KYLIE WATCHED THE SUN DESCEND WITH A SENSE OF RELIEF. Soon, the moon would come.

The door to her chambers opened. And Kahreen, commander of the Second fleet stormed in, face a mesh of purples and blues.

“You should breathe Kahreen,” Kylie said tiredly. She had not slept. And she wasn’t in the mood to fight with him.

“Last night. Where were you?” he spat, pausing to take a much needed lung full of air.

Kylie turned away from him so she would not have to lie to his face.

“Walking along the Nile,” she whispered quietly. She didn’t like confrontation. But he did. He stalked towards her and spun her around, snapping her face up towards him.  His breathe slapped her lips, hot and overpowering. Kylie flinched.

“You were with Kehi again weren’t you?” he hissed, already knowing. Kylie looked away.

“You were!” He roared.

His eyes, normally a deep, sky blue turned as silver as a blizzard. The temperature fell until Kylie trembled with the cold, her fingertips turning a dangerous shade of blue. Kahreen was known for his temper and she did not want to be on the receiving end of it.

He seemed to think differently.

“You are promised to me! Why do you continue to see him? It is forbidden!” He roared. “What more must I do—”

“I love him!” Kylie yelled. Her entire body rocking with the force of her anger. Her passion. Just the thought of him, hands of liquid fire. Warmth. The complete opposite of her ice made her heart pang. Wind smashed against the windows, threatening to crack them. Ice slide along the ground. Tense and waiting.

Rage. Betrayal. Then rage again thundered across Kahreen’s eyes. He stepped forward as if to hit her, then seemed to grab hold of himself. When he next spoke his words sliced through her heart like a blade.

“You will get yourself killed Ky. He is using you. The future Queen of the Icye Tribe. The greatest of the Four Kingdoms. If he wins your hand, then he has control of them all. He’s using you, don’t you see– !”

“Everyone uses me,” Kylie whispered, daring him to object. “Even you.” She was not clueless. She knew that he chose her as his bride for the same reason any man would. For along with her beauty, lied power.

“You will die. If you stay with him , you will die, ” He snarled, his brown eyes flashing electric blue.

The two stood in silence. Kahreen barely restraining his power, and Kylie barely containing her own. And then, quiet suddenly, Kahreen’s face drained of all emotion.

“We wage war on the Phyre tribe at first rise.” He whispered, watching her reaction like a lion stalks his prey. “You might want to say goodbye.”

And having done what he wanted, destroying her freedom and incinerating her hope, telling her he would be the one to kill Kehi all the while knowing that the knowledge of his death would not make the pain that consumed her hurt any less, he left.

Leaving Kylie to watch the slow rise of the moon and the awakening of the stars, praying that she could get to Kehi before he did.

– Short Story written by Jae Lei Nyght

©2012JaeLeiNyght