Born In The Dungeons

Chapter 17: A Letter

It was too hot in my chambers. It felt as if the fireplace in the room was burning wood. I frowned in my sleep and pushed my silk covers off my body, but it was still too warm. Opening my eyes, I blinked to adjust to the light. Then I smelled something burning. 

My bed. My bed was on fire. 

I widened my eyes and jumped off with a yelp, falling onto the floor and backing away from the blackened wooden bed. 

Nephos stuck his big head in through my open window and looked at me. 

"Did you do that?" I asked.

He shook his head and pointedly stared at me.

"Did I do that?"

He nodded. 

I stood and stared at the burning bed. It looked as if it's been on fire for a long time. And I've been sleeping on it without noticing anything. 

"How do I stop the fire? I don't want it to burn down the rest of the room," I said.

Nephos chirped and opened his mouth. Then he inhaled deeply, and the flames started to travel from my bed right into his dragon throat. In seconds, the fire was gone. 

I exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Nephos."

He nodded in acknowledgment, then pulled his head out from my window and flew away.

"Emilia, I'm going back to Poseidon toda-- Oh Gods." Alexios barged into my room and quickly covered his eyes. He turned around to face the door, his back to me. "What...What happened to your clothes?"

Now that the fire was gone, it was less hot in my chambers and I could feel the morning breeze on my skin. On too many parts of my skin. I looked down at myself and screeched.

The fire ate my clothes.

Strips of fabric hung on my body and left most of it bare. I rushed to my closet and hurriedly put on the first thing my hands could grab. "I'm covered now."

Alexios slowly turned back around, dropping his hand from his eyes. 

I pointed to my bed. "I set it on fire in my sleep. It must've caught on my clothes as well. Which is why the..." I looked down at myself. Then I snapped my head up and glared at him. "You should have knocked before entering."

"I did knock. You must have not heard me." 

"Or your knocks must have been too quiet," I said, crossing my arms.

"Or you could simply be deaf."

I sighed. "Why do I feel like we've had this conversation before?"

"Because we did. When you barged into my chambers without knocking."

"I did knock!" I argued. I pointed to the door. "Leave please. Before I set you on fire."

"You don't even know how to control your powers." He crossed his arms and leaned against the door. "I am not afraid."

I scowled. Lifting my hand, I thought of the sun's powers traveling to my fingertips. My fingers started to feel warm, then hot, and then fire ignited in my hand. "I know how to throw it," I lied.

"I am leaving." The door closed behind Alexios. I smiled.

"How do I extinguish it now?" I whispered to myself, panicking and shaking the fire off my hand. But it didn't work. Remembering what Nephos did earlier, I opened my mouth, ready to inhale it.

Don't!

I closed my mouth and looked out the window, up at the sky. "What do I do then?"

Return it in.