Hidden Flame 93

**Avery**
Mara stands beside me and directs everyone’s gazes to the images being reflected from the fountain’s surface onto the
ceiling. “Heidi used my coin to make her wish. She wanted to be desired above all others. She wanted to be the ultimate Queen. Avery, do you wish for her to have an abrupt fate or a prolonged one?” she asks.
I don’t have to think about this. Heidi never once showed remorse so why should I? She could have defied them because
they weren’t her family or rulers. I won’t spare her an ounce of suffering because I won’t ever forgive her. “Make her suffer
and make it good,” Regina and I both growled as my mates held me.
Mara held in a giggle. She waves her hand as she says, “Our Queen has ruled. Heidi, your wish will be granted and you will face and feel the consequences of that wish.”
**Heidi**
No, this can’t be happening. Avery was dead. How can she be here and more powerful than before? She was stabbed
with two poisoned Dragon Blades. Cassius is alive too and now somehow The Ravens have been resurrected too. Corra
assured us that they would never return. I should have never listened to my parents and the rest. I should have just left Naga and never looked back. Now I am kneeling on the cold hard floor as all of my memories are broadcast for all to see.
Then that Raven, said something about consequences for my wish. It is becoming obvious that I will die tonight. I regret
ever siding with Corra.
Avery had a mirror appear in front of me. The female Raven says, “Behold what being envious of beauty will get you.” I
saw myself standing on a stage about to declare my mate.
An image of Tim appears. The one in this room stands beside Avery. She nods. Tim bows before he approaches me. I feel
that pull on my soul and my dragon tries to surge forward. He waves his hand and it throws her back. I feel both mine
and my dragon’s hearts break and souls shatter. He looks to Avery, “Thank you, my Goddess, my Queen for giving me a
choice.” Then he looks at me with disgust. “Heidi, you could have not helped them or ran off and reported them. Instead,
you aided in my abduction and left me for dead. I died but my Goddess saved me as did her mates. I would end my
existence before ever accepting you as a mate. I hope your death is excruciating.”
His words further broke any spirit that I had. He stood behind me as I was forced to watch myself age. Wrinkles crinkled
my once flawlessly smooth skin. My silky black hair began to lighten and frizz before it fell out. My fingers began to curl
as my cheeks started to sink in. My skin began to sag as every bone in my body became more visible. I looked like the
corpse that I teased Avery about being. I see her smug smile as she whispers something to Tim. Did they know that this would happen? They can’t because history told us that The Ravens only answer to The Goddess herself and she’s been
absent for a long time.
Pain started to course through my body. Not able to withstand the pain, my dragon emerges from my shriveling body. My feet begin to curl causing my heels to fall off and click on the floor. No one comes to my aid, not that I thought
anyone would. Avery stands over my dragon. I see a silvery glint as she brandishes the Dragon Blade. “Had I not had a
dragon, I would have died when you three first tried to kill me. Now both you and your dragon will die,” she sneers as
she stabs my dragon through her skull. At least it was quick, but I won’t be as fortunate. More pain wracked my body and
I fell to the side. My bones cracked and broke like glass.
“Please…” that was all I could muster. It hurt so badly. Avery shook her head no. I should have known that she wouldn’t
show any mercy. If I am suffering this much, I am thankful that I am not Jessica or Lenore. I only aided them and never
physically harmed Avery. Corra was looking for a way to infiltrate all tribes when she should have been finding a way to
kill Avery. Now Avery is too powerful and Corra as well as all who follow her will perish.
I am barely able to see my hideous reflection. I faintly hear Jessica and Lenore beg for forgiveness and to be spared. They
didn’t utter a word for me though. Some fucking friends I had. Fuck my life! Fuck everything! Avery leans down, “You had
shit friends. Beauty and power are worthless if you lack integrity. Too bad it took death to make you realize that!” She is
right. I wasted my life to be wanted and to be beautiful and powerful. All it got me was rejection, pain, and death.
**Avery**
Heidi tried to plead to my sympathetic nature. Too bad I lost that towards The Hags after the first time that they tried to
kill me. I do, however, feel a darkness swirling inside of me that wasn’t there before. I look at Donn and he winks. Did The
Ravens give me and Cassius a bit of their essence when they resurrected us? I will ask about that later. Right now, I need
to kill Heidi before I can see what happens to Jessica and Lenore. Feeling as if she had suffered enough, I raised my high
heel above Heidi’s head. “Goodbye Heidi and good riddance!” I yelled as I slammed my heel down into her skull,
piercing her brain.
**Conner**
Heidi has this coming. My brothers and I should have killed Heidi and her friends back when they first hurt Avery, but we
didn’t. Instead, we allowed them to live and keep hurting our mate. Yes, we found out that they were using Draven and working for Corra, but was it worth it? Right now, I am seeing a darker side to Avery and it is so fucking hot. After she
stomped Heidi’s skull to dust, I pulled her into a kiss.
A golden light enveloped us before Mara tapped me on the shoulder. She grinned as she held the coin out to Avery. “Her
essence is now at your disposal. Consider it a wedding present,” Mara said.
Avery blushed as she took it but her eyes flashed every imaginable color. Both her and Regina’s voice said, “Mara, for
your service you will be rewarded with a mate. Be ever watchful.” Mara bowed b