The flames slowly grew, until they covered her whole body. It was terrifying to watch.

I could only look on as the fire leaped from her hands to the curtains. It spread rapidly, swallowing up whatever was in its path. Unfortunately, that seemed to include Serefina's father.

Serefina had a horrified expression on. She did not stop the flames, nor could she relinquish them. All anyone could do was stare. I myself could hardly bear to watch as the flames swiftly consumed her dad. The king fell.

"No!"

At last she had found her voice. Serefina tried to run toward her father, but I stopped her, ignoring the flames and wrapping my arms around her waist to prevent her from making things worse.

"Let me go, let me go! Father! Brooks let me go godsdammit ! I need to save him! I can save him! Let me go!" She struggled from my hold, beating my arms, my face, and my chest, but I refused to release her.

At this moment, it was all I could do to use my own Magick to protect myself from being burned. Though I tried to extend my range to her parents, it was useless. She was too powerful. The only thing I could do was to try to quench it from the source.

"Serefina, you can't! Listen to me! He's gone. You've got to let him go!" Now I was yelling in her ear, trying to bring her to her senses. But it was no use. She could not hear me.

Serefina's flames grew wilder in response to her emotions. The sheer intensity of the flames forced me to free her. As soon as I had, she ran to her parents' side.

The sight of her father's and mother's bodies lying dead on the ground seemed to sap her strength. Serefina's eyes widened in shock, and seizing this chance, I was at last able to use my Magick to reign in the inferno, the fire slowly receded back into her body.

She fell to her knees. "No...."

The word was so soft. As I rushed to her aide, she collapsed and fell into unconsciousness. When I reached her side, the flames had gone back inside her, sealed by my Magick.

It's strange. Anyone else would have died from releasing that much Magick. I guessed that served to show how much power and resiliency a royal can have.

Around Serefina's neck hung the Amulet. There was a hairline fracture running along one of its wings, and I knew that was what caused this accident.

I'd have to get it fixed soon. And without her knowing, too. Although, considering the circumstances, I would probably have to tell her anyway. Well, all things in due time.

Turning my head, I stared at what used to be her parents. King Aiden was dead. He didn't deserve to die, especially not like this. No one did.

As I continued to gaze at the corpses, the first time I met him ran through my head.