Page 49 of Axis of Fire

And I wouldn’t be able to reach them for three more days.

I swallowed.

“As long as you don’t become a threat, no one’s going to touch you.”

Airis’s voice wasn’t harsh this time.

Not at all.

He turned and walked back into the room.

I followed, trailing behind him, overwhelmed with shame and cursing myself for not being able to control my emotions.

I was used to anger.

To aggression.

They were my armor.

Protecting something painfully soft and fragile inside me.

Sometimes I wished—

there was nothing underneath that armor to protect.

Because then there would be no weakness.

******

We were back where we started.

I sat across from Airis again, a plate of untouched pastries in front of me.

He was trying to hide his irritation over my stubborn refusal to eat—

but his eyes kept flicking toward the plate, and his brows tightened every time they did.

Aars had made himself comfortable on the large canopy bed, resting his head on one paw.

I gathered my thoughts and spoke:

“You were talking about the fire world.”

I tried to sound calm.

I wasn’t.

Airis nodded.

His gaze on me felt... off.

Different.

I couldn’t quite place it.

But when he didn’t continue, I took control of the conversation again.

“Is there a chance my real parents are from there?” I asked.