Chapter 3

-Katherine-

The evening was magical, just as I had hoped. Acan stood by my side, holding me close. We were both dressed in dark red, symbolizing his fire powers, each with a drink in hand, mingling with lords, ladies, and even commoners. The garden and lawn were packed with guests, a testament to the success of the party. The excitement was clear, and I loved every moment of it.

Soon, I noticed a couple making their way down a nearby path. I let out a happy squeal and waved my hand in the air. They looked stunning. Silver was clad in a flowing dark blue dress that fit her perfectly, her silver hair shimmering in the wind. She was on Darius’s arm, and I admired how he had matched her attire tonight.

They seemed to radiate power, and it struck me that I had never considered them as a good couple before. They complemented each other perfectly, yet no one else seemed to have noticed this either. As they passed by, people stepped aside, bowing their heads as if Darius and Silver were royalty. It was an interesting sight, and they looked magnificent together.

“You’re here!” I exclaimed.

“Sorry, someone took a while to get dressed,” Darius said, shooting a glare at Silver, who rolled her eyes but smiled warmly at Acan and me.

“The party is wonderful, and so many have attended,” Silver commented.

“All thanks to my wonderful queen,” Acan said, praising me and placing a kiss on the top of my head.

I chuckled happily, savoring his praise and leaning closer to him, my heart brimming with pure joy. When I turned to Silver and Darius, I noticed a peculiar look in their eyes, one that I couldn’t quite decipher.

“You look amazing together,” I complimented, but as soon as the words left my mouth, they exchanged glances, pulled away, and looked in opposite directions.

I stared, shocked. I knew they didn’t get along very well, but their reaction seemed extreme. I turned to Acan, who offered me an assuring smile, silently communicating that it was just how things were. But why? No one had ever given me a clear reason for their animosity toward each other.

“Your cup is empty,” Acan noted, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between us.

“Well, I’m thirsty too,” Silver said as Acan took my cup. “Shall we get something to drink together?”

“Let’s,” Acan agreed. I gave a slight shake of my head before turning to Darius, placing my hands on my hips as the others walked away.

“What?” he asked, noticing the look on my face.

“Silver!” I exclaimed.

“What about her?”

“Don’t you see how perfect you two could be together?” I asked. He recoiled, as if I had suggested he kiss a frog.

“You must be teasing me, my queen.”

“No, when I saw you together, all I could think was… wow!”

“Ew, you mean,” he corrected me.

“Wow,” I insisted.

“Ew, I want to throw up. Must have been your thoughts,” he said with a teasing glint in his eyes.

I moved closer, giving him a playful shove, but he barely budged.

“Consider it!” I urged.

“We hate each other,” he reminded me.

“Hate is a strong word.”

“It fits when it comes to us.”

I shook my head, disagreeing entirely, but if I couldn’t change his mind, so be it. Acan and Silver returned shortly after, and Acan handed me a drink, kissing me before someone approached to inform him that it was time to light the torch. He kissed me once more before moving to the platform, drawing everyone’s attention as we fell silent.

He reached out, touched the pole, and effortlessly ignited the torch. The crowd erupted in awe, clapping and whistling, before settling down as he began the traditional speech of the festival. He spoke of how the fire represented the burning heart of our world, underscoring why the fire element held such significance. We clapped again as the speech concluded, and people began to disperse.

Acan’s eyes were fixed on me as he made his way toward me, but suddenly, someone shouted. We all watched in shock as the pole of the torch began creaking and cracking. Everything happened so quickly. Acan leapt aside, and people scrambled out of the way as the pole broke, sending the flames toward us.

“Katherine!” Darius grabbed my arm once more, and we hurried backward. The torch’s end landed not far from us, and since it was magically fueled, the fire spread rapidly, catching the grass and nearby tents. I slipped from Darius’s grip as the surrounding crowd began to panic. We were trapped by the fire, with no one possessing water powers, though others were trying to reach us.

“Darius?” I yelled but couldn’t spot him in the chaos. The crowd was pushing and shoving to escape the fire, which seemed to encircle me with relentless determination.

“Katherine!” I heard Darius’s voice calling, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. The fire was closing in on me.

I ran, unsure of what else to do, but wherever I went, the fire seemed to guide me away from the others, trapping me. I didn’t understand. Hadn’t Acan created this fire? What had happened to it once it hit the ground? I was forced into a tent that quickly caught fire, blocking my only exit. I pressed myself against a table as the flames rose around me, forming an almost impenetrable cage. What was happening?

“Acan!” I shouted, hoping he might hear me, but why would he? I had been pushed far from the main crowd, and he had been on the other side of the flames. “Acan!”

Desperation set in as I coughed from the smoke filling the tent. The flames were getting closer, and icy fear and panic gripped me. Where could I go?

“Acan!”

“Katherine!”

It can’t be… but then I saw a figure emerging from the flames, completely untouched by them. It was him! I smiled through my tears as I saw my husband appear before me. Without thinking, I sprang forward and clung to him. His body was unusually warm, almost burning, and I had to step back, unable to hold on for long. But I felt a surge of relief. He would save me, I was sure of it. But when I looked up, I saw his eyes burning with an intense, unnatural fire. His eyes only did that when he was using a significant amount of his powers. I was confused.

“Acan?”

He stepped closer, and a strange, unsettling energy surrounded him, causing me to instinctively take a step back.

“Acan? What are you doing? Let’s get out of here.”

“You aren’t going anywhere, Katherine.” His voice was cold, a tone I had never heard from him before.

“I don’t… understand. What’s happening?”

“It seems fitting, doesn’t it? You had no powers. You have weakened me,” he spat.

“Weakened you?”

“Yes, you’ve weakened me for years. Who could ever support a queen without powers?”

I was bewildered. He had never had a problem with my lack of powers before. Who was this man before me?

“Acan… please…” I pleaded.

“I hated you from the moment I saw you,” he said coldly. “But I had no choice. Neither of us did. But now that my father died a few years back, and I rule, I can finally be free of you.”

“But why wait?” I growled, feeling a surge of anger.

“Timing,” he replied.

“Timing?”

“Exactly. I couldn’t just end you at any party. It had to look like an accident. Mistakes happen, you know,” he taunted.

“Mistakes…” I whispered, trying to process what he was saying.

“But you always managed to slip away,” he continued.

“Earlier today…”

“Earlier today,” he confirmed, and I began to recall all the times I had been saved at the last moment. My throat tightened.

“You?” I asked, barely able to speak.

“Yes,” he answered simply.

“But… I… I love you,” I said, tears streaming down my face. “I have only ever loved you, and I have been a good queen.”

“You’ve been a weak queen!” he shouted. “A queen without powers who can’t even provide an heir. Tell me, Katherine, what the hell are you good for?”

“Acan… please…”

He began to burn with an intense, fiery aura, and I was certain he would strike me down where I stood. But then he calmed his flames and smiled wickedly.

“I don’t even have to do anything,” he said, surveying the scene. “You’re already dead.”

“Acan? Acan!” I called out, but he only smiled and kept moving away, never turning his back to me. As he disappeared from view, I continued calling for him, but the flames drew ever closer. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and the smoke filled my lungs. I fell to my knees, knowing my chances were slim.

Just as my vision blurred, I glimpsed a figure appearing at the entrance of the burning tent, seemingly out of nowhere, just as he always had.

“Katherine!” I collapsed to the ground, feeling cool hands on me as I was turned. I struggled to keep my eyes open and saw him—he shouldn’t be here! He could die too!

“Darius…” I whispered, barely able to speak.

“It’s okay. I’m here,” he reassured me.

He was here—he had always been there, hadn’t he? In these final moments, the truth was clear. He had always saved me from those accidents, always appeared when I needed him. But he couldn’t save me now. My eyes closed…