hands. They were bloody and hot. "Come with me, Elethor. Let's work out this mess."
He stared into her eyes, scrutinizing her, and she saw the same memories and pain pound through him. He still loved her, she knew then. That soothed her. This will make things easier. She did not want to hurt him. Finally he nodded and took a step forward.
At once, two more wereragons emerged from the tunnels, making to follow him. Both held drawn, bloodied swords. Solina recognized them. One was Lord Deramon, Captain of the Guard, a burly man with a red beard now grizzled. He is the man who caught me with Elethor, she remembered, a deep rage simmering inside her. The man who doomed me to exile. The second weredragon was his daughter, the Lady Lyana. The girl Solina knew had been overbearing, an imperious brat. Today Solina saw a woman with fear and grief in her eyes. We hurt her. Good.
Solina held up her hand. "No. You two stay here. Elethor and I speak alone. Just me and him."
They began to object.
"She'll kill you, Elethor," Deramon said, eyes dark.
"We go with you," said Lyana and bared her teeth at Solina.
Elethor's eyes never left Solina; they were narrowed, seeking answers, reliving old years. He hushed his companions with a raised hand.
"Just me and her," he repeated softly. "They won't touch me. Deramon. Lyana. Stay and tend to the wounded. I'll be back soon."
They walked through the streets, she and Elethor. Her men snaked around them, forming a hallway of steel. Phoenixes circled above, bodies lay scorched, trees burned, and columns lay smashed. The battle had surged; for now it simmered.
The smell of burnt flesh filled Solina's nostrils. She remembered that smell from seven years ago; she had smelled it on herself. She felt her line of fire tingle across her body. She clenched her teeth and smiled.
"Here," she said to Elethor, gesturing at a gazebo rising from a stone square. "We will talk here."
He stared at the gazebo, eyes dark. He knows why I chose this place. The gazebo rose upon a dais, fifty steps leading toward it. Its columns were white marble engraved with dragon reliefs. The roof was domed and set with frosted glass panes. Solina remembered sitting here with Elethor at night, watching the stars and moon glimmer through that glass, a shower of fireflies. It was the first place she had kissed him.
He nodded. "We will talk."
She left her men below in the square. They stood at attention upon the flagstones, fists against their breastplates. She climbed the stairs toward the gazebo, Elethor at her side. When they stepped inside, she could see firelight through the frosted glass roof—countless phoenixes diving through the night, casting orange dapples upon her and Elethor.
She turned toward him, placed her hands in his hair, and pressed her body against his. She kissed his lips, and for a moment, their heat mingled like in the old days.
"Elethor," she whispered, eyes stinging. "I missed you. I love you."
He turned his head away, breaking their kiss, and pushed her back. His bloodied hands stained her breastplate.
"Solina, did you bring me here for that? You killed my father. You killed my brother." His voice shook. "How dare you kiss me now?"
She glared at him, teeth bared. Her line of fire blazed. "Your father?" She snorted. "He banished me, El. You remember. He banished me because of our love, cast me out into the desert." She clenched her fists. "Your brother? Orin burned me. He blew his fire upon me and left me scarred, deformed." She ran her finger along her scar, from her forehead, across her face, and down her neck. "But I tamed fire, El. I told you I would." She clutched his arms. "They can no longer banish me, no longer burn me. I did this for you. So we can be together, with no fear, no pain. No more hiding." She tried to kiss him again. "I've returned to kill those who hurt us and to be with you again. I love you."
He stared at her, and something filled his eyes… something dark, shocked, frightened. He shook his head. "Solina… what have you done?" He clenched his fists and looked aside. "Stars, Solina, how could you do this?"
She snarled and slapped his face, hard, driving all her strength into the blow. "How dare you speak of your stars here? Your stars are worthless." She laughed bitterly. "Starlight never blessed us, Elethor. It never protected Requiem.