Touch of Flame

“Get up, clean this up, and make lunch!” He ordered annoyed.

Ravina got out of bed keeping her mouth shut. She was already getting the signs and perhaps she should think of it more carefully now that she had more information.

Breedmate? Perhaps her desire for revenge had been so strong she actually thought she could stay here and endure being this man’s breedmate. As if she wasn’t in enough distress already.

‘Being my wife will not be a task you will have to endure.’ Ares voice echoed in her mind.

She took a deep breath and blocked that part of her mind.

It was one thing to endure being a wife and another to be a breedmate. Malachi himself was part of her nightmares and her childhood fears. After almost a century of causing terror, that was just how she saw him.

A terrorizer who found his breedmate in a human and was now struggling with it. She knew not to fall for the nice behavior that was driven by instinct because she knew eventually this time would come when his hatred was fueled and his emotions became stronger than his instinct.

And what about being a dragon tamer? Well, the term meant something other than she thought it meant. Although a part of her revenge was indeed to have influence through Malachi, she wasn’t sure it was possible anymore.

As she emptied the bathtub, she remembered priest Chanan and his stories about dragon tamers. How it all failed even though the dragons in the stories were different than Malachi. They had nothing to hold them back and they did everything to pursue their breedmate. Malachi was different because times were different.

Chanan thought it was good that humans began to rise to bring a whole new change but was it? Malachi was like this because of the rise of humans. Now hate came from the other side as well because of the rise of humans. Because they could finally protect themselves and stand against oppression.

Ravina sighed as she wiped the water off the floor, then she took everything back to where it belonged.

Right now, she should just focus on finding her sister. Maybe she could ask Aaron for help. Somehow she hoped her sister was fine and happy because if she wasn’t, Ravina wasn’t sure how she would take care of her. She was damaged and she was in this undesired place where she wasn’t safe so her sister would not be either.

Well, what human was safe in this world?

Malachi sat on the balcony as she left to go to the kitchen and prepare lunch. She couldn’t say that she didn’t expect this. Things would even get worse when they became harder for him. His people would put pressure on him, feed him more hatred, try to separate them, and make him get rid of her. It was what Ares feared.

Ares.

She shook her head not wanting to think of him at this moment. All of those worldly things were not for her. And whether she was a dragon tamer or not, which she was still struggling to believe, her ending would be tragic._.

Ravina made soup, the only thing she knew but it took her forever. She had just bathed but the heat in the kitchen made her sweat and she burned her hand a few times. Finally, she put the bowl on a tray and went upstairs to serve it to him on the balcony.

When she arrived, he wasn’t there. Well, it wasn’t as if he was really going to eat it. He just wanted to torture her.

The sound of steps made her turn to the stairs. Slowly Brenna came into sight. “Human. Where is Malachi?” She asked.

“I don’t know,” Ravina replied.

She looked around with a look of distress before gazing at her again. “Alright. You helped Malachi heal when he was sick.”

“Yes.”

She swallowed. “Nevermind.” She said turning around as if changing her mind.

“Is someone sick?” Ravina asked.

Brenna halted and turned around. “Yes. Are you happy?”

“I could help.”

Brenna narrowed her eyes. “Why would I trust you?”

“I am surrounded by you. I would be stupid to kill someone.”

Brenna took a moment to think. “Alright. Follow me.”

Ravina followed her and they passed a few blocks before arriving at a small red house. Brenna took off her shoes at the door and so Ravina did the same and then she followed her into a room.

There was a woman seated on a bed holding a little boy and Kayla sat on a chair nearby. Both the woman and Kayla frowned upon her arrival.

“What is this woman doing here?” Kayla asked.

Brenna took a deep breath. “Let’s not fight now. There are more important things.”

ɴ[0)ᴠᴇʟ “She is not going to touch my son.” The woman said holding the boy tighter.

Brenna walked closer. “Do you want him to continue being in pain then? She can help.”

“I don’t trust her.”

“Well, we tried everything. This is the last way.”

The mother had tears in her eyes as she stroked her son’s hair.

Ravina slowly stepped closer and the mother followed her with her gaze, Brenna cleared the way for her, and she came to stand beside the bed. “I do not wish to hurt your son. Whatever treatment I offer, can be brought and prepared by your own people.”

The woman looked hesitant and the little boy turned his head to look up at her. His skin was a little ashy and his lips dry. Shortness of breath.

For a moment she met his big innocent eyes. She could see herself in them. A beautiful soft brown.

“How old are you?” She asked him.

“Six and you?”

Carefully she sat down on the bed so he wouldn’t have to look up. “I am twenty-two.”

He stared at her. “You are so white.”

She smiled faintly. “Yes.”

“Are you also sick?”

“Just a little. Where are you hurting?”

She could already hear that his voice was husky. He pointed at his throat and chest.

“Is it difficult to breathe?”

He nodded.

“He has been coughing for days and he has a little fever. I thought he would heal after a few days as usual but he has been like this for a week now and he is only getting worse. I have fed him honey and garlic but it isn’t helping.” His mother explained.

“I hate garlic.” The boy grimaced with his chubby cheeks. Ravina wanted to strangely touch those full cheeks.

“I don’t understand why he isn’t healing.” The mother continued.

“I don’t think it is a simple cold. Maybe it reached his lungs. Honey and garlic are good. Perhaps we can also try echinacea, peppermint or gingertea. We could also try thyme leaves or eucalyptus.” Ravina said.

“Will that help?” The mother asked.

“I can not give any guarantee. I just know it helps humans with the same condition. Drinking lots of fluid and resting is also important.” She said looking at the boy.

“Mother says the same,” the boy told her.

“What did you say you need?” Brenna asked her.

Ravina repeated slowly. Brenna looked over at Kayla. “I remember. Let’s go now.”

“We will be right back,” Brenna said leaving with Kayla.

Oh no. Why did they leave her alone here with this woman?

The mother held her child close. “He always gets easily sick. His healing doesn’t work normally. I don’t know what is wrong.”

“Do you heal from all diseases?” Ravina asked.

“Most of them. Some take longer but we heal eventually.”

Ravina nodded. The boy coughed. “What is your name?” He then asked her.

“Ravina. And you?”

“Nelli.”

She nodded.

“Can I touch your hair?” He asked.

“Nelli?” His mother said giving him a look.

“It is alright,” Ravina said. She grabbed her long hair and held it out.

Nelli grabbed it with his small hands, feeling it between his fingers. “It is soft mama.” He smiled.

“Yes. Let go now.” She told him and he dropped them.

“Your eyes are blue.” he then pointed.

“Yes.”

“I like blue,” he said causing her to smile for the second time.

Well, she liked brown.

Brenna and Kayla came back with the needed herbs and oils. Ravina told them how to make it and then Nelli’s mother helped him drink the remedies, before putting him in bed to rest.

“I should go back now,” Ravina said. “You can bring me back if he doesn’t get better.”

The mother gave her a nod and Brenna walked her out. “I will take you home so no one kills you on the way.” She said.

“Wouldn’t that be good for you all?” Ravina asked.

Brenna chuckled. “It would. But I need you alive till the boy recovers so if something happens to him I will kill you with my own hands.”

“Fair enough. Is he your family?”

“He is my nephew. His mother Georgia, is my sister.”

“And what are you to king Malachi?”

“We are cousins.”

Ravina knew they were related.

“You have a cousin too who will become king. Isn’t it unfair? After your father, the throne should have been yours.”

“Men rule. Women are too weak to rule.” Ravina said what people thought.

Brenna scoffed. “Men rule the world just to have a woman rule them.” She shrugged. “Well, that is at least what my grandma used to say but I think it is somehow true.”

Interesting.

They stopped when they came to Malachi’s house. “Anyway, I hope my nephew doesn’t die suddenly. It would be too bad.”

“I hope so too.”