wrong way if you’re looking for food. And before you even ask, no, I’m not sharing mine. Get your own.” Somewhere, she’d found a knapsack, and she clutched it protectively to her chest.
Food of any kind sounded pretty good. I stood and headed the direction she indicated. Her footsteps shadowed mine.
I paused and said, “Didn’t you hoard enough food? Because I figure I’d be about the last person you wanted to tag along with.”
“True if we’re talking people. But when the alternative is dozens of giant, hungry beasts, believe it or not, you’re better company.”
“So why don’t you leave the mountain? You’ve gotta have family somewhere. Haven’t you gotten the memo? I pixed up the whole world order. There’s no more Emerald Palace. No dishes to wash. No princess to serve. You don’t owe me anything, and you don’t have to stay with me anymore.”
“Sheesh. What happened to you that you are willing to admit that?” She crossed her arms. “Still, where else am I gonna go? I’m not exactly on good terms with my folks, and like you said, you pixed the world. Everything you’ve done up to this point has gotten us into more trouble. Odds are you’re going to do something right soon, and since I’ve already put up with all the zip-a-dee-doo-doo, I’d like to be there when the good stuff finally happens.”
That probably wouldn’t be anytime soon.
Tiny tremors shook the ground beneath my feet. I’d felt them on and off earlier and learned to ignore them. This time they didn’t stop and rumbled louder in a steady rhythm—the cadence of a two-ton chimera running down the cavern full speed.
Bob saw us a little late and dragged his tail in an attempt to brake. He veered right and stopped—after busting through a wall.