Author's Note: This chapter is short because it's packed with drama and had a good spot for a cliff hanger.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion.
Clarion felt her heart drop and the blood in her face drain. She tried to get to him fast, but her feet felt clumsy and her sprints seemed to get her nowhere fast. It felt like a nightmare she once had where no matter how fast she ran, it was no quicker than a slow walk.
Sled popped out of the water near Milori and jumped down into the ditch.
Clarion slammed to her knees beside him seconds later, sliding through the mud. Other fairies close on her heels.
"He's alive," Sled said and looked at her with scared eyes. "Freeze him."
"What? I can't-"
"You can. Take his hand to channel his talents into you. You'll be able to freeze all of him but his hand. It will stop the damage until we can get him to our healers. Only a queen can do it-we cannot create an instant freeze like he can nor can we channel."
"Are you sure?" she asked with tears in her eyes as she took Milori's warm hand.
"Yes," Gliss said as she hit her knees beside them.
Clarion gripped his hand and felt an icy coldness shoot through her. Sled grabbed her other hand and waved it over Milori, creating a layer of ice around his body.
"Go!" Sled ordered.
Five winter fairies lifted him and took off into the North Woods, ripping his hand out of hers. She slid in the mud, trying to get up to follow.
A winter fairy laid her hand on Clarion's shoulder. "They're taking him to the deepest parts of winter. No warm fairy can survive there. Not even a queen," she said sadly.
Clarion looked at her with a tear running down her cheek. "Bring me updates. Hourly and any changes in between. Go."
"Yes, my queen."
The fairy took off after them.
She stayed at the fire site, helping to clean up the mess and figure out what happened as much as to stay near the border to wait for word of Milori. The report continued to be that the healers were working on him.
The damage was contained in winter to a tree and the border, which the winter fairies were able to repair well enough. Thankfully, the winter fairies who had collapsed healed when they were dipped into icy water. Damage in the autumn, however, was much worse.
Seven trees, numerous berry bushes and lots of animals were lost. Luckily, there were not homes in the two-acre area. The water fairies were exhausted and sent home to rest. The animal fairies were in charge of the animal bodies; the healers to help the warm fairies who had collapsed; the gardens fairies to regrow the brush; and the tinkers to figure out how to clear out all of the burned foliage.
"Queen Clarion!" one of the tinker fairies called from the other side of the acre. "Queen Clarion!"
It was a frantic call, and Clarion ran over to Bernard, who grabbed her and flew. They landed and she jumped down to hurry over.
There under a large log lay two young fairies who no longer glowed.
"Healers!" Clarion called at the top of her lungs and knelt to touch the wings in hope of feeling vibrations of life. They were silent. "Bernard, keep everyone away," she said quietly.
One of the healers arrived and touched the wings too. Then he looked at Clarion and shook his head sadly.
"How?" she asked solemnly.
He swept his hand over the bodies, conjuring out the pixie dust that was left inside them and pointed to a black spot in the dust that floated above the bodies. "Inhalation. The dust is dead where the lungs are."
Milori's words rang in her head, This is not a normal fire.
She stood, her eyes hard and body vibrating with anger. Someone had started a fire and had taken lives of her fairies, her animals and, possibly, her love. Her wings unfolded wide, her body glowing a soft red. Someone would pay. Someone would pay dearly.