"Master," Sii said standing erect.

The Fiisen fully entered, scorn written on his face like poetry. The butterflies that tried to spur to life in her gut died in an awful churn of fear and hatred. This man had major issues. How could he want her dead, but then kidnap her after her strange death and resurrection?

"What happened to Dargany?" Gris shouted.

Mageia glanced at Gris putting two and two together. This was the soldier Gris left fighting with Dargany. A mischievous smirk grew on the man's face as he strolled around the clearing.

"You had to follow," Eron said shaking his head.

"You bastard! I knew you were guilty," Gris shouted. "What happened to Dargany?"

"Don't worry about him," he said.

"You son of a whore, you had them hurt Limp and kill Hercones and those people," Gris said. "You burned half the palace."

Eron approached with his normal calm ease. Mageia felt her arms burn, just like when the gods were arriving in their real forms. Magic! Eron was a soother which meant he had magic in his blood too. She hoped she was right. She began taking calm breaths, hoping to suck in this new energy and connect with her own magic.

But something was off about the Commander. A sickness, perhaps. Not only could she feel it but read it in his exhausted eyes and his paled skin he tried to hide with make-up. Make-up? Why was he wearing make-up? It wasn't even put on correctly.

"Apparently, they all were at the wrong place at the wrong time," he shrugged.

"You arsehole. I will have your head one day," Gris said.

"I don't think so," he said stepping very close. He made a fist and punched the Prince in the face. The strike was so strong, it sent Gris and his chair crashing backwards to the floor.

Mageia screamed. "Why'd you do that? I hate you!"

Eron stretched out his fingers as Gris coughed and scrunched his face in pain.

"That is for punching me earlier, boy."

"You are more than a boy than he is," Mageia said. "Stop acting like a man because you're doing a terrible job at it."

Those striking red eyes shifted on her and Mageia clenched her teeth together. The magic penetrating from the man's body sucked into hers like water meeting a rag. She recalled their last times together. How he easily struck her and burnt her and violated her because he could. She realized he could do it again. Except this time, he had men to help, and no one was here to save her except Gris suffering on the floor.

"Stand her up," Eron said.

"My pleasure," Sii said from out of nowhere. He fumbled with her rope tied to the back of the chair. It loosened, but the restraint did not. Sii forced her to her feet and Eron didn't move to allow any space between them. She tried to step back only to knock into the chair.

"Why are you doing this?" she said needing to talk to ignore the annoying butterflies reappearing in her belly.

Eron finally shifted positions to stand directly in front of her and she felt faint of breath.

"Remember our talk, my lady," Eron said. He carefully raised his left hand to touch her face. She cringed and edged away, but he continued until he took hold of her chin.

She shivered. "What are you talking about?"

"My interrogation?"

Mageia yanked her chin from his touch. "You mean when you assaulted me?"

The corner of his lips curved in a smirk before disappearing. "I apologize for that. I was only working."

"And right now?"

"I just want to talk," he said. "You spoke of a union between us. How my sooth and your influences could rule over these pathetic Ardanians? I guess you did have power after all."

"I was just trying to get you off me," she scolded.

"No... I felt it. You were speaking some truth. See, you were right. I know my history. How soothers once wore crowns and mortals served them hand and foot. Those days shall come again. As Julieoni took his kingdom, what belonged to him. That too shall be my victory."

"You are crazy," Mageia said into his face.

"Yes. That's what they call those with great ambitions," Eron said.

"No that's what they call jesters who think they are important."

Anger flashed across his flaming red eyes for a second time to her mocking comment. But he flexed his jaw and seemed to swallow the insult.

"Very cute," he said taking a few steps back. His red eyes slowly ate her from head to toe. Mageia grew tensed remembering what she was wearing. The infirmary gown was very revealing, especially with her new noticeable markings down her chest. She consciously covered herself and glared murderously at the Fiisen.

"Isn't she beautiful," he said.

Sii and the others chuckled, and anxiety rattled her nerves. The magic within her veins began to stir alive in response, prepared to protect.

"You are a pervert," Mageia scolded hating the slight dip in her voice, revealing her discomfort. The last thing she needed was to show any signs of weakness.

"A man who wants a woman is not a pervert," he said humorously. "He's just a man."

"What do you want from me, Eron? Magic? Power? An alliance? Why did you bring me here?"

"My Queen is coming for you, that's all," he said taking steps forward.

"Your queen? Who is she?"

"Someone important to me," he said. "But I want something returned to me that you took when you died."

Mageia watched him carefully, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Then he quickly grabbed her by the neck but with a strange gentleness and brought her closer.

"Don't touch me," she said breath falling short from him being so close to him again.

He wrapped her about the waist with his other arm and she squirmed against him and the restraints. Her magic was awaking to its fullest now and she didn't understand why. But it was a good thing. She needed it. She recalled the flames as it licked at her body and the pain it caused when it claimed her entirely and did not want to face that again.

She expected him to light her on fire just to provoke her magic, but instead his eyes dropped to her parted lips.

Before she could process what he was doing, he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She squeezed her eyes closed and tensed up, but his firm yet so gentle lips did something to her heart. It didn't know whether to flutter or to die. Her body trembled in his hold, but uneasily relaxed as his kiss softened and shifted. Mageia felt the energy in her veins squirm joyously to her head and to her lips. Then she felt his tongue try to pry her lips apart and for some reason she allowed it. She wanted to touch his face, but her wrists were still bound. Every thought evaporated from her mind until his teeth sliced into the soft flesh of her bottom lip.

She squealed, tasting blood.

Eron peeled away his lips now stained with her blood. He licked them fiercely and released her as if she was useless trash.

"You bit me," Mageia said sucking the cut to stop it from bleeding.

Anger stirred within her veins, and she felt the mystical rope loosen. But above all she felt hurt as if someone stuck their hand into her chest and ripped out her heart. She couldn't understand why she felt hurt by Eron's stunt. He only wanted her blood; it was obvious by the deliberate bite. But her eyes swelled with tears of confusion and her lips sizzled with a residue of pleasure.

"You bastard! How dare you violate her like that," Gris shouted from the floor, his cheeks red with anger.

"What did you do that for?" she said but it didn't sound loud enough.

"Damn that was hot," Sii said clapping amused. His friends smiled and agreed.

But Eron wasn't listening to any of them. He slowly walked away, licking, and swallowing Mageia's blood like a monster. He stared at his hands and seemed to be waiting for something to happen.

Gris gasped, squirming to sit up from the floor. "You lost your sooth, didn't you?"

Eron glanced at him furiously. Mageia averted her eyes to the floor, feeling embarrassed to have enjoyed the kiss. It sickened her to the core now.

"You wanted to taste her blood, hoping it would bring it back?" Gris said filled with so much wrath, Mageia could see his veins popping from his neck. "You are a disgusting prick! I hope it doesn't work. You don't deserve your gift."

"Shut up Gris," Eron growled. He charged at the Prince and kicked him straight in the chest. Gris plunged backwards onto the floor, coughing for air.

"Stop," Mageia shouted and slammed her body into Eron.

Eron easily caught her and shoved her back. Sii grabbed her and yanked her away.

"Get off," she said turning and almost kneeing him in the groin.

Sii deflected it, pushed her away, and slapped her clean across the face. He laughed and she squealed from the sting in her cheek. Sii took hold of her again and almost threw her back into her chair.

"Is it working Eron," Sii said. "It should work, you know."

"I don't feel anything," Eron said.

"You tasted enough, so it should be kicking in by now," Sii said. "Perhaps you should sit."

"Shut up," Eron ordered.

He stood straight and tall with his eyes closed. Mageia didn't know what to think. How could an empty kiss empty her mind? She sucked her bottom lip slowly clotting and wished he hadn't kissed her. No one's ever kissed her on the lips before. Why would he do that?

Gris shuffled and moaned on the floor.

"Gris are you okay?" she said. He only moaned.

Eron gave an irritated shout. Whatever he was trying to do, it was not working.

"I might need more blood," he said. When he glanced at Mageia, she shook her head.

"No. Come near me again and – and..."

She didn't know what she'd do. She focused her thoughts on the mystical rope and pulled with all her strength.

"Let's try another way," Eron said unsheathing a dagger.

Mageia scrambled onto her feet as he quickly approached. Sii grabbed onto her, stopping her from running. Eron took a few steps before stumbling into a halt. A painful gasp blew out of him. Eyes wide in shock, the Fiisen clutched his chest and crunched over in pain. The dagger clanked to the floor

"It's working," Sii said in a dark quaking laugh.

Eron screamed collapsing to the floor as his muscles constricted. Visible veins turned a dangerous red and his skin paled sheet white. Mageia couldn't believe what she was witnessing as the Fiisen's hands ignited on fire. The fire slithered up his arms, burning through his clothing. Then his short-cropped hair flickered on its own like a candle's flame until it too danced on fire. The cold air within the Base spiked, forming thick sweat along Mageia's brow.

The Fiisen stilled, trembling on his hands and knees. His head twitched. Sii laughed enjoying every bit of this transformation. Eron raised his gaze and Mageia's lungs deflated. His red eyes were brighter and pierced, humming like hot coal. Her jaw dropped. Memories of being burnt alive washed over her uncontrollably and her knees buckled. She fell to the floor, frozen in dread.

Great gods above... Did my blood really do this?

"Welcome back master," Sii shouted with joy.