The Fire Within (The Fire of The Soul Series) Read Online Free

walk through the door. My mother scatters off with the
servant without saying another word.
    "You're mother's deduction was incorrect
Anna," My father sneers into my ear, his hand twisting my arm around my
back. "Although you behaved well I am not pleased with you. This morning
we were late to the meeting. That alone has set you in my bad books today. You
always cause trouble, do you really want me to hurt your friends so
badly." He says as he pushes me into a little nook in the wall. I am not
afraid for myself, my father has never laid a harmful hand on me, but Meg has
suffered more than enough because of me.
    "Can I expect you to be well behaved Anna? Or
will I have to go and seek out one of your friends? Perhaps that stable boy? Or
that servant girl you're around so often? It would be a shame should one of
them got harmed or lost a finger," My father grins, there is a dark
loathing look in his eyes and I push him off of me.
    "I will be more than well behaved father. Just
leave Megaera and Simon alone." I respond trying in vain to keep the venom
from my voice. I begin to walk away from him but he grabs my wrist and turns me
back around to face him.
    "I mean it Anna, behave or they will
suffer." He releases me after a moment, and I walk away from him as fast
as I can. I make my way through the castle to the kitchen, where I know Meg
will be. That is exactly where I find her, chopping away at vegetables, obviously
busy at preparing the feast for tonight.
    I pick up another knife and begin to chop with her.
Quietly I whisper to her "Watch out for my father, he's not in the best of
moods. Somehow I've upset him this morning and well now he's out for
blood."
    "Alright I'll try to keep out of his way,"
Meg says with a worried frown on her forehead. "Are you alright Anna? He
didn't hurt you did he?" She asks, her eyes rising from her job for a
moment to look at me.
    "No, he knows that hurting me won't really
change anything. He's learned that I'm more concerned for you and Simon then
for myself." I say softly, as I look into Meg's eyes.
    "Did he threaten Simon as well?" Meg asks,
concern for our only other friend is evident within her voice.
    "Yes, that's where I'm going to go next. I
needed to warn you first, it was more likely that my father would have come
looking for you first. Simon is more of a threat to the old man." I say,
and this causes a giggle to rise in Meg.
    "I'll say, have you seen how big he's gotten
lately. Especially in the past two years? He went from being a shrimp to the
biggest guy in the castle," Meg says, before another giggle comes along.
    "No I hardly notice, although you clearly have.
Have you told him yet? You must do so soon so that I can see the two of you
together!" I say in a hushed tone as if we are talking about a conspiracy
rather than Meg's true love.
    "No. I just don't ever know what to say to
him?" Meg sighs and pauses for a moment before turning to me. "You
should go and warn him Anna. I don't want to see him get hurt."
    "I'll go and tell Simon then. I'll see you
later Meg," I say, finishing the last carrot that I had been chopping. I
put the knife down, wipe my hands upon the tea-towel and make my way out of the
kitchen, feeling a bit more relieved that I had warn Meg about my father's
threat.
    It doesn't take long for me to get to the stables. I
find Simon attending to Ruby and Steve two of the royal horses. Ruby is my own
and her fine coat is an auburn colour. Steve is the general's war horse, a big
black stallion and more furious than a lightning storm.
    "How are they? Is Ruby feeling any
better?" I ask and Simon, lost in combing ruby's coat is startled by my
voice.
    "She has recovered; though it wasn't a stomach
bug as I had believed it to be. It seems that Steve has been giving Ruby too
much attention." Simon says, getting down from the high stool that he had
been sitting on and he walks over to me.
    "What do you mean?" I ask curiously, and
he simply smiles at me as he takes my hand. He