Page 147 of Commanding Flame and Shield
“Or what?” He flashed a cocky grin. “You’ll turn me to ash, like you did those demons?”
“Don’t tempt me with a good time, Adrastos.” Perhaps it would be better—easier—if we did this one on one. Handled this rivalry here and now.
“Spicy little thing.”
“Sick coward.”
The humor left his face, and for the first time I saw the Commander of The Renown, standing before me. His voice turned icy.
“I am many things, Alvara of Grayshell. But you will find, a coward, I am not.”
“Prove it. You know—somewhere in you—you know this isn’t right. You could save them. We could save them together—all the power players in one place. Set aside your ego and stand for what’sright.”
“Set aside yours and see what’s inevitable.” I scoffed, but he continued, “They will bow to us, or they will bow to another ruler. At least we will be benevolent. Let me show you—”
Before Adrastos’ outstretched hand could land on my own, I spun away, and my arms lined in a subtle, flickering barrier of white-hot flames. I knew the power surged from me in waves by the look of longing on his face. Knew he could see it, buried in my eyes. Sense it.
“Careful Adrastos, it will be hard to rule as ash and cinder.”
“Do it, then. Cousin. You know you can. So, why not? Why bother speaking to me at all?”
I stared at him a long while, and then raised my hand between us. The flames grew to an inferno, and I flashed him a slow smile. “Because there’s humanity in you, Adrastos of the Renown. Not yet drowned out by the company you keep. And I believe any brother—even the most tarnished—can be redeemed. Until you prove you can’t be, I will not give up on you.”
He snorted, and made to reach for me, but the flames erupted into a wide barrier between us. A wall of it, raging and licking at the brick to either side.
“Amazing,” he murmured. I scowled at him. “What’s your mate say, about all of this?” A wicked grin. Rage boiled in my blood, pressing against the surface, yearning to reach him. “Congratulations, by the way,” he drawled, dripping in sarcasm.
“Touch him and find out how brightly yourlittlecousin can burn.”
“Even if he comes willingly?”
“He would never.”
“I don’t think you know him as well as you believe you do. I’ve seen him, luv. Seen him cross that battlefield to join me.”
“Always under duress, you piece of shit.”
“Such language.” He t’sked his tongue, and then gave me a nonchalant one shoulder shrug. “Perhaps I’ve yet to give the two of you the proper motivation. Perhaps, the love of your pets isn’t enough perspective for you.”
“I only came tonight to see if you could be reasoned with. Seems a pity to incinerate a gift like yours.” I shrugged. “Aren was right. He usually is. I’ll see you on the battlefield, Adrastos.” I reduced my flames to embers, and made to leave the alley, but Adrastos burst into flames of his own. Tall black flames, like shadow, but hot enough to singe my skin, should I move any closer. Fascination tugged at my mind. Shadow walkers were not all that uncommon—we even had a dozen or so within the hierarchy—the gift had been commonly bestowed within a far-off bloodline that had long-since fallen from grace, but shadowfire...
A wicked grin spread on his face, as if he could sense my confusion. A face that had been so handsome only moments before, twisted with cruelty. I studied the flames around him, the way they moved, so similarly to my own. The dark to my light.
“We are two sides to the same coin, Alvara of Grayshell.” Adrastos’ honeyed voice turned sharp as he growled through tight teeth, “Don’t think for a moment I haven’t considered what it would be like to burn you to dust.” He shrugged and his words slowed back to a drawl. “Not a very familial thing to do to a cousin though, is it?”
“And blackmailing them is?”
“Would you have considered? If I just called you up, and asked you to coffee?”
“Certainly would’ve been the morefamilialthing to do.”
“But would you have considered?”
“I’m not considering now. I’ve met your kind. Killed your kind.” My teeth ground together. “Painted the earth with evil just like you, and not for a moment have I regretted it. Don’t think,cousin, I won’t do the same to you.” He made to flare his flames, but I was faster. My shield burst into a great wall between us, fire erupting and licking the edges of it, the buildings beside us. Rivulets of water began running in from every edge of the alley, swelling up in swirls in the air, suspended like glittering glass beads, like a storm raging from the earth rather than the sky. I inclined my head, grinning. “If you want to play, we play one on one. Leave my family out of it. My friends out of it. And I won’t wipe your kind from the face of the planet in one burst. Guard your mind all you want; I can still see the longing in your eyes when you watch me. Can still see the fear there. Just like the others.” He whipped his shadow flame forward, but it sizzled against my shield. I gave him a look to suggest how pitiful an attempt it was. He sneered at me. I continued. “You know, should you challenge me directly, youwillfall. It’s why you proposed this flimsy alliance, why you’ve built that dark host. I know it. You know it. It’s why we’ve been playing vision tennis these last weeks. You don’t want to face me.”
“No. I don’t. It would be a shame to waste your talent, to send you back to recirculate, hopefully to a smarter host next time. Despite your arrogance, I like you, cousin—”
“Stop calling me that.” My voice stayed steady, bored, mimicking his cool drawl. “You are no family of mine.”
