Chapter 20
Miaka’s P.O.V
Black fire.
It looked like liquid, black waves and yet there was nothing liquid about it. The heat from the fire was enough to scald my skin even though the fire was nowhere near my body.
It was strange. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I control fire. I could produce fire out of thin air, change one element to another. That was why I had an immunity towards any kind of fire…that and because I was the daughter of the fire God. Then what was this black fire? Why was it scalding me? Why couldn’t I defend myself against it?
I didn’t know where I was, but all I knew was that I was surrounded by darkness. The black fire would’ve been impossible to predict if it weren’t for the heat…and the slight tint of white on the outer layer of the fire. Where was I? How did I get here? This place was very similar to the mental vaults I create, but this was very unfamiliar at the same time. Was I trapped inside my own mind?
Miaka…
I turned around, looking in all directions to find the source of the strange voice. But there was no one there. The only thing I could hear was the roar of the fire as it burned in a circle around me, trapping me in.
Miaka…
There it was. That voice again! Who was calling me?
I tried to summon my fire, to help get out of the circle of the black fire, but it didn’t work. I tried again.
A spark formed in the distance, outside the ring of black fire and I followed the light. It was faint at first, but then it kept growing bigger and bigger…brighter and brighter, until the light from the spark was overpowering enough to blind.
I covered my eyes to shield them from the light. But then I felt the heat start to disappear from around me.
When I finally opened my eyes again, I saw that the black fire had been put out. And there, right in front of me, where the spark of light had started…was now a giant phoenix. Its wings spread wide in preparation of flight and its form magnificent.
And right in the centre of its chest, was a blue sapphire.
I was too busy admiring the beauty of the beast to notice the tiny details that I had missed before and then it was too late.
The black fire spread out from the floor and engulfed the beast.
*
*
I woke up screaming in bed.
My back felt like it was on fire and the flames were burning me from the inside out.
“Miaka? Miaka, what’s wrong?”
I had almost forgotten that Kaleb was with me and that I was still in his house.
“My back hurts.” I managed to get out through gritted teeth, taking off the jacket I was wearing, before I started to take off my T-shirt.
“Hold on!” Kaleb sounded alarmed. “Let me get out of the way first.”
He went to get off the bed, but I stopped him. “I need you to see what’s wrong with my back.” I told him. “I’m wearing my damn underwear; stop acting like I’m trying to seduce you!”
“Umm…”
“Shut up.” I took off the T-shirt and turned my back to him, while holding the cloth to my chest. “Tell me what you see.”
I was still wearing a bra and if it wasn’t for the pain, I would be embarrassed too, but right now, my back was killing me and I wanted to know why.
“Oh…wow…” Kaleb whispered in awe. “It’s the-”
“Mark of the phoenix,” I brought my braid over my shoulder. “That’s not what you’re supposed to be looking at. Tell me what’s wrong. Is there a cut or a…bruise? Something that might be causing me pain? Damnit! It burns!”
“Wait…” Kaleb whispered and then I felt his hand on my back in a feather-light touch. “It’s the mark…it’s hot.”
“What? Kaleb, not the time to be-”
“Not flirting,” Kaleb cut me off immediately. “I meant literally. The mark is hot, like it was burning.”
He finally placed his hand palms down on the mark and the relief was almost instant. The burning subsided a few seconds later, making it appear like nothing ever happened.
“It’s not hot anymore.” Kaleb sounded surprised. “Should I get a damn cloth?”
“No…keep your hand right there.” I told him.
His hands were cool and it felt wonderful on my heated skin. He lifted his hand after a few seconds, making me miss his touch almost instantly…but then his fingers were on my skin, tracing the lines of the phoenix along my spine.
The mark was right at the centre of my back right in between my shoulder blades. It wasn’t a big mark, in total, it was about two inches in width, but my grapy always told me it was a very detailed mark, like the wings and even the tail of the bird was very defined and prominent, more like a tattoo than a birthmark.
“It really is beautiful.”
Kaleb’s voice was a whisper against my ears and in made a shudder of pleasure run down my spine. But my shudder seemed to have broken the spell as Kaleb quickly scrambled out of bed and stood on the opposite side, facing out the single window in the room, making sure his back was turned toward me.
“You should get dressed.” His voice was hoarse and it was a reassurance that me being the most powerful being in this dimension wasn’t a turn-off for him…yet.
I put my navy colored T-shirt back on, tucking a few strands of hair behinds my ear, that had escaped the braid. It had been so late last night that Kaleb had told me to stay over. I had been a bit hesitant at first, but I had obliged. I was supposed to sleep in his room, while he was to sleep in his sister’s room, but sometime during the night, while I had tried to settle in his room, we had both fallen asleep on his bed, both of us too tired from everything that had happened.
Now that I think about it…it had felt nice sleeping in his arms; to feel the warmth of his body against mine, even though both of us were fully clothed. And that was probably why I was now awkwardly looking in every direction but his, trying to find ways to make the situation less…cumbersome.
“Has this ever happened before?” He asked, breaking the ice. “The mark hurting?”
“No,” I shook my head, putting my feet on the floor and stretching. “It’s just a birthmark that all Demon King’s are supposed to have. It has never bothered me before, but…”
“But?”
I bit my lower lips, trying to comprehend if I could trust him with the dream. It was a rumour in the Kingdom that I was the child of Gods, but a rumour and a confirmation directly from me…that was something I would never be able to come back from.
“This morning…I had a dream. It was about a phoenix.” I told him. “But in my dream, I saw the phoenix get caught in black fire and that was when my mark started hurting.”
“Do you think it’s an indication that something might be wrong?” Kaleb now turned fully towards me so he could see me better. “Phoenix is a sign of rebirth and immortality, but they are also symbolic of peace and prosperity.”
“I know, I’m the daughter of Hades and Suzaku. I know what it all symbolizes.”
The words were out before I could stop myself…before I realized what a grave mistake I made.
“So you’re a hybrid.”
My heart almost stopped beating.
