Chapter 4 (1/2)

Chapter 4 Flame

“In the end, what happenedwhen the mine collapsed, can you repeat it for me step by step?” Roland asked

Anna nodded and began to describe it

Roland was a bit surprised, he expected her to stay silent or to angrily curse at him, but instead she just responded with, “ask whatever you want,” and obediently told her tale

It wasn’t a complicated story, but a sad one nonetheless Anna’s father was a miner and when the ot the news of the collapse, Anna and the other miners’ families went over to help rescue their loved ones The North Mine was previously ruroundin all directions Since the rescuers were under no unified co at the hbours, Susan and Ansgar were by her side

Anna had discovered that her father’s leg was crushed under a full ore cart and he couldn’thi for her father’s moneyAs the looter saw thear and knocked hiround, but just at the moment when he was about to strike her, Anna killed him first

Anna’s neighbours vowed that they would never say anything about this matter, and with their help Anna rescued her father But before dawn, the next day, Anna’s father went out on his crutches and reported to the patrolling guards that his daughter was a witch

“Why?” Roland, when he had heard up until this point, could not help but ask

Barov sighed and answered, “Probably so he could receive the gold reward The discovery and reporting of a witch, can get you 25 gold royals For a old royals are equivalent to what he could earn for half a lifetime of work”

After aand grown-up man, hoere you able to kill him?”

At this Anna laughed, and the flah waves on a previously calm lake’s surface

“It was exactly like what you think, I used the power of the devil” Anna said

“Shut up! Vile sorceress!” Shouted the warden, but everyone could hear his voice tre

“Is that true? I want to see it” the fourth prince was unmoved by their antics as he calmly said

“Your Highness, this is no laughing ht Commander interjected as he furrowed his brows

Roland stepped out fro closer towards the cell as he said, “Everyone who is too afraid of her can leave, I did not ask you to stay here”

“Don’t panic, she has a ‘God’s Locket of Retribution’ around her neck!” shouted Barov loudly to comfort everyone, but likely also to reassure himself, “no matter hoerful the devil is, he cannot break God’s blessing”

Standing in front of the prison bars, Roland and Anna were at arth and he could clearly see her dusty and bruised cheek Her soft facial features showed that she still was a minor, but her expression did not have any traces of childishness More than that, even anger was hard to find It was the kind of dishar Roland had only had seen on TV

It was the face of a wandering orphan who had suffered froer, cold, etc… but it was not exactly the same, normally in front of the camera the lost children always stood with a bent and beaten down body, their head down, but Anna did not

Froht with her gaze slightly raised, cal into the prince’s eyes She did not fear death, Roland realized Instead, she aiting for death

“Is this the first tiet you killed” Anna said