The Vampire King's Possession
Chapter 745. Playing With Fire

Chapter 745: 745. Playing With Fire

Jael stiffened immediately. He didn’t want to bring up the conversation just yet, but he had to answer her question. He thought it was too early, but he needed to know what was going on. He wasn’t the only one curious about how the fire started. He would also have to answer questions he didn’t have the answer to. If Mauve knew it would be great.

"Yes," he reluctantly replied. "We had more than enough hands to stop the fire. They were able to put it out before it spread too much."

Mauve sighed. "That’s a relief to hear." She had seen how quickly the fire had spread and had worried the whole plantation would be burned to the ground.

"We did lose a few trees, but I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t grow back, so don’t worry about it." Jael frowned slightly at his words. Was he implying Mauve had something to do with the fire, or was he just trying to stop her from worrying?

"I’ll help," she said eagerly.

"Don’t even think about it. You’re not allowed outside until further notice. If you want to walk around, I’ll be more than willing to escort you around the castle but outside is off limits."

Mauve turned her head to look at him. "Jael," she called.

"Don’t look at me like that. It won’t change anything." His expression suddenly turned serious. "There’s something I have to ask you."

Mauve looked away immediately. A chill ran through her, and she knew it had nothing to do with the fact that Jael was wrapped around her. She could clearly remember what had happened—she knew exactly what she had done. At the time, she hadn’t thought it would work, but now, there was no way she’d let it repeat itself. She could lose her pregnancy. She could die. They could both die—and it would be entirely her fault.

The instant she had seen the claws, her lips had moved. She wasn’t sure, but there was a chance she’d already been chanting the spell before she even shut her eyes. She had screamed when she saw it was going to strike, ending the spell, but the Paler was already on fire. She hadn’t even needed to chant the whole thing.

The hand it had raised at her had smoke rising from its fingers. It had stopped mid-motion to stare at its hand with a puzzled expression. Mauve hadn’t wasted any time. She had finished the rest of the spell, and she had never seen anything burn so fast and all at once. She couldn’t even tell where the fire had started—just that the monster was suddenly engulfed in flames.

Its scream had been deafening, and she’d caught a full face of it. She’d lost her footing and fallen to the ground. That was when she’d heard Jael. She had called to him. When he’d lifted her off the ground, all she wanted to do was cry in his arms, so relieved was she to see him. It could have gone so differently, and she had no one but herself to blame.

"Mauve," Jael called when she didn’t answer. "Did you hear my question?"

Mauve nodded. "I did," she mumbled. "What do you want to ask?"

"Do you know how the fire started?" Jael asked. All he could see was the back of her head, but he didn’t miss the way her heartbeat quickened.

She slowly nodded. She wasn’t sure how much she could say. She didn’t even know what had happened to the Paler. She was glad they had been able to put the fire out, but she was surprised it had burned so fiercely. She and Louis had been literally playing with fire during their lessons in the library.

"Can you tell me?" Jael asked.

Mauve’s eyes darted around, not focusing on anything. Could she? She could keep it a secret, but she felt horrible lying to Jael after everything she had put him through. He must have been worried sick. Was the gig up? Louis would never forgive her.

"I think I..." Mauve started but stopped, the fear in her heart increasing.

"I’m not angry. I’m just curious, and I have a lot of questions. The Paler in question is dead," Jael said. "It’s crazy. We’ve been trying to kill them for centuries, and a random fire does the trick. If you’re saying you know how this fire started, it could be the answer to everything."

"The Paler is dead?" Mauve asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes. Whatever happened killed it, so I need you to tell me how the fire started. I wonder what we’ve been doing wrong. I don’t think we’ve ever tried to burn them in a forest before. Was that it?" Jael sounded both curious and confused. He couldn’t understand how she had started the fire. She hadn’t had any kind of light, and there hadn’t been enough time to make a fire.

Mauve felt her body grow colder. There was no way she could keep this from Jael now. It was clear that magic had been the answer all along. Magic really was the answer. It was ironic, really, since vampires couldn’t use magic. They would need the help of humans to get rid of the Palers. It felt like a cruel joke, and she could imagine many lords wouldn’t be pleased by this revelation.

"Mauve," Jael called. "Was it the trees?"

Mauve shook her head. Louis wouldn’t like this, and she hoped Jael wouldn’t take his anger out on him. "Promise you won’t get angry."

Jael’s expression shifted. His jaw tightened, and his eyes glowed faintly. How could he already sense he wouldn’t like what she was about to say?

He closed his eyes, visibly trying to calm himself. "I promise I won’t."

"Swear on it," Mauve demanded.

"What?"

She turned to face him. "Swear on it!" she repeated, determination blazing in her eyes.

"I swear," Jael said, raising his hand.

Mauve studied his face for a few moments. Satisfied with what she saw, she turned away again, her back to him. "I used magic," she mumbled.

"Magic." Jael snorted. "Be serious, Mauve."

She turned back to him. "I am. I started the fire. I used magic to start it."

Jael stared at her, his face a mixture of disbelief and confusion. "Did you hit your head when you fell?"

Mauve gave him an unimpressed look and got out of bed. It would be easier to convince him if she just showed him.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

Mauve didn’t answer. She picked up one of her unused skeins of yarn. It saddened her to destroy it, but this was important. Locking eyes with Jael, she began to chant.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion, worry, and disbelief.

She brought a finger to her lips, gesturing for him to stay quiet, and continued chanting. Jael rose from the bed, approaching her slowly. Mauve took a step back, and as she did, the yarn burst into flames. She quickly tossed it to the ground.

Jael rushed over, stomping out the fire with his feet. When he finished, he turned to her, his expression unreadable.

"Who taught you that?" Jael asked darkly.