Touch of Flame

Saul pretended as if that slipped through his mouth and he didn’t mean to cause a misunderstanding.

“Nevermind what I said.” He said and walked backward slowly before turning around and rushing out.

Ares had already put the pieces together and Nazneen turned to him with a wary look. He lost his appetite and stood up.

“Ares.”

“I will go rest.” He said.

“I can explain.” She tried to push her chair away from the table but he didn’t wait for her. She was quick to come after him as he climbed the stairs to the bedroom.

“It is not what you think.” She told him.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does.” They now arrived at the room and she grasped his arm to make him look at her.

He really didn’t want to talk right now because he was so close to losing it and he didn’t want to be that person. He didn’t want to be affected by all of this.

“If it does, how come I don’t know about it?” He asked.

“Because it is meaningless. I never liked him. I detest that man.”

“I wondered why you hated him so much…”

She shook her head. “That is not it. I never thought of that. That was hundred years ago. I don’t even remember clearly.”

Why was he making her explain?

His head throbbed, and he felt lightheaded again.

“You didn’t tell me. That is what matters, especially when you are angry at me for not telling you the same.”

She let go of his arm. “It is not the same. Mine was hundred years ago and you have feelings for her.”

“I did not sleep with her!” Saying it out loud infuriated him.

All this entanglement. That man was not only with the woman he liked but he had also been with the woman… the woman…

He shook his head. He must have lost his mind. This was nothing to be angry about. Nazneen’s past was none of his business and she could be with any man she liked, even now.

Where was this anger and annoyance coming from? It must be his hunger. Her heart throbbed in his ears, making sure he knew blood was nearby.

“I rather you had done that than keep her in your heart!” She yelled.

He looked at the fury in her eyes while he calmed down. “Me too.” He sighed.

She blinked, her anger fading.

“I need to go out for a while.” He said. “Don’t follow me!”

She wanted to protest but remained quiet.

Ares just needed to be away from her to clear his mind and stop having her beating heart in his head. Since it was early morning, not many people were outside but the few that were glanced at him as he walked by. He wasn’t sure where he was going but the morning breeze felt good against his now-burning skin.

Mission, he tried to remind himself. He was not here to get emotional. He was here for his mission.

Ares got away from the homes and headed upward the hill until he arrived at the cliff near the mountains. The sound of softly playing flute caught his attention and he gazed up at the small temple on the mountain.

A priest? Could Ravina have met a priest just like him?

Curious, he tried to go up when he saw the endless stairs. Taking a deep breath, he tried to go through with this heavy exercise despite his thirst. Maybe he would forget about it halfway through.

Once he arrived at the top, the cool wind welcomes him with a soft and cold caress. Inhaling it, he went ahead to look inside. Right across the entry was an exit on the other side and that was where the priest stood, playing his flute.

Ares entered the temple and slowly walked across the exit. On the other side was a view of endless mountains and a blue and orange morning sky. The priest sat on a rock with his legs folded and eyes closed as he played the flute.

Ares knew that the old man must have sensed his presence but he took his time to finish the peaceful melody before opening a pair of warm brown eyes. They had a kind smile in them as they met his.

“Good morning,” he smiled.

“Good morning.”

“What a start to my morning. It always pleases me when people take the stairs up.”

He seemed genuinely happy about it. “Let me bring you some water,” he stood up from his seat.

“There is no need. I am alright.”

The old man just nodded with a smile that turned his eyes into a straight line. Ares watched him leave and go into a room. Shortly after he came back with a cup of water.

“Here!” He said, handing him the cup.

“Thank you.” He gulped the water down and he wasn’t sure why but it tasted heavenly. He would have been suspicious, but his gut feeling was guiding him.

As he drank his water, the old man began to lay out two small mats on the floor. He motioned for him to sit on one of them and he sat across on the other.

Without speaking, he showed him how to sit with his legs folded and crossed and then rest his wrists on his knees.

He then took a deep breath and Ares felt as if he should do the same. He took a deep breath and then they exhaled together. After doing so a few times, his headache felt better, and he felt fully awake.

The priest then just sat with his eyes closed and Ares did the same. He could hear the chirping of birds, the wind and trees. Even from far away, he could hear the river, and then he could hear his own calm heartbeat.

Dug dug. Dug dug.

He got lost in it, swaying in the sounds and smells. It was heavenly.

When he opened his eyes, the priest was staring at him with a gentle smile.

“How did it feel?”

“Soothing,” Ares replied.

The priest nodded. “Life is stressful. It is important to take a moment and appreciate the beauty of life as well.”

Ares nodded in agreement. He felt like he had been more stressed lately and he wasn’t taking his time to truly do what he liked as well.

“Your heart is a little too slow. You need nourishment,” he pointed.

“I just recovered from injury.”

“Your leg was broken.”

He knew.

“You know me?”

“You are princess Nazneen’s breedmate.”

“Yes. Clearly, we are compatible.”

The old man chuckled. “You are compatible for breeding.”

“That makes more sense.”

He kept smiling. “Hopefully, you are compatible in other ways too. Many find their soulmates in their breedmates. The intensity that comes with the instinct is supposed to be soothed by the love that grows. Balance is the key.”

Love?

“You should bring her with you next time.”

“I will if you are willing to disrupt your peace.” Ares joked.

The old man seemed to understand him. “Dragons are hot-headed.” He said almost apologetically.

Ares just smiled. “I noticed. You must be another species.”

“Oh, I have had my share of trouble.” He told him with a smile as he seemed to recall some memories.

He then looked back at him, becoming serious. “You came here with Ankine.” He said.

“You know what I am?” He must have put pieces together if he was Ravina’s priest.

“I do. I am just surprised.”

“Because only one of us exists at a time.”

“Yes.”

“How did you reach the other tamer.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. It just happened.”

“And you speak the ancient language.”

He nodded.

The old man frowned deeply. “Because you can speak the language you have to be very careful here.”

“Is she doing well here?” Ares asked.

“She is alright. It is not a smooth process but she has come a long way in a short period. Hopefully soon, she will have enough people accepting her.”

Ares nodded.

“How did this become so secretive?”

“Many failures have made it so. Now for tamers and those who know about them can’t tell anyone else. It just goes around in circles between them. That doesn’t mean that a dragon can’t see you as a threat because of what you are even if they don’t completely know what it is.”

Of course.

“But it is better than to know that there are tamers. It doesn’t sound good.” He added.

“Does she speak the ancient language?”

“Not that I know.”

“Have you made her study it?”

“You studied it?” He seemed surprised.

Ares nodded.

“I might have to speak to Ankine. From what I know, if you can speak the language, it comes naturally. You don’t have to study it.”

“Well, things are different now. There are two tamers.”