I won't fall for the queen who burned my world-Chapter 262: Be more serious

The smell of scorched air hung heavy between them.

Elysia adjusted her stance, drawing in a steady breath. Her chest rose and fell with effort, each inhale thick with heat and ash. Sweat clung to her brow, dampening the collar of her black combination outfit.

Her palms burned—not from pain, but from the lingering echo of her own fire, still pulsing beneath her skin like a second heartbeat.

Across the training circle, Malvoria stood perfectly composed, arms at her sides, her expression unreadable.

So far, Malvoria had only been reacting dodging, redirecting, occasionally deflecting. Never attacking. Never pushing back.

It was infuriating.

And obvious.

"You’re holding back," Elysia said, her voice sharper than she intended.

Malvoria tilted her head, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. "Am I?"

"Don’t play dumb. I know what your flames feel like. You haven’t even used your left hand."

Malvoria stepped forward, the air shifting around her. "You’re not ready."

"Then make me ready," Elysia snapped, stepping closer. "I can’t learn if I’m only dancing with shadows."

Malvoria’s gaze darkened with something unreadable—pride, fear, love—Elysia couldn’t tell. But when she lifted her hand this time, flame bled into her palm.

Not red.

Not gold.

But black-edged scarlet, alive with sparks that snapped like teeth.

"I warned you," Malvoria said, voice lower now. "My fire isn’t gentle."

"I’m not asking it to be."

Their eyes locked. And then it began.

Malvoria moved like a storm—faster than before, more deliberate. Her flame slashed through the air in elegant arcs, forcing Elysia to sidestep, duck, parry.

Her own red fire rose to meet it, but Malvoria’s magic was heavier. More complete. Like it remembered things Elysia’s didn’t.

They exchanged blasts in a rhythm that felt more like a dance than a duel—sparks colliding, flames twisting, the stone beneath them glowing from the heat.

Elysia gritted her teeth and pushed harder. She refused to fall behind. Every burst from Malvoria was a challenge, and she met them with growing confidence—her control tightening, her instincts sharpening.

"You’re improving," Malvoria said, deflecting a streak of red fire with her forearm.

Elysia smirked, breathless. "You’re sweating."

"You wish."

Malvoria flicked her hand and sent a spiral of scarlet fire spinning toward her. Elysia crossed her arms and absorbed it into a shield of her own, grunting at the impact.

Then she retaliated.

Red fire lanced out from her palms, splitting into twin arcs that forced Malvoria to slide back, boots skimming the stone.

The elder queen landed smoothly and retaliated with a burst of fire that looked almost serpentine in shape.

They moved faster.

Sparks lit the air in swirls of gold and crimson.

And on the sidelines, Kaelith shrieked in absolute delight.

Elysia could barely hear Lara’s frustrated voice—"Stop cheering for explosions, you chaotic sparkle gremlin—gods, that’s my hair again—"

But Kaelith’s joy was impossible to ignore.

The little empress-in-training was bouncing in Lara’s lap, clapping her tiny hands together and squealing with every collision of flame.

Elysia let it fuel her.

She spun into another strike, her body remembering what her magic hadn’t caught up to yet.

Her red fire answered, sharper now, more precise. It grazed Malvoria’s shoulder, just slightly and for a heartbeat, she thought she saw the flicker of surprise.

Then Malvoria grinned.

And unleashed hell.

Scarlet fire engulfed her, flaring out in a column that cracked the air with its intensity. She raised both hands now, pulling from the full arsenal of her strength, and Elysia felt it—like gravity, like heat pressing on her lungs. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

She almost stumbled.

But then came a soft giggle.

Elysia barely registered it at first.

A high, delighted coo.

Another giggle.

She glanced sideways, heart hammering.

Kaelith’s eyes glowed bright violet.

Her fingers curled around Lara’s collar, and then without any warning she raised her tiny hand and pointed.

A ribbon of purple fire, shimmering with the strange glow of protective magic, shot from her hand. It danced in the air like a living thread.

And it moved.

Straight toward Elysia.

"No—" Lara started to rise, but it was too late.

The violet flame struck Elysia’s hand and didn’t burn.

It merged.

Elysia gasped, staggering back.

The purple fire wound around her fingers, laced with her own red flame—and suddenly they weren’t two separate magics anymore.

They were one.

A hybrid blaze, pulsing with power, humming with intention. Elysia didn’t understand it, but it knew her.

She could feel Kaelith’s presence in it some unconscious instinct, some baby-born bond. Protective. Fierce. Unrelenting.

Malvoria stepped forward, brows furrowed.

"Elysia?"

"I—I don’t know," Elysia breathed. "It’s hers. It came to me."

Malvoria’s eyes widened just as the combined flame ignited in Elysia’s hands.

It crackled red and violet, entwined like twin serpents.

Then it struck.

Faster than thought, faster than Malvoria could counter—

And Elysia shouted, "LOOK OUT!"

A wave of red-violet fire exploded from her palms, roaring across the training circle in a spiral of destruction.

Malvoria barely had time to raise a barrier.

Smoke drifted through the training circle like mist after a wildfire.

The stone was scorched in a perfect arc, runes cracked and glowing, and the smell of ozone and lavender-scorched silk filled the air.

Elysia blinked rapidly, her ears still ringing, and then—

"Oh gods," she gasped, stumbling forward.

Malvoria stood a few feet away, her arms raised from where she’d summoned a shield at the very last second. The flames had been mostly deflected... mostly.

Her barrier had held.

Her clothes, however, had not.

What remained of her high-collared tunic and layered trousers was now a smoldering wreck of torn fabric, ash, and very singed dignity.

Her hair was wild, a few strands clinging to her cheek, and a dark burn streaked across one shoulder where the shield hadn’t reached in time.

"Oh my gods, I burned you," Elysia cried, sprinting toward her.

Malvoria coughed once and gave her a dazed look. "You also undressed me."

Lara, still holding Kaelith at a safe distance on the bench, absolutely cackled.

"I don’t know whether to clap or call for a medic."

Elysia dropped to her knees in front of Malvoria, hands flying to her shoulder. "I’m so sorry—I didn’t know that would happen. The flames just... moved."

Malvoria grimaced slightly but waved her off. "It’s not fatal. My pride is far more wounded than my flesh."

Kaelith squealed happily and clapped her tiny hands again.

"I think she’s applauding," Lara said, grinning. "You should be impressed. Your wife just stripped and mildly exploded you in the same breath."

"Not helping," Malvoria snapped, even as she winced again.

Elysia bit back a nervous laugh, inspecting the shallow burn. "It’s not deep. But you’ll need healing salve. And maybe a new shirt. Or like... three."

Malvoria exhaled. "You’re lucky I find you dangerously attractive even while combusting."

"I said I was sorry!"

"Doesn’t mean it wasn’t impressive," Malvoria muttered, and then groaned again. "Next time, warn me before combining inherited demon-baby fire and instinctive rage."

Kaelith babbled something incomprehensible and threw a rune pebble at Lara’s head.

Elysia sighed.

Training was officially over for now.