I can see it clearly in my mind, my shoes grazing the marble floors as I move in the shadows of the crowds.

Or would the castle have wood floors? Why would a ballroom have wooden floors?

"Kilian," I speak up from the makeshift tent he'd arranged for me in the ten minutes I'd taken to bathe. "Does the castle have marble floors or wooden? Or is the king on some rustic strike and it's actually all dirt?" I hum, speaking in a light joking manner. I study the clothes he'd left folded on a tree stump in the middle of the tent— almost afraid to even touch the velvety texture of the red garment. Red like blood— or maybe like a ruby.

I hear him approach the tent as I turn my body to face the entrance, white towel swirling as I watch. He observes the blade in his hand— the one he'd been sharpening for me. Then, without glancing towards me, he speaks up.

"Actually," he drawls out. "It's made of human skin." He finishes, glancing slowly up at me. I pale for a second, thinking of how bloody and gross that'd be. I cringe away, my smile melting away.

"Seriously?" I ask in disgust. He turns away from me to walk back to his boulder, but pauses mid stride.

"No, Vi. You aren't the only one who can make jokes." He says as I narrow my eyes at his stupid demon back.

"I hate you." I say as his shoulder shake in silent laughter, and he continues to walk away.

"Volcanic rock. His floors are made from volcanic rock— and typically would be a perfect place for your sister to unleash her Phoenix powers; But she's still in holdrex." He calls out. I can feel my eyes widen and as I make a move to catch up with him and this new piece of information.

"Wait wait wait— I know she has fire powers, she never told me but I saw her use them back at camp. She's a Phoenix?!" I rush out my words, becoming breathless at trying to keep up with his long strides. Damn I'm out of shape.

He takes notice of that, and slows down a bit— turning to face me.

"Well what did you think she was?" His lips flicker up in amusement as I start my babbling up.

"I don't know, I guess I thought she was like me— just powers. I've never even classified myself really... an elemental maybe? That's what they're called in books." I mumble as Kilian nods.

"We have elementals over here too, but that isn't what I'd call you. Are you sure you're just powers? It's to my understanding that Claire only recently learned that she's a Phoenix; and being a year older than you, that still gives you a load of time to figure things out by surprise." He says as I furrow my eyebrows.

"Well what do you think I could be? A damn yeti?" I say incredulously as he grins.

"Maybe a barbegazi." He laughs as I stare in confusion.

"Do I even want to ask what that is?" I ask warily as Kilian bites his lip to hide his smile.

"It's a fairy or little person; a dwarf if you may.... and it uses its insanely large feet to slide down snowy mountains—" he says as I let out a small breath and clutch my chest.

"You think my feet are big?!" I glance down at my little long toes and then back at him accusingly at he deeply chuckles.

"No actually, I think you have beautiful feet. In fact, you may have even been my awakening for a foot fetish." He cocks an eyebrow up as I glare at him.

"I just love the way your feet would look above my shoulders—" he starts to say.

"Kilian!" I snap as he chuckles some more. I throw a jab at his abdomen, knocking some wind out of him.

"I was gonna say above my shoulders, standing like a circus act. You could even wear a long trench coat and people would just think you were really tall—" he says with a playful grin, straightening up as I roll my eyes.

" I'm serious. If I'm not an elemental and I'm definitely not a Phoenix, what the hell am I?" I question persistently as he stares at me intensely.

"I think you could be an ice dragon." He says as I stare dumbfounded.

"None of my parents are dragons." I reject the idea instantly, turning to walk back to the tent , but Kilian grabs a hold of my arm stopping me. I glance at him and watch his serious face.

"None are dragons.. that you know of." He says clearly.

"Have you even asked your father what he is? I know Merlin has a theory that he could be half Phoenix and half elemental— but I think that theory is false. I think both you and him are so much more to the puzzle." He stares into my eyes and I feel a chill drape over me. He releases my arm as I swallow slowly, wrapping my arms around myself as I face him once again.

"If I could be this— this ice dragon... what would I be able to do?" I ask hesitantly, watching for Kilian's reaction to my question; in my head, he was just playing a silly joke on me, but Kilian didn't crack a smile. The demon was as serious as ever, jaw clenching as the setting sun casted a pink glow on his skin.

He licks his lips as he considers the question, fangs poking out slightly.

"You'd be able to transform once you come of age, you'd be able to rule kingdoms with your power alone—" he pauses and flickers his eyes over my small form, as if he really truly believed me to be a beast like that.

"You'd be able to shoot ice and make people feel as if they were being burned alive. Those are just some of the fun perks of being an ice dragon... you know what makes me think that you are one?" He whispers the last sentence as I lean in a bit. Suddenly I'm flustered, debating if I wanted to hear his answer or not.

I did.

"What?" I say lowly, listening intently for what he was about to say.

"When ice dragons transform for the first time—" he reaches his hand out and grasps my face gently, causing shivers to rack my body as my lips go numb, no doubt turning blue. Why is my body reacting this way to him?

"They lose control of their powers— the very essence of their beings, and transform into their marvelous true form. Losing control of your powers is the one thing you two have been training for in the first place— is it not?" He says, his voice a mere rasp as I suddenly feel as if this moment were intimate.

I go speechless; and for good reason.

Because if there were any possibility that I'm an ice dragon and am to 'rule kingdoms', then that means what the woman in the grimoire portal told me is true. Waren.

My heart clenches in pain.

Then that means that I'm to be queen of Cyron, and am betrothed to this nameless man instead of Kilian.

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