Chapter 21: Fire and Ice - 1
The tavern was too quiet, its pulse stilled to a whisper.
The hearth below glowed faintly, embers casting a dim warmth across empty tables, the air heavy with the scent of polished wood and lingering ale.
Outside, the night murmured, wind weaving through distant trees, but inside, silence reigned.
Mira sat on the second-floor balcony, one leg slung over the rail, her bronze skin catching the moonlight.
A small flame danced at her fingertip, crimson-gold and flickering, held with the restraint of a pyromancer who knew its cost.
She didn’t touch it, just let it hover, a spark waiting for a reason to burn.
Her red hair spilled wild over her shoulders, her curvy frame draped in a loose tunic, its hem riding high on her thighs.
Rin had been gone for a week, her scent faded from the pillows.
Lira had slipped away two nights ago, her mission quick, she’d claimed, with a rogue’s smirk. Now, the tavern held only Mira—and Kio.