Hello, readers of Into the Fire! This is the last chapter. I hope you've been enjoying my AU so far, and don't worry, you haven't seen the last of me… (more info in the A/N at the end)

Chapter 25 - Fiyr

When I wake up, I'm being shaken by Graie.

"Fiyr! Fiyr! Oh, thank the Starlaxi!" he gasps, his breath shallow and quick. "I thought you were dead! We saw you explode, and then you fell, and they—you—I thought you were dead!"

"I exploded?" I croak. Feels like there's a blazing horseshoe wrapped around my head. The world sparks. "What?"

"We chased them out. They're gone." Graie helps me up, though I'm not sure I'm going to be able to stand without his help for a little while. There's a strange buzz in my blood. Something happened… and I can't remember what. But it's all starting to come back when I see Samn's slumped body.

"Samn!"

Out of pure instinct, I bound toward him, my energy restored, and grab the front of his shirt to try to pull him off the floor. He's flat on his back, but I have to assume he was thrown because why would he lie down with his arm twisted like that?! Why is his arm twisted like that?!

"Samn?"

A pulse—thank the fucking Starlaxi—stars above if he was dead, if he was dead—

"Fiyr! Take a deep breath!" Graie shouts at me.

I glance down and see that my hand has started to burn through the front of his tunic. Oh, shit. "S—sorry, sorry, I'm just a little—"

A steadying hand lands on my shoulder. "He'll be alright once we get him back to the castle," Sir Strommer murmurs. "How did this happen?"

"Let's get back to the castle," I whisper instead of replying. It was me—it was me—I almost killed him—oh dear blessed Starlaxi, what kind of monster—

"Fiyr!"

"Sorry!"

"Knights of Thundria," Sir Pault, one of the Shodawes elders—though he's not even that old... Why was he with the elders? I'll ask Yllowei—calls out to us. "Your land will be safe from Shodawa. We will not continue down this path; Braukkin has been driven out and we will find a new king. In the meantime, we must humbly thank you for your kindness."

"A year's truce," Sir Strommer replies, standing and shaking his hand. "We will not strike while you rebuild. Our fight is with Ki—er, Braukkin. I wish you luck with your kingdom."

I ignore them as they exchange perfunctory words and turn back to Samn's body. He's alive, but I… I could have killed him. I almost did. I lost control and almost killed him?! The memory of Clehw Fiace turning into a hulking beast and slashing his claw through Samn's stomach… and then everything went red and I remember an explosion. It was me, then? I exploded?

Yllowei Fennen crouches beside me. "Hm."

"There's no one to heal him," I realize out loud. "Because Spottalia is dead and you're going to go back to Shodawa…"

"Am I..." she mutters dryly. "You've decided that, have you?"

"Aren't you?" I twist to stare at her. "Can you help him while we're here, at least?"

Yllowei purses her lips and frowns at me. "Why do squires try to decide things for other people and then complain about knights doing the same to them?"

"I don't understand."

"I'm coming back to Thundria and serving as court healer," she explains, grunting as she shifts into a more comfortable sitting position. "I won't leave you like newborns in the cold; you'll need someone to fix your wretched kingdom."

"Our wretched kingdom?" I echo, outraged.

"Is that Old Thundrian for 'Thank you Yllowei Fennen, most kind saviour of our undeserving and low souls'?" she asks cuttingly.

I sigh. Why did Spottalia have to die? At least Clehw Fiace almost certainly died in the explosion. She can rest in the Starlaxi easy now. He's gone.

"I found the kids!" It's Sir Wynnd.

I realize with an embarrassed flush that I had almost forgotten about the real reason we'd come to the Shodawes castle in the first place. Although… why didn't any kingdom get a battle patrol together to try to drive out Braukkiniaum in the first place? I don't think any of ours even died… Injuries. Some bad injuries. But no deaths. Maybe the fight isn't as difficult as the choice to fight.

"They're all fine! Er, I think Cindra has a scratch." Rynnin again, hurrying down the stairs with a toddler cradled in each arm and two kids trailing behind him, surveying the castle with wide eyes. "Let's get them back to Thundria. Hey, Sir Pault, do you have any spare horses?"

"Let me take a look at the scratch," Yllowei rumbles, hobbling toward the little girl, who recoils with a horrified look on her face. "I'm not going to eat you, child, you Thundrians are probably all tough and scrawny. Here. I brought bandages."

The girl, Cindra, scowls impressively as Yllowei tends to the gash on the side of her face.

I'm preoccupied with hovering over Samn's body like an owl, staring at him uselessly while blood trickles out of his mouth slowly. It isn't until later when Sir Strommer pulls me away and tells me to go fetch Dune and Blitz that I feel the tears on my cheeks. I could have killed him so damn easily.

But I leave his side and walk through the darkening forest with a heavy heart.

When I get back to the ridge where we left Blitz and Dune, I can't help waiting there for a moment, staring at the castle, framed by the setting sun. It's over. As I take their reins and head back toward the castle, I have to wonder why I'm suddenly so preoccupied with Samn. I would have been just as upset if Graie was seriously hurt. Besides, I didn't almost kill Graie. Samn has been a complete dick, but he wants what's best for the court and I respect that, at least. Even if he seems to think that means trying to drive me away because I was raised as a servant to the gods and thinking up elaborate conspiracy theories about Tigre Cawle wanting to destroy the court or something.

Then again… I swallow hard. It's starting to become uncomfortably possible. After all, like Ravne said, what reason does he have to lie? If he was telling the truth and Tigre Cawle actually did want to kill him… then… all his anxiety would make sense. Sir Cawle's insinuations about it not being a good idea to trust Ravne would make sense…

I hurry back into the castle. "I have the horses!"

"Then let's ride back to Thundria." Sir Strommer waves over everyone from Thundria.

"Hang on, brilliant sir," Yllowei interjects dryly. "You intend to transport the children how exactly?"

Sir Strommer pauses and acknowledges that it might not be possible to ride a horse while holding a toddler. Reluctantly, he sighs and turns back to Sir Pault. "Would you happen to have a wagon of any sort that we might borrow?"

Nait's mouth quirks in a half-grin. "Yes, we get deliveries straight from some of our towns. We needn't send out patrols every couple days like some… Ah, I suppose I should hold off on snide remarks until we don't live in a shit hole that a tyrant used to own."

Sir Strommer laughs and runs a hand through his white hair. "Perhaps."

As Sir Pault and Sir Strommer head off to find this wagon, I can't help hurrying back over to Samn's body. Graie is kneeling beside him as well.

"He's not going to be in any condition to ride any time soon," Graie says. "Um… but I'm sure he'll heal just fine."

I clutch my hand, squeezing my eyes shut. "How… how did it happen…? Sir Fiace attacked him and then I just…"

"You reacted," Graie says, surprisingly soothingly and lays a hand on my shoulder. "Don't take blame for something you didn't decide to do."

There must have been a way I could've stopped it. I could've saved him… somehow. Surely. I can't believe that it was unavoidable. I can't. Because that means I might do it again and there's nothing I can do. There is a way to control it. There has to be.

I already knew there was something wrong with my life-force; I didn't demonstrate, the gods supposedly clipped my spirit to stop my life-force from manifesting but it did anyway, and now I exploded? What is wrong with me?

What I do know is that if I had killed Samn… things would never be the same.

Death has a funny way of making you realize when you need someone and I can't help counting myself lucky that it didn't come to that. As long as he's going to be okay.

"Sounds like they've got the wagon," Graie comments, breaking me out of my thoughts. "You grab his shoulders, I'll take his legs."

"That's a terrible idea, do you want to rip him apart?" I snort, trying to avoid trembling like a leaf in the wind. I'm fine, look how fine I am! Absolutely fine!

"Well, what do you suggest?" Graie retorts, his hands going to his hips defensively. "Carrying him over your shoulder?"

I roll my eyes and kneel by Samn, hooking one arm under his knees and the other under his back and curling to hold his arm. "Like this."

My demonstration is somewhat undercut by the fact that in spite of my recent growth spurt, Samn and I are still around the same size and I don't know if I can pick him up. I make a valiant effort all the same.

I can get to my feet, but I'm already sagging with the burden of his weight.

"Alright, wise guy," Graie concedes, observing me cripple with amusement. "You bring him to the doors and I'll take him across the pavilion."

I wheeze something that sounds enough like agreement for Graie to walk over to the doors and turn back to me with a smirk.

Staggering, one foot at a time, I make my way toward him, trying to gasp for air without sounding like a dying fish. At least my grip isn't slipping on his unconscious body. I would've assumed he'd be really unwieldy to carry, but he's curled up a bit and fits on my chest. If I didn't have to walk, it would be comfortable. To have Samn curled up in my arms? What am I talking about? No. I want to put him down. I transfer him to Graie.

As we walk, me with ease, Graie with melodramatic wheezing, I try not to flush. Okay, look, I argue with myself, just 'cause I don't want the guy dead doesn't mean I suddenly want to Unite with him or something. Besides, us as a couple? We'd probably blow up the world. Well, I'm doing a good job of that on my own, I guess… The reminder makes me wince.

And then there's the Tigre thing. We're really going to need to have a talk. Preferably when he's not in a cot in the healer's wing and once I've straightened out my… issues.

Glaring at him like it's his fault that my brain has decided that there's nothing more attractive than a guy who positively hates my guts and is prejudiced against me for something I can't control, I have to admit that he's good-looking. But that's irrelevant. Sir Strommer is good-looking. Goldanna Flourer is good-looking. Ravne was good-looking. Well, is. But the important thing is that I'm not such a love-sick kid that a pretty face has me throwing all logic out the window.

I sigh. And that logic being, I'm an ex-god-toy, I have respect for Sir Cawle, and I have so many freckles that I look like I have a rare and incurable disease. So there's no use dwelling on it if I'm just going to end up rejected. It'll save me a lot of embarrassment if I can just forget about it.

I push it all out of my mind as Graie carefully deposits him into the wagon next to Cindra and who I assume is her brother, a little boy with earnest brown eyes and fluffy golden brown hair. The wagon has wooden containers built into the sides of it that are good sizes for babies when they're filled with hay like they are now; Sir Strommer's handiwork, I assume.

We mount our horses and bid farewell to the knights of Shodawa. Despite my original bad impression of the kingdom, I have to admit that I'm hopeful for their future after Yllowei Fennen told me of their past.

They will return to their glory now that the king has been driven out, I think. They will. Recovery is possible. It has to be.

Yllowei mounts Dune behind Blitz and I and I turn to give her a grin. She returns it with a dry smile. Yeah. I think Thundria will be just fine.

…

"My children!" Frostialla Fuor shrieks, hurling herself to the entrance of the castle before the battle patrol can even get in. Cindra and her brother are crushed in a hug by their mother. "Cindra! Your face, what happened?! You two are so brave, so so brave, I'm so thankful…"

She continues to babble, not releasing the children from the hug, but I don't doubt that this is the most favourable outcome. I saw what Dawhnnea did when she found out about her sons.

"Sir Whit Strommer, are the other children alright?" Queen Bluelianna asks, coming to the doors of the castle as well and gently guiding Frostialla aside so that we can get in.

"They were unharmed, thanks to the bravery of the knights of the Thundrian and Shodawes courts," he informs her, pride clear in his voice.

"And Shodawes," she echoes. "My. You do have a story to tell. Well, the worst injured among you, go to the healer's wing at once. I'll hold a court meeting as soon as everyone's taken care of by… Oh yes. That's right, we don't…"

"I believe I may be able to help with that," Yllowei rasps.

The old woman hobbles the front of the rest of the patrol and the queen grins wryly, comprehension flashing in her blue eyes. "Ah. I believe you may indeed."

With that, Yllowei heads to the healer's wing, then pauses and turns. "You and you, bring the g—the boy that got injured. Samn."

She pointed at Sir Wynnd and Graie, so I fight the instinct to insert myself into their job and instead hurry across the throne room to seek out… Ravne's gone. Right. I catch myself, standing awkwardly, and then I feel a tug on my tunic.

"You blew up the bad guys," Cindra says thoughtfully, giving me a little pat on the hip like I'm a dog that successfully performed a trick. "That was good. Brakken was really scared but I wasn't. I'm not scared of anything!"

I fight a laugh and give her an equally awkward pat on the head. "I'm sure."

"You're really strong, right?" she demands. It's almost an accusation and this time I do laugh.

"Um, I guess…?" I suppose the explosion was an incredible display of life-force. But what's that worth when I injured foe and friend alike?

"Then I should be your squire!"

I squint at her. "Erm, I'm a squire."

She pffffts scornfully. "So what? You'll be a knight soon, right? I heard Mum say that Queen Bluelianna was going to make you and Graie knights if you could find that scary lady and bring her back. And you did. So she will. Mum says the queen never breaks a promise."

"She said that, eh?" I feel a little thrill of excitement run down my back. "Then we'll see, I guess. How old are you?"

"Eleven and three-quarters!" she declares proudly. "I'm a grandmother, compared to the little babies that Brindellia Faise has now!"

She says 'babies' so scornfully that I can't help but wonder if she knows that she was once also a baby. Well… she'll figure it out, I'm sure.

"Well, it'll be soon I guess," I say, running a hand through my hair. Training a squire? Already? I still feel like a kid… I mean, I still am a kid. But I'll be a knight soon, apparently.

Though nothing seems like it will be happening today. Whit Strommer and Queen Bluelianna disappeared into her private chambers so the former could relate the events of the battle to the latter and everyone else has dispersed to the healer's wing or their rooms. Graie and Sir Wynnd seem to have had no trouble transporting Samn's body to the healer's wing, so I bid farewell to Cindra and head to the squire's wing.

I'll visit him when he wakes up, I tell myself firmly. I should sleep. Regenerate life-force and heal and all that. My shoulder pulses, reminding me that I need to get it checked by Yllowei, but even if it was hanging on by a single vein, I'd still be going to bed. I'm exhausted.

I strip off my dirty, bloodied tunic and pray that I won't have laundry duty in the next couple days. Even my underclothes are streaked with grime and sweat, but I'm too tired to care.

…

When I wake up, the sun has set and the queen is calling a meeting.

Will my sleeping cycle ever go back to normal?

As I'm changing, I suddenly remember Cindra informing me that Frostialla overheard that the queen intended to make Graie and I knights for successfully bringing back Yllowei. I suppose I knew it was an eventuality, but still, it's taken me by surprise.

I'll have my knight name, my true-steel sword, my life-force ring… and if Cindra's wish is granted, a squire too, soon enough.

It's enough to make my head reel.

I quickly put on my uniform, brushing the nonexistent dust off the shoulders in the mirror proudly. A knight. Sir Fiyr.

I hurry into the throne room, meeting Graie on my way out of the wing. He's wearing an identical nervous grin and I know that he knows exactly what's going to happen tonight.

When I reach the room, the whole court assembled, my eyes unconsciously seek out a pair of olive ones in the crowd. A chair has been brought out for Samn; he's awake!

I try to walk over casually, fighting the urge to dash over to him and make sure he's actually awake and okay. Oh, whatever. So what if he wouldn't give me a second glance? I can still like him and be friendly.

"Sorry about almost blowing you up…" I tell him.

He looks much better than I feared he would. One arm's in a cast and there are some patches on his face that are bandaged, but overall, no serious injury.

"Happens to the best of us," he replies. Hang on, is he teasing me? What?

"Heh," I say intelligently. "Yeah…"

Smooth. So smooth.

Thankfully, I'm saved from making it worse when Queen Bluelianna raps her sceptre on the ground, calling our attention to where she stands on the dais. She wears a ceremonial dress today.

"Thanks to the bravery of the Thundrian knights and squires Sir Whit Strommer, Sir Darriek Styrp, Lady Willowamina Peilte, Lady Mauzian Fyrra, Sir Rynnin Wynnd, Samn, Fiyr, Graie, and Ravne, King Braukkiniaum Star has been driven out of the Shodawes castle," the queen announces proudly. Cheers erupt from the court.

"And yet, where is Ravne?" Tigre Cawle interjects, raising a bushy eyebrow. "Strange that he would disappear at the same time as the Shodawes king…"

"We split up to look for Yllowei and when we regrouped he was gone. We found his body too late to help him!" Samn yells from right beside me. "He died for his kingdom!"

I can't help a stab of discomfort. Sir Cawle jumped on the chance to cast suspicion on Ravne… but could he really…?

Sir Cawle's eyes flicker with surprise, but he quickly dips his head. "A tragedy."

"We will mourn him," Queen Bluelianna interrupts. Her reaction makes me think Samn already told her that story. "He will be remembered as a hero. Yllowei Fennen has been brought back to the kingdom and intends to serve as our healer now that Spottalia Lief has joined the Starlaxi."

"What?! But she conspired with the stoat summoner to kill Spottalia and steal the kits!" Liang shouted. "Spottalia Lief was poisoned! Who would have knowledge of the poisons other than an ex-court healer?"

The queen's expression flickers with anger, but she holds a gloved hand up for peace and Sir Teyl falls silent.

"Yllowei reportedly fought on the side of the Thundrian knights and was a great asset to the success," the queen explains firmly. "She conspired with no one."

Sir Cawle doesn't look happy. I shift uneasily and avoid Samn's pointed look.

"Is Braukkin dead?" Frostialla cuts in. "Are our children safe?"

"He is on the run," Sir Strommer reassures her. "We have promised Shodawa a year's truce to let them rebuild."

The queen gives him a nod. "Then we will keep watch for Braukkin. Thundria thanks Yllowei Fennen for serving as healer. There is one more ritual to perform."

Here it comes, I think nervously, suddenly feeling my palms get sweaty and wipe them on my pants. I'm going to be a knight…

"Sir Strommer, did Graie and Fiyr defend Thundria well in the battle against Braukkin's tyranny?" she asks.

The knight dips his head. "They did."

"Lady Fyrra, Sir Cawle, have Graie and Fiyr successfully completed all the training they will require as full knights of Thundria?" she continues and I watch, holding my breath, as her sceptre begins to glow softly.

"He has," Mauzian replies and Tigre nods silently.

"Then Graie, Fiyr, do you promise to live by the knight's code and protect and defend the great kingdom of Thundria, to defend and lay down your life for the court, until your final breath?" she asks us, beckoning us forward.

I make my way to the dais in front of her nervously and kneel in front of her, copying Graie.

"I do," I breathe and Graie repeats the same.

"Then I, Queen Bluelianna Star, ruler of the kingdom of Thundria, by the powers of the Starlaxi, give you your full knight names. Fiyr, for your strength and bravery, I name you for 'heart'. Graie, for your quick-thinking and sharpness, I name you for 'stripe'," she announces, unsheathing Winter's Wrath and laying it gently on each of our shoulders in turn. "Rise, Sir Fiyr Harte of Thundria. Rise, Sir Graie Sterrip of Thundria. Serve your kingdom with all your strength. Rise."

We stand and I can't help quivering a little as the queen slams her sceptre into the ground and white mist shoots from it.

I raise my hand, watching the mist wrap it, and then let it fall back to my side. Examining my finger, I find that my wooden band embedded with red seaglass has transformed into a steel band with a glittering ruby jewel inlaid in it.

I admire it in the torchlight.

I'm a knight… a real knight of Thundria. I never would've thought it was possible when I was a god-toy, just joining the kingdom as a child, terrified of these people in the woods and all their strange customs.

And now I would die to save those same people.

"Fiyr Harte! Graie Sterrip! Fiyr Harte! Graie Sterrip!" the court calls out, greeting us.

Fiyr Harte. Has a nice ring to it.

I turn to Graie, grinning. He cracks wide smile and hugs me tightly. "Congratulations, Sir Sterrip," I tell him teasingly.

"The same to you, Sir Harte," he replies pompously, laughing and clapping me on the back. "Now we're like, old and shit!"

I laugh. "Well… I guess?"

Suddenly everyone and their mother wants to shake our hand, so I squeeze through the crowd, accepting greetings and compliments with a smile and a blush, trying to get to Samn before I'm completely mobbed.

"You're a strong life-force user," Sir Wynnd tells me proudly. "Incredible work on the battlefield today."

"Thank you so much, sir," I reply quickly, edging past him.

I finally make it to his little chair and realize I don't even have anything to say. I fiddle with my hands, then turn quickly to Yllowei who stands beside him.

"Congratulations on your position," I exclaim—Too loud, you sound like an idiot—and flash her a cheesy thumbs-up.

She raises an eyebrow. "Indeed. Congratulations on your new… name."

"Well, it's more than that! Like, now the squires have to listen to me!" I joke, turning back to Samn. Segue of the century.

"Over my dead body," Samn says brightly. "Literally, if you don't get a hold of yourself."

I swallow hard. Thanks for the reminder. "Sorry again."

"I survived, didn't I?" he replies briskly.

Yllowei looks far too smug.

I narrowly avoid demanding to know what she's smirking about and instead look down at Samn. "Look… I know you kind of… um, hated me… but if you want to put it in the past, then I'm willing to move on to."

His eyebrows raise slightly, but he stretches his non-cast hand out. I shake it, praying to the Starlaxi that my hand isn't gross and sweaty.

"But first," he says sharply when he tugs his hand away from mine. "There's the little problem of…"

Sir Cawle looms over my shoulder and I spin, smiling weakly at him. I didn't do anything wrong! I tell myself. Stop feeling so guilty!

"Congratulations on your new rank," he rumbles, a glint in his eyes that makes me uncomfortable. "You hold new power in the court. I suggest you use it… wisely. After all, anyone could get the wrong… impression."

I can't be imagining that it sounds like a threat, right? I stare him down and he gives me a nod and a half-smile, then walks off. What in the Blacklands? What was he trying to say…?

"Still think I'm on about nothing?" Samn mutters.

I whip back, crossing my arms defensively. "I don't know! I'm trying to figure out what's going on!"

"I told you what's going on," he replies, but his eyes soften at least a tiny bit.

I purse my lips, frustrated. "Yeah, well, a lot of people are telling me what's going on, so if you don't mind, I'd like to try to piece things together myself."

Samn's eyes flicker with something indecipherable, but whatever it was, the queen interrupts.
"Sir Harte, you will stand vigil tonight. The sun has gone down and your silence must be held until it returns," the queen informs me.

"Yes, Your Majesty," I mumble, ducking my head.

"Sir Sterrip will guard the castle alongside you," she informs me and sends me over to him.

Glancing back at Samn, I see the frustration on his face.

"Er, Your Majesty, I—" I begin awkwardly, hoping that at least if she knows all the facts, she might be able to discern the truth.

"Whatever it was, it can wait until your vigil ends," she tells me, hushing me with a hand.

I trail off, sighing. "Yes, Your Majesty."

I stand shoulder to shoulder with Graie, but my eyes find Samn's again as Yllowei takes his chair and helps him back toward the healer's wing. It can wait a night, but how many nights until it's too dangerous to ignore?

Sir Cawle's betrayal has shaken me, undoubtedly, but glancing at Graie next to me and Samn as he hobbles back to the healer's den, I feel like I could take on the world. And if he is the one to challenge me, then so be it. I will do whatever it takes to save Thundria.

Thanks for reading chapter 25! Please follow and favourite this story and leave me a review with what you think!

Sea and Smoke, book two of The Prophecies Begins arc, will be starting next week! It will be alternating perspectives from Graie and Fiyr and will be 25 chapters long, plus the prologue. Get excited!

~Akila