Chapter 25

Kresta's heart raced as she stared up at the pyre. Only, she wasn't afraid as she looked up at the wall of flames. She just felt tired as the heat crushed the breath from her lungs. She was practically rendered blind and deaf by the inferno but she could still see well enough to see him. As always he was waiting for her and as always he offered her his hand.

There were still murmurs in her gut to be wary but she ignored them. After trying and failing twice to tell somebody she'd already resigned herself to what was coming that night. She'd come so close, too, only to falter right at the end. But who could blame her after what happened last time? Either way she still had to tell someone. She had to, if she ever wanted to escape from this recurring nightmare that harrowed her every night.

In the meantime she just wanted to get this over with. To take his hand and wake up in her bed practically screaming just as the flames were about to consume her before repeating the arduous task of calming back down again. There was nothing she could do about it now, so why bother resisting as she reached out.

And then the lightning fell.

A single bolt ripped down from the blackened sky and in an instant he vanished into a blooming river of light. At first all she could do was stare in awe, sealed in that one moment as she marveled at the pure beam anchored before her. Stark white at its core, every color was woven into its edges to form a rippling tapestry of wonder and destruction.

That is, until the thunder struck her. The boom blasted into her ears, rattling her teeth and stunting her pulse as it drove her to her knees. All at once the light was too much as she was reduced to a stunned pile, the power of the strike washing past her.

Kresta lay there for a while, curled inward as her mind feebly tried to push past the overload. She couldn't feel anything, much less hear as her senses began to crawl back to her ever so slowly. It was only after she gasped for a little while longer when she noticed something. She was cold.

The roar of the flames was gone too. In their place there was nothing, and when she peeked open an eye she saw nothing but shadows. The colossal wall of fire that stretched from horizon to horizon had vanished, leaving nothing but silent darkness. He was gone as well. Looking around as she climbed back to her feet, Kresta couldn't see any sign of him. She was alone.

But the stillness wasn't meant to last.

A new sound quickly rose out of the darkness, the whistling of an approaching wind. It echoed from all around her, getting closer with every passing moment until it was upon her. Except that wind didn't come alone, bringing with it a torrential downpour of rain.

In an instant she was soaked by the deluge, the wind ripping at her clothes and threatening to toss her from her feet. Holding a hand before her face, it was all she could do just to see as searched desperately for anything, but there was nothing. No help, no hope. Just her and the storm. Then the very ground beneath her feet gave a mighty heave, shaking from some unseen force. It buckled so hard she nearly fell, scrambling desperately through the shrieking squall.

The only warning she got next was a loud crack before the earth split into an endless chasm and she fell screaming into the dark only to lurch upright in bed.

A thin stream of moonlight was streaming through the windows as the world slumbered beyond. Shadows crowded into the corners of the room and a strong breeze could be heard tapping at the window but otherwise the night was calm.

Even so, Kresta had to clamp a hand over her mouth to avoid retching. Her heart was thundering in her chest, her palms sweaty as she swung her legs out of bed and tried to bring her breathing under control. Each breath came in sharp shallow gasps until she was lightheaded but eventually she began to get a grip. She was safe, after all. Just sitting in her bed, not lost in the depths of some ravine. She hadn't died. And just when she'd finally gotten used to burning, it had to give her something new.

… no. Not just new… different.

For months she'd suffered through the exact same dream over and over, with each rendition such a perfect replica of the ones before that she knew it by heart. So then why was it different? Kresta had failed, after all. She'd lost her nerve at the last moment. But if that wasn't the cause, then what? What changed?

There was more, though. Something else in the dream, she was sure of it. Already the details were starting to slip away as she clutched onto them, doing her best to remember. First was the fire, then the lightning followed by the storm. Only, she could have sworn she caught a glimpse of… something. Something following in the wake of the storm before the earth had swallowed her. Something white…

Kresta sat alone in the dark for a while, struggling to recall as the details faded away. Well, most of the details, other than the last one that she wanted to forget the most. Of course, there was a way for her to remember. All she had to do was go back to sleep and, if it was anything like the others, it would happen all over again. That was the last thing she needed, though, as she stood to put on a robe. Perhaps a short walk would help to steady her nerves before subjecting herself to it all once more.

Fortunately the halls were empty when she stepped out of her room, letting out a wavering sigh as she closed the door behind her. She wasn't even sure if she could hold up a conversation right now, considering what she really needed was to be alone. Which only annoyed her when, after wandering unsteadily down the corridor towards nowhere in particular, she discovered she wasn't the only one up.

"Couldn't sleep, your highness?"

Were Kresta more cognizant the sudden question might have startled her but instead all it did was aggravate her when her gaze slid over to see who it was. Whereas everyone else was surely asleep, none other than Helena sat on the floor off to one side with her knees drawn to her chest. A vaulted window loomed beside her, allowing for an excellent view of the fjord beyond, as well as the waxing moon gleaming high overhead. Its silvery light illuminated her amongst the shadows but she wasn't looking at it, instead watching Kresta out of the corner of her eye.

As frazzled as she was feeling, though, the moment she laid eyes on the other woman she felt her hackles raise instinctively as all worries about dreams were replaced by suspicion. From the moment she learned Helena worked for Cyrus she had a bad feeling about her, but it was more than just past trauma. The way she'd smiled at Kresta, like she knew something no one else did… it left a bad taste in Kresta's mouth as she cooly replied, "Oh. It's you. What are you doing up at this hour?"

Shrugging, Helena retorted with a tired smirk, "I could ask you the same."

"You could, only you're not royalty."

The sharp check did nothing to dampen her apparent amusement but it did cause her eyes to drift back to the moon. "Apologies, your highness. Meaning no offense."

Under normal circumstances Kresta might have pushed the issue and listened to her doubts. But not tonight. After all that she was just too anxious as she blew out a tight sigh. "No, it's fine," she grumbled. "Just… didn't sleep well."

Helena's chuckle in response didn't help matters as she turned to grin at Kresta. As she did so the moonlight spilled over her face and the only thing that saved her from a harsh rebuke was that her expression looked exactly how Kresta felt. Strained. Sleepy even as she replied, "You too, your highness? Had a bad dream?"

"Something like that," Kresta said warily. Anyone tied up with Cyrus was deserving of scrutiny but, even so, misery loves company as she shifted a step closer, tightening her robe as she went.

"They do seem to be going around."

That managed to pique the barest edge of Kresta's curiosity as she pried a little. "Can I ask what you dream about?"

By that point Helena's focus had returned skyward as she shrugged again. "Change, your highness. Change."

"What kind of change?"

…"The necessary kind." The statement hung between them for a moment before Helena suddenly stood up, spinning on her heel to face Kresta before she could give the comment any real thought. "What about you?"

Caught off guard by the sudden focus, Kresta gestured to herself. "Me?"

"Yes," Helena said with a small nod. "What do they show you in your dreams?"

While she may have been willing to share a little, though, Kresta was not about to open up to someone she found so unsettling. "Who's to say? Dreams are so hard to remember, after all." Then a brief thought occurred to her and she added, "They?"

Helena didn't bother answering, however, as she turned to meander down the hall. "Oh, I doubt that very much. The ones that keep you up at night are the ones that stick with you the most."

The statement was true enough and it also sounded like it contained a hint of self reflection but Kresta wasn't in the mood for games. Right then she didn't have the patience to sift through riddles for hidden meaning. Although… while they were alone this did present an opportunity to do a little digging. She was never the sort to just let someone she didn't trust wander about unchecked and while her suspicions may have been unfounded, there was only one way to find out.

Shoving the haunting image of the earth's jaws splitting to devour her aside, she hurried to match Helena's pace while idly inquiring, "So how are things going with your brother? If I may ask."

Helena barely reacted to the question, merely glancing over while they walked along. "Hasn't he been telling you, your highness? I thought you two were friends."

"Of course he has. I'm just curious to hear your take on it."

She hesitated a while before answering, picking her words precisely. "Let's just say that things are going better than I hoped."

"That's fantastic, but how so?"

Kresta's suspicions only simmered hotter as Helena paused again. Like she'd been referring to something else before she rerouted to, "Oh, we're just starting to connect like we used to. Once upon a time."

"It must be so strange to see him again after all those years."

"You could say that."

"In that case what a relief that things are, as you said, going better than you hoped." With that she started to push a little deeper. "Especially considering he's not the only one you're spending time with."

"No?" That was all the warning Helena needed to pick up on what she was doing as her poise began to stiffen.

Not that Kresta was going to let that stop her as she pressed on. "Unless of course I'm mistaken and I didn't see you alone with the queen earlier today."

"Ah." Now she looked evasive as she replied, "I was just… looking to assist her majesty with something."

As innocent as she sounded, Kresta wasn't buying it for a second. She'd spent too long sharpening her political savvy not to notice when one of Cyrus's minions was chumming up to another monarch, so to say that seeing the two of them together had set off alarms in her head was an understatement. "How kind of you. Although don't you think she'd look to her own people first before seeking help from someone else's lackeys?"

If the provocative jab insulted Helena she didn't show it as she answered cooly, "Undoubtedly. But her own people can't help her."

"And you can?"

"Obviously."

"But why? What do you care about helping a foreigner?" Helena couldn't deflect forever as Kresta steadily became more and more direct.

Although, her next response was unexpected as she said, "Because she needs it. Because that's all I ever want to do, your highness. To help people."

"Wow. I didn't realize you were such an altruist, Lady Helena."

She'd said it as passing sarcasm, just a remark before getting back to her questioning, yet she quickly realized that she was now walking alone before turning to find that Helena had stopped. They were beside another window, allowing the moon to illuminate their faces once more so that Kresta could see the irritation on her face. While her intended prod had bounced off harmlessly, now she actually looked mildly offended.

Her voice was almost disappointed as she rebutted, "Princess Kresta, that's all I am. Everything I do is for others."

Ordinarily Kresta would never have bought that statement from someone like Helena as she regarded her, only that was when her mask had been on. For now it was gone as she stared Kresta down, silently daring to question her intentions, to the point that she clearly believed in her own convictions.

As devoted as she was to empathy, however, that didn't mean Kresta had to trust her intentions as she said, "Including a queen, it would seem."

Helena's expression remained honest as she frowned. "Even the mightiest among us need a little help now and then."

"True enough. Although I still don't see what you can do for someone like her."

Helena's mouth opened to retort, only she didn't as her gaze fell away. She only responded after taking a long look outside at the endless ocean resting beyond the fjord. "Not much, admittedly. I'm just here to give her a little… perspective."

Cocking an eyebrow, Kresta echoed, "Perspective?"

"To show her a different view on things. To open her mind to broader possibilities."

"Uh huh." In spite of Helena's best efforts, nothing she was saying was appeasing Kresta's doubts. Perhaps some specifics would help. "And what, if I may, are those possibilities?"

She'd asked it in an effort to learn more but instantly felt regret when it instead brought out that same disquieting smile Helena had shown her previously. That knowing look that clenched her stomach as she softly said, "I'm sure you'll find out for yourself, your highness. One day."

Trying not to give in to her fluster, Kresta quickly asked, "Why not today?"

"Because you're not ready. But you will be."

When did this become about me? "I guess I'm just not as remarkable as Elsa."

Fortunately Helena took the bait as she looked elsewhere. "No, but take heart knowing that nobody is." However, she then continued to talk about Elsa in a way that Kresta did not expect, with reverence and fascination. "She's not just remarkable, she's incredible. In all my travels I've never seen someone so amazing. To have all of that wrapped up in a single person yet to still carry herself with dignity and grace… it's like the rest of us were cobbled together with nothing but scraps from a whole, except for her." Her voice had become so faint that Kresta could hardly hear her as she mumbled, "She alone is perfect."

With that she fell silent again, her eyes lost on some distant thought. As alien as Helena's behavior could be, though, there was something familiar about that look and how she spoke. Like how Kresta herself had acted when she was younger. Like she was becoming fixated…

"It sounds like you're quite captivated by her."

Rousing from her pondering, Helena blinked at the notion. "I just think she's someone to be admired." She rushed out the explanation, but for the first time since Kresta had known her, she didn't look confident, like she alone had all the answers. Instead for a brief moment she just exhibited what looked like a shy confusion. As though the comment hadn't occurred to her. "For how remarkable she is."

Now that was a look Kresta knew all too well as she felt her lips spreading in a disbelieving grin. No. It can't be. It was too simple to be true, although a small poke would tell. "I suppose I can agree with that. It also doesn't hurt that she's so easy on the eyes."

Once again Helena quickly deflected, although she was looking more and more uncomfortable. "Can't say that I've noticed." With that she quickly brushed her hair back while clearing her throat. Just like that her mask finally slid back into place as she turned to give Kresta a hasty bow, although her eyes remained lowered. "In any event, your highness, we should both be getting back to bed. Shouldn't stay up all night."

Resisting the urge to cackle, all Kresta could do was nod in return. For once she had the upper hand but it was just too good to take advantage of. "Agreed. Good luck with your dreams, Lady Helena."

"And you yours, Princess Kresta."

With that she was gone, retreating back down the corridor. As Helena was turning, however, her mask slipped just enough to reveal more of that nervous uncertainty as she wandered away quietly. If anything Kresta found it not only amusing but even kind of refreshing to see it. Perhaps, just perhaps, under all that smugness and self-assurance there was still a hint of naivete lurking somewhere within the young woman.

As comforting as that notion was, though, it did nothing to quell the warning still thrumming in Kresta's heart as her smile faded. While it was nice to know that Helena might still be another girl like her, there was still something unsettling about her. An elusive piece that Kresta just couldn't fit into the rest of the puzzle. Like she was still missing something.

In any event, she wasn't going to figure it out tonight as her focus floated back out the window towards the distant moon. As disquieting as the other woman could be, she'd still served as a temporary distraction from Kresta's real concerns. Only now there was nothing keeping her from going back to bed. Back to the fire and the lightning.