Luna's POV
I had trouble sleeping all night, but the howling stopped. Each shadow appeared to be a monster. I jumped at every sound. I was scared and tired when morning arrived, but I had to return to work. Those servants who failed to appear were cast into the dungeons.
I tried to blend in as I moved through the palace halls. I kept my hands tucked away in my pockets, still tingling with weird magic. More glowing water giving me away was the last thing I needed.
A voice behind me yelled, "You there!"
I went cold. That voice was as sharp as a knife and as cold as ice. That voice was familiar to all in the palace. Flameheart, Prince Kai.
Slowly, with my eyes down, I turned around. "Yes, Your Highness?"
He yelled, "Look at me when I'm talking to you."
The Fire Prince was standing in the hallway when I looked up. He had dark hair, was tall, and had eyes that seemed capable of burning you. Orange flames danced around his fingers like furious pets, illuminating his hands.
He said, "You're the awkward servant who broke my mother's glass yesterday." It wasn't a query.
"Your Highness, I agree. I sincerely apologize."
"Sorry doesn't make things better." I could feel the heat from his fire magic as he took a step closer. "Are you aware of the consequences for servants who consistently make mistakes?"
My heart was racing. "No, Your Highness."
"They vanish." His flames grew brighter and larger. "Perhaps I should get rid of you right away to save everyone the trouble."
My feet felt like they were stuck to the ground, but I still wanted to run. It was well known that Prince Kai was cruel to servants. Some children claimed that because he spilled soup, he had burned a servant boy's hand. He had thrown a girl down the stairs for talking back, according to whispers from others.
However, as I stared at him, an odd thing occurred. His ominous mask vanished for a moment. Something else caught my attention in his eyes. Something that appeared to be... melancholy?
The mean look returned as he blinked.
"Clean the training room," he commanded. "And don't touch anything that's important."
"Yes, Your Highness."
His flames continued to dance around his hands as he left. I held my breath until he was gone, and then I released it.
There were burn marks on the floor and targets on the walls of the enormous training room. Every day, Prince Kai would hone his fire magic here. It was the first time I had been inside.
In an attempt to avoid the burn marks, I began mopping the floor. However, I couldn't help but think about what I'd seen in his eyes while I worked. Why did the formidable Fire Prince appear depressed?
It wasn't until he spoke that I realized he had returned because I was so absorbed in my thoughts.
"You remain here."
I leaped and whirled. Something was different when Prince Kai stood in the doorway. He appeared exhausted, and his hands had lost their radiance.
"Your Highness, I apologize. I'll be done soon and go."
"No, it's okay." He raised his hands in the middle of the room. "Anyway, I have to practice."
His hands spewed fire, aiming for the targets on the wall. However, the flames erupted rather than striking them precisely as I had anticipated. They nearly struck me as they flew in all directions.
He shouted, "Get down!"
A wall of fire swept over my head and I fell to the ground. I started crying because of how hot it was. I looked up as the flames finally subsided. Prince Kai was looking horrified at his hands.
"I can't control it," he muttered. "I can't control it, and it's getting stronger."
I knew I should say nothing. Unless they were asked a question, servants were not allowed to speak to members of the royal family. However, I somehow forgot the rules because of the way he appeared so scared and alone.
I whispered, "Maybe you're trying too hard."
He gave me a startled look. "What?"
"When I'm anxious or afraid, my magic becomes strange. Perhaps so does yours."
He just looked at me for a moment. Then his expression returned to its icy, cruel state.
He angrily remarked, "You know nothing about magic." "You're nothing more than a helpless servant using pitiful water magic."
Even though his words were painful, I could still see the fear in his eyes.
"Your Highness, you're correct. I apologize."
He turned his back on me and performed another fire magic spell. The flames were smaller and under control this time. However, I noticed that his hands were trembling.
He said softly, as if he were speaking to himself, "Everyone thinks I'm a monster." "Everyone is scared of me."
Before I could stop myself, I said, "Perhaps they're just scared of getting burned."
He whirled around. "What did you say?"
My heart stopped beating. I had overreached myself.
"Your Highness, nothing. I remained silent."
"No, you did. You mentioned getting burned."
I stepped back. "I apologize. I shouldn't have said that."
"You believe that I am also a monster, don't you?" He was raising his voice. "You think I enjoy burning people?"
"No!" Before I could think, the word was spoken. "I believe you're afraid."
The room fell silent. Prince Kai's eyes widened in surprise.
"Scared?" he asked again. "I have no fears."
I blurted out, "You're afraid of hurting people." "You treat everyone cruelly because of this. You believe you won't unintentionally burn us if you push us away."
His face turned white. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I am aware. Since I also do the same thing."
I glanced down at my hands. "In order to prevent my strange magic from hurting people, I try to avoid them."
"Your magic isn't dangerous," he declared. "It's only water."
"Not anymore." My hands began to tingle more intensely. "I don't know what to do about it, but something's changing."
Prince Kai moved in my direction. "What do you mean, changing?"
I was about to respond when the room's temperature abruptly dropped. I could see my breath because it got so cold. Crystals of ice began to form on the floor and walls.
"What's happening?" Prince Kai inquired.
I examined my hands. From where I stood, frost was spreading across the floor and they were glowing with blue light. My bucket's water was icy cold.
"I don't know," I muttered. "This keeps happening."
Prince Kai's eyes widened. "You're creating ice. You're a water mage, though."
"I understand! I also don't understand it."
The room became completely covered in ice as it continued to spread. In an attempt to melt it, Prince Kai raised his hands and formed a wall of fire, but more ice simply replaced it.
He said, "Luna," and I realized that it was the first time he had ever mentioned my name. "Calm down, please."
"I'm not able to! I have no idea how to stop it."
The room was growing increasingly cold, and the ice was now all over the place. The only thing preventing us from freezing was Prince Kai's fire magic.
The door then abruptly flew open.
"What's going on in here?" Anger burning in her eyes, Queen Ember stood in the doorway.
In an instant, the ice melted and spread water puddles across the floor. The room returned to its typical temperature, and my hands ceased to glow. However, it was too late. Everything had been witnessed by Queen Ember.
"Interesting," she smiled icily. "Very interesting indeed."
That look was familiar to me. I had witnessed it previously when she was preparing a horrible scheme.
Prince Kai moved ahead of me. "I can explain, Mother."
Queen Ember remarked, "Oh, I'm sure you can." "However, I believe we should first have a lengthy conversation with our little ice-making servant."
Two guards materialized behind her as she snapped her fingers. She commanded, "Take her to the dungeons." "And make sure she stays there this time."
I turned back to Prince Kai as the guards seized my arms. I couldn't read the expression on his face as he stared at me.
Queen Ember's voice was the last sound I heard before I was pulled away.
"Notify the shadow seekers. Inform them that we might have located what they're seeking."
Seekers of shadows? What were those? What were they hoping to get out of me?