Touch of Flame

“I am sorry,” Russell’s voice was rusty and the words broke as he spoke.

His eyes were red, the same as his glistening skin. His lips had become blue and dry. Darcy touched his forehead. He was burning. She stood up, rushed to the door, and threw it open. Servants were already waiting outside.

“I need the physician,” she said.

Without a word, one of the male servants hurried away. Darcy returned to Russell who kept reaching out with his hand. She took his hand, crouching beside his bed. His hold was shaking as he drew his hand closer. “Yo-your… sis-sister…”

She listened with a frown. “Ravina?”

He nodded. “She… will… take care of…you. Find…” he grimaced in pain as he tried to get up while speaking.

Darcy pushed him down. “Don’t move. You need to rest.”

He fell back with a groan. “Corinnah…” he breathed. He seemed desperate to tell her something.

“You will be fine, and then we will talk,” she assured him.

He shook his head, coughing again. The physicians arrived before he could say another word. “He is burning,” she said.

As they came to surround the bed, Darcy wanted to step out of their way but Russell refused to let go of her hand. She remained where she was but his eyes closed and he seemed to lose consciousness.

“Dragon blood needs warmer body temperature,” the physician spoke who looked more like a melancholic scientist. “We will have to take him away.”

“Where?” She asked.

“We will see if we can stabilize his body temperature and we will provide him with fluids. He will need constant monitoring from here.”

He nodded toward a few men behind her and they came to carry Russell away.

“Please do everything you can and… let me know if he gets worse,” Darcy pleaded with the physician.

He nodded. He was about to walk away when he paused. “Perhaps we could use your blood.” He said.

Her blood?

“Come!” He told her.

Darcy followed him confused. “What will you do with my blood?”

“You have special blood,” he said.

Special blood? Was it the breeder thing?

“It is compatible with dragon blood. You could help him.”

She nodded. Anything at the moment she was willing to do.

The physician took her to a room and drew blood from her. He was very straight to the point and looked very serious but she was used to such people.

“Make sure to eat and drink.” He said. “I have taken a good amount.”

“I will.”

He motioned for her to leave.

Darcy rose from her seat and walked to the door. When she stepped outside, the servants were waiting for her again. “My Lady, breakfast.”

“Do you want to bathe first?” A female servant asked.

It felt like a waste of water. “No.”

“Alright. We will provide you with new clothes then.”

The female servants took her away, helped her freshen up, and provided her with new clothes. “Did the … I mean the Lord of the house, did he order you to do this?” She asked.

She wondered how the servants referred to him. “Lord Dragenski has ordered us to take well care of you and attend to your every need.”

Lord Dragenski?

“Have you met him?”

“Yes.”

So at least his servants knew what he looked like.

“Have you worked here for a long time?” Darcy asked.

“Well, I came here as a girl with my mother who is the head maid now.”

Darcy nodded.

“I came here seven years ago,” the other maid said.

“I don’t know your names.”

“I am Ida.”

“And I am Janet.” They introduced themselves.

Darcy nodded. “It is nice to meet you both and thank you for taking care of me.”

“Oh, it is our pleasure. In all those years we have been waiting for the lady of this house.”

“Lady of the house?!” Darcy’s eyes widened.

The made forced a smile. “My apologies. Perhaps I am making assumptions and getting excited. We have just been waiting for our lord to find a companion but he never brought a female here even once.”

Darcy didn’t know why the knowledge made her happy and feel special.

“Uh… I am…” she didn’t know what to say. “Lord Dragenski is most generous.”

“He is,” she smiled combing her hair.

Did they know he was half-dragon? If they saw him, they would surely know, right?

“You are very brave, going out and fighting dragons,” Ida said.

“It is not bravery. Just necessary for someone to do,” Darcy replied.

“It is still brave,” Ida insisted. She placed a pin in her hair.

Darcy stared at the thing that made her look more feminine. Not that there was any part of her that looked masculine. Even with her short hair and male clothes, people always recognized her as a woman. She never thought of it as a good thing but now she was questioning herself. She felt odd, a bit misplaced. She didn’t know who she was anymore. Corinna or Darcy? A princess or a dragon slayer?

And now she was here, overcome by new exciting emotions but also extreme dread at the same time. She was overwhelmed.

At the breakfast table, she ate half her breakfast without noticing. She was lost in thought. Ravina? She had a twin sister? Her heart ached as it had never before. Her sister must have been looking for her for so long.

Losing her appetite, she put away her cutlery and left the table. She just walked around the mansion until she arrived outdoors. She walked into the garden, not even appreciating its beauty. There was a large fountain and she had never seen one, yet she walked past it without giving it much attention.

Russell. Richard. Ravina. Corinna. Then what was her mother’s name? She wanted her memories back. As she wandered, trying to remember anything, she somehow returned to the founding. She sat on the edge, her face wrinkling now from all the frowning.

As she looked down, a pair of black boots suddenly came into sight. Corinna looked up, her eyes falling on the person she expected the least. The corners of his mouth lifted while her mouth almost fell open.

Ephraim. He was here in bright daylight?!

“You seem distraught,” he spoke.

Oh, Lord. His voice. It had been the only thing she had been holding onto from him yet now as she saw him it didn’t lose its allure. It was indeed mysterious, just like the rest of him.

He carried the darkness even in the light. He was like smoke, she could see him, feel him yet she couldn’t possess him. He was a phantom and she was afraid to wake up from this illusion. She wanted to indulge in it. Never wake up from this dream.

“There is a lot to think about,” she admitted.

She looked at the length of him where he stood, recalling what his hug felt like. The comfort she found in the arms of the man she barely knew should alarm her. Yet she was longing for it at the moment. She looked away from him, disturbed by her own thoughts.

Ephraim came to sit beside her. “I am looking into king Russell and your sister. We will have more information soon.”

Darcy turned to him, looking into his fascinating eyes. He gazed at her softly. If only they had come to Balkae earlier, she might have found Russell before he became like this. The Phantom often stayed in other kingdoms since Balkae had been able to take care of itself.

“Thank you,” she nodded.

She wanted to find out more but she also was also fearful. What would she do with the information she found? If she found her sister and met her, how would she feel when she had no memories of her? It just all felt so strange. Dread filled her and she looked at Ephraim again for distraction.

Ephraim reached for her and cupped her cheek gently. He was warm, the brush of his thumb making her want to lean in and rest on his broad shoulders and seek comfort in his arms.

No! She pulled herself out of this magnetic pull.

“How did you acquire so much wealth?” She asked, wanting to know more about him.

He dropped his hand with a gentle smile. “It was a long road. Do you want to see?”

“Yes.”

He held out his hand and she took it. She was so focused on the hold instead of where they were walking. He took her back to the mansion and then downstairs to the basement.

It was pitch black but suddenly fire burned on torches attached to the wall. Darcy jolted surprised.

“How did that happen?” She asked.

“I told you, my mother was a magician.”

“You can do magic?”

“Yes. A little.”

______

How to pronounce Ephraim:

English; Eff-rum

Hebrew; EE- fra-yim

I based it on Hebrew. There are many different ways to say it so you will find a variation if you search.