Fire On Fire

The next few hours after the big fight felt surreal.

Ace took me back to the inn and went to inform Falia's friends. Ace told me she had no family. 'Her friends were her family' he said.

She was a Fae who never really interacted with her own kind.

I was sitting in a hot bath, scrubbing the tar and blood off my skin, or trying to at least.

I thought back to Falia and a hot tear rolled down my cheek.

I heard the door squeak and I sensed Ace's presence.

"Need any help?" he asked softly.

"Could you...get this...off" A sob escaped my lips.

He walked over, stripped and hopped in behind me. He pulled me closer to him. I rested my head against his chest as he took the sponge from my hands and gently scrubbed off all the tar and blood.

He kissed my neck as he whispered soothing words in my ear. I relaxed a little and felt a little calmer. I was grateful I had him.

He finished up and washed my hair, then helped me into a nightgown.

He got into bed with me and hugged me from behind.

"Ace..." I whispered.

"Hm?" he replied softly.

"What happens now?" I turned to face him. For the first time since the moment I met him, I'd never seen him look lost, he looked so lost.

He sighed.

"I don't know Ava..."

"I found my people but...they were long dead" He sighed softly and brushed a wet strand of hair out of my face.

"If there were any Demon survivors...the queen probably hunted them down and killed them one by one. Like she did all those years ago. "

My heart dropped.

Ace looked down at me sadly.

"If there were any demons out there, chances are, one of them was one of my birth parents" I breathed out softly.

"I know baby, I'm sorry" He kissed my forehead.

"Try not to worry about that right now, try and get some sleep" he whispered softly.

Everything will be okay. I tried to reassure myself. Everything will be fine. The queen is gone.

Then a thought struck me and I bolted upright.

"Won't they come looking for us?" I asked, panic rising in my chest.

Ace sat up and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"No. They won't"

I didn't want to jinx it but

"Why?"

Ace explained a littler further.

"All the other Domain leaders knew what she was up to, but they were too weak to act. They were too afraid"

He sighed.

"She was not only terrorizing the demons. I spoke to the Fae queen, when I went to deliver the news about Falia. They will hold a council meeting in three days, consisting of all the leaders from all four domains. They will then decide what to do"

"Are we in trouble...?" I asked softly.

"No baby, we're not in trouble" he breathed out softly and sat up to hug me. I hugged him back and rested my cheek on his chest.

"Do you still have your title...?" I asked softly.

"As king?"

"Yes" I confirmed.

Ace sighed heavily.

"I don't know. I still hold a seat on the council, so I'm guessing I do"

"It feels weird..." I thought aloud.

"What does baby?" Ace pulled back to look into my eyes.

"She's gone.... It feels weird. I guess all those days I still had fear in my heart for her. I buried it beneath everything else. I can't imagine how you must feel."

"Honestly? It feels weird too. She was such a threat and now she's gone just like that. I mean don't get me wrong I'm not complaining but... If this had happened all those years before... If I'd have known...." He shuddered.

"The whole kingdom would've been alive" I finished for him.

"But everything happens for a reason Ace" I kissed his cheek.

"You're right. Just like with you, I would've never defeated her without your help" He kissed mine back. I smiled.

"So it turns out that I'm actually your knight in shining armor" I quipped.

Ace chuckled and relaxed.

"I'm sorry Ava, I'm sorry I left you... I was afraid..."

"Shh, it's okay" I silenced him with a kiss.

"Just don't do it again, Promise me, that from here on out, we do everything together? We fight together?"

"I promise"

"And Ace?"

"Hm?"

"I love you"

He stared at me for a while, his expression unreadable, then he held me tight and replied.

"I love you too mi Cielo"

With those words hanging in the air and a new promise, I fell asleep, dreaming of Ace and what his little boy would've looked like.

It was bittersweet.