For a long moment, no one spoke.
The only sound was the drip of water running from my hair to the muddy ground. My chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths.
The prince stood there, frozen, his eyes locked on me. His blue hair gleamed like the sea under the sun, but his gaze was fixed on the strands clinging to my face. Red. Bright as flame.
One of the guards shifted uneasily. "My lord… it must be a trick. Dye, perhaps."
"No," the prince said quietly, his voice steady but strange. "That is no trick."
The words struck me like a blade. He knew. He could see it—the cursed color of a kingdom long destroyed, a kingdom everyone else wished to forget.
My hands trembled. My instincts screamed at me to run, but my legs felt heavy, pinned to the ground as surely as chains.
The second guard leaned forward, his grip tightening on his sword. "Your Highness, we should end this now. The Fire Country is gone. Anyone carrying its mark must not live. The king ordered it years ago."
My stomach twisted. The king had ordered it? That meant if they discovered children like me, survivors, we were to be killed without question. My heart hammered against my ribs.
The prince's gaze never wavered. "And yet here one stands before us."
The guard growled. "It's dangerous. The red hair is a curse. Let us cut the boy down now before—"
"I said no," the prince interrupted sharply. His voice carried authority, enough to silence the guards immediately.
I blinked, barely breathing. Why was he stopping them? Why wasn't he letting them kill me?
He stepped closer. I could see him clearly now: tall, slim, dressed in fine clothes even under his traveling cloak. His eyes were as deep as the sea, sharp with curiosity.
"What is your name?" he asked.
My throat locked. If I spoke, my voice would betray me as a girl. But if I stayed silent, they might kill me anyway.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances. One shoved me forward. "Answer the prince!"
I swallowed hard, lowering my gaze. "R-Ren," I stammered, choosing the first name that came to mind. My voice cracked, rough enough I prayed it sounded like a boy's.
"Ren." The prince repeated the word slowly, tasting it. Then his eyes narrowed. "How old are you?"
"Fourteen, my lord."
Silence followed. He studied me as though trying to see straight through my skin, into my very bones.
The guard with the sword spoke again, impatient. "Your Highness, forgive me, but this is foolish. The Fire Kingdom was destroyed for a reason. If word spreads that one of their blood remains—"
"Then word will not spread," the prince said coldly. He glanced at them both, his voice calm but edged like a blade. "Unless you intend to disobey me."
The guards stiffened, bowing quickly. "Of course not, my lord."
My mind spun. Why was he protecting me? He could have ended it with one word. Instead, he stood between me and death.
He crouched slightly, lowering himself so his eyes met mine. "You. Do you understand the danger you are in?"
I nodded quickly, unable to form words.
"Good," he murmured. "Because you will not survive long if you keep wandering into guards with carrots in your pockets."
Despite my fear, a sound escaped me—half a laugh, half a sob.
The prince's expression softened, but only slightly. "You will come with me."
My blood turned to ice. "W-what?"
He stood and addressed the guards. "Bring him."
"No!" The word tore out of me before I could stop it. My arms flailed, trying to pull free as the guards grabbed me. Panic surged in my chest. "Please—I can't—I have others. They need me!"
The prince paused. His eyes flicked back to me. "Others?"
I bit my lip too late.
He tilted his head. "You're not alone, then."
The guards yanked me forward, forcing me toward the carriage. My heels dug into the mud, but I couldn't stop them.
"Wait," the prince commanded. The guards froze. He walked back to me, his steps slow, deliberate. His shadow fell across me as he asked, "How many?"
I hesitated, but something in his gaze made lying impossible. "…Four. Three girls and a boy."
"Children," he said softly, almost to himself.
I looked up at him, desperate. "They'll die without me. Please—please, just let me go back. I swear I'll disappear. No one will know what you saw."
For the first time, his face revealed something more than curiosity. A flicker of conflict passed through his eyes. He studied me for a long moment before speaking again.
"What is hidden in the ashes," he murmured, "can still burn." Then he straightened. "Very well. You will show me where they are."
The guards bristled. "My lord, that is reckless—"
"Do you dare question me again?" His voice cut like steel.
They lowered their heads instantly. "No, Your Highness."
My heart pounded. Was this worse? To lead him back to our hiding place? If the prince saw the others, if he learned how fragile we really were… it would be the end.
But if I refused, the guards would drag me into that carriage and the children would never see me again.
"I… I'll show you," I whispered, my voice shaking.
The prince gave a single nod. "Good. Then let us see the truth."
He turned back to his carriage, gesturing for the guards to follow with me in tow. My stomach twisted tighter with every step, dread clawing at me.
I had thought the worst thing that could happen was losing my hand for stealing carrots. I had been wrong.
Much worse was coming.