The Reflection of the Flames

20: Playing With Ice

"You've had enough," he replied smoothly, his gaze softening. "I don't want you to feel worse tomorrow."

Bloom blinked, her mind momentarily diverted from her previous line of questioning. "Although I can't say that I'm not fond of drunk Bloom," he added, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

Her cheeks flushed red at his implication. "My little temptress," he whispered into her hair, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Who is too bold for her own good."

Her cheeks flushed deeper as she tried to ignore the effect of his presence. "I'd gladly be drunk again if you'd just hand me another bottle," she said, trying to sound defiant.

Valtor's smile grew, a dark glint in his eyes. "Not happening," he said with a casual shrug. "Instead, why not try to figure out what's really bothering you while you're sober?"

Bloom tilted her head, eyeing him warily. "And what if what's bothering me is something you don't want to hear?"

Valtor's gaze turned serious, though his touch remained gentle. Valtor's gaze lingered on Bloom, his dark charm evident in the way he spoke. "Rest now, or I might have to come up with more inventive ways to keep you occupied."

"Oh, so you're the seductress this time?" Bloom retorted, trying to mask her embarrassment with sarcasm.

Valtor let out a genuine laugh, not a dark chuckle or a smug smile, but a real, playful laugh-more like an exhale.

"I want to sleep in Daphne's room." She said, unsure of her decision. "Would you... lead me there?"

Valtor's eyes softened, and his usual veneer of control seemed to lift momentarily. He nodded, gently grabbing her by her elbow and guiding her.

-

She woke up to sunlight brushing her face with a gentle touch. The warmth reminded her of Solaria, of Stella's Princess Ball before everything went wrong. She would give anything just to see her one more time.

Stella's genuine smile, her jokes that lightened up even the darkest moments, her impromptu fashion shows-she missed all of it.

Everything about this new reality felt wrong.

Darcy's words echoed in her mind: We're all just characters in this twisted fairy tale. Might as well play our parts.

Darcy was right. She had nothing left to lose. Her kingdom, her family, her best friend-all of it was gone. What remained was a new reality, one forced upon her by Valtor.

As Bloom sat up, she took in her surroundings. The ruins of Domino lay around her, a stark contrast to the vibrant memories she held of other realms. The castle, once a magnificent testament to her lineage, now stood as a ghostly reminder of what had been lost. It was in this desolate place that Valtor had brought her, a place intertwined with her past and his vengeance.

She couldn't simply resign herself to a fate dictated by Valtor. She glanced at her bracelet; it seemed impossible to destroy it without her magic, and, of course, the bracelet nullified her abilities.

But perhaps she could enlist someone else's help to perform the magic for her. Someone who could transform the bracelet into ice and shatter it.

Someone like Icy.

A smile tugged at her lips as the idea took root. Yet, she had to be strategic. Valtor could easily detect her location if she used her magic through their bond. She needed a plan to escape Domino; teleportation, like Valtor's, was beyond her reach. However, there must be emergency portals similar to those in Andros. If she could locate one, she might activate it with her magic.

This time, she had a chance.

-

When she found Icy, she was in the kitchen area, leisurely sipping a cold drink. The irony of the scene struck Bloom-here was the powerful ice witch, taking a break as if she were just an ordinary person. Bloom rolled her eyes and approached the counter, careful to keep her movements casual.

She knew she didn't have to be overly cautious with Icy. Unlike Darcy, who was always calculating and strategic, Icy had a notoriously short temper and often acted on impulse.

Bloom decided it was best to let Icy initiate the conversation. She leaned against the counter, casually inspecting the kitchen's contents, waiting for Icy to notice her.

As expected, Icy's eyes flicked towards her with a look of mild annoyance. "What are you doing here?" she snapped, clearly irritated by the interruption.

Bloom turned with a forced smile. "Just wanted to see what you're up to. I didn't expect you to be so... relaxed."

Icy's gaze narrowed. "I'm just taking a break. I don't have time for you to waste."

"Waste?" Bloom feigned surprise. "I thought you might enjoy a little company. After all, we've got some unfinished business."

Icy's eyes narrowed further, her irritation palpable. "Unfinished business? You think you can just come in here and make demands?"

"Not demands," Bloom said, her voice steady. "Just a friendly challenge. I've beaten you before, and I'd love to see if you've improved at all."

Icy's face flushed with anger. "You're asking for trouble. If you think you can provoke me and get away with it, you're sorely mistaken."

"Provoke you? I'm merely offering a chance for you to prove yourself," Bloom said, pushing Icy's buttons. "Show me what you're really capable of."

With a snarl, Icy's temper snapped. "Fine. If you want to see what I can do, let's settle this."

Icy raised her hands, and a storm of ice shards erupted from her, swirling around them with deadly precision. Bloom danced around the kitchen, dodging the shards and staying within striking range.

As Icy's fury grew, her spells became more intense. One of her powerful ice blasts struck Bloom's bracelet, causing it to crack. Bloom winced but quickly conjured a fake bracelet with her magic, making it appear as if nothing had happened.

As the battle raged on, Bloom realized the flaws in her escape plan. Icy was unaware that she could perform magic, so Bloom needed to devise another strategy to end the fight.

However, it seemed nearly impossible, given Icy's overwhelming rage.

"Enough." Valtor's icy voice cut through the chaos, and Bloom exhaled a sigh of relief.

"What do you mean, 'enough'? I was about to finish-" Icy's words were halted by Valtor's piercing look, which silenced her and left her sentence hanging in the air. His gaze shifted to Bloom, and though his expression softened, the rage in his eyes remained palpable.

"Icy," Valtor said, his voice slicing through the tense silence like a shard of ice. "It's time for you to get some fresh air and collect yourself." He said without bothering to give her a second look, his eyes fixed on Bloom.

"That was quite a show," he added, his frustration evident despite his effort to mask it. Bloom pressed her body against the counter, searching for the right words to avoid raising suspicion. "She started it," she said, lifting her chin in defiance.

"My foolishly brave fairy," he said, closing the distance between them with a single stride. "Even my generosity has its limits." He gently brushed her hair back with one hand. "Icy may be a powerful witch, but she tends to overlook small details." His gaze fell to her wrist. "Fortunately, I'm not Icy."

With a snap of his fingers, the fake bracelet on her wrist shattered, replaced by a brand-new, imposing piece of jewelry.

He took her wrist and pressed a tender kiss to it. Bloom didn't dare to meet his gaze. "Bloom," he said, his voice now devoid of anger. "Look at me." His tone was commanding but much calmer, the fury in his voice having completely dissipated.

With hesitation, she lifted her eyes to meet his. "You should know better by now," he continued, his voice low but laced with threat. "I would never," he pressed a kiss to her cheek, "ever,"another kiss to her chin, making her shiver, "ever," a final, more possessive kiss on her lips "let you go."

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