The tea Amina offered Kara did help a little bit, but nothing could totally erase her worry and fear. She had three days for Hallbjorn to find her, and Kara had faith that he would. That faith allowed her to relax enough to hear Amina tell her about her father, and about some of the history of Janna. It was all fascinating, and she wanted to share what she learned with Hallbjorn. Kara just hoped she would have the chance to.<br/><br/>The words Tarek spoke just before he left earned Kara's forgiveness. While she would never be happy about what he'd done, she could forgive him. Especially since he was putting his life on the line to deliver her letter. If he had not run out of the room so fast, she would have told him that she forgave him.<br/><br/>Kara was actually enjoying herself as she listened to Amina's stories while eating the delicious lamb stew. There had been an uncomfortable few moments when Kara brought up her need for blood, but Amina had graciously spilled her own blood into a cup for Kara to drink, and reassured her that Amina would take care of that need until she was reunited with Hallbjorn.<br/><br/>When a guard came in the room with a severed hand attacked to the letter she wrote, Kara began to tremble and she could not stop. After the guard left, she looked inside of the envelope and could not find her ring. Kara believed Tarek to be dead, and that Hallbjorn was not coming for her. She was inconsolable for the rest of the night, and tears coursed down her cheeks until she at last fell asleep.<br/><br/>Even in her dreams, Kaseem terrorized her. This time with his memories. Kara saw where Kaseem had hidden her father's body and preserved it. The plans he had for it were to horrible to remember. The perversions Kaseem indulged in were a blur in her mind, but she remembered the face of every djinn that had wholly sided with him. She also witnessed Kaseem's cruelty to his own people, and understood now why they were so cowed. She would not wish that treatment on anyone.<br/><br/>When she woke, it felt like she had not slept at all. To keep her mind off of what was coming, she asked Amina to teach her a bit about how to control her powers, and learn what she was able to do. The djinn had the power to create and manipulate the four elements, and it was whispered that the Eternal Flame bestowed more power on rulers who were worthy.<br/><br/>By the third day, Kara was able to show some control over fire and water, but earth and air still eluded her. Though Amina told her she was showing tremendous progress for such a short period of time. But it was not enough, not to Kara. If Hallbjorn did not come for her, she needed a way to fight Kaseem.<br/><br/>Every day she practiced the use of her power to prepare, and every night she prayed to any god that Hallbjorn would come for her.<br/><br/>When the guards came for her, Kara had no hope left. She did not fight the women who were to prepare here, because it would serve no purpose, and because she did not want them harmed again because of her. She was almost in a trance and not paying attention to anything the women did.<br/><br/>Even though she wished that fog would have remained, to shield her from what was to come, it lifted when she entered the throne room. Her gaze moved to the black flame, and it felt wrong to her. She understood what Amina was telling her, and Kara could see how the flame was twisted, impure and diminished.<br/><br/>Kara took in those that filled the room, and she knew what their looks meant. She had dreamed of what they did to unfortunate djinn women, and it made her tremble without ceasing. Kara would have fallen if not for the guards' hold on her, and she could not hide the fear she felt as she looked upon Kaseem. What he planned to do to her, and how he informed her that he would share her made the blood drain from her face.<br/><br/>Then the sound of thunder filled her ears and she could feel the ground shaking. She would have laughed at the king and his cronies as they lost their footing if she had not been so terrified.<br/><br/>The sound came again, and the palace shook with it. Kara gasped and her eyes went wide. She dared to hope that Hallbjorn had come for her. She fought the hands that held her, desperate to turn and see the door, to see Hallbjorn, but their grip was unbreakable. Kara looked on with disgust as the king threw a hissy fit, and then tried to relax.<br/><br/>“Hallbjorn has come for me. You will not survive.” Kara told him, and there was no doubt at all in her voice.<br/><br/>But then the warrior with the silver sash returned and she knew the hand that clutched his throat. That hand had touched her so many times, had calmed her fears, soothed her when she cried, and made her experience heaven. Her Hallbjorn was wounded horribly, and Kara could do nothing to help him. She had never felt so weak and helpless.<br/><br/>She had no time to try and dodge Kaseem's hand when it gripped her throat. Kara couldn't scream. She felt bones in her throat crunching and could not make a sound. Then she was flying backwards, and into the pit of fire. The sick fire burned over her, and Kara knew what agony Hallbjorn spoke of. Oh god, she was burning and she couldn't move, couldn't scream in pain.<br/><br/>Then the pain ceased. Kara's inner fire burst from her and fought the black fire. Her blue fire consumed the sick fire, burning hotter and higher until it reached through the opening in the ceiling and touched the sky. The last vestiges of her mortality were seared away, and immortality embraced her fully.<br/><br/>In that moment, knowledge suffused her. She knew how the djinn and vampire war started, and why the vampire brides wall died. Kara knew how what was bringing about the end to that horrible curse. The Eternal Flame held so much power that it became painful to bear as knowledge flooded her, filling her up, letting her know how to heal the land, and how to heal herself.<br/><br/>Kara used the flames to heal her crushed throat. Hearing Hallbjorn's voice had her riding a tongue of flame out of the pit, and when she saw him, she wanted to cry. But Kara remained strong, because she knew how to make him whole again. She went to him, and her hands cupped his cheeks. Kara moved onto her toes, and her lips pressed against his.<br/><br/>Her fire did not burn him. Instead, it restored him. The flame slid over his body like a warm wind.  His wounds were soon healed, and his hand grown back fully. His eyes were healed, and he was able to see again. That fire, that piece of Kara and Janna, stayed within Hallbjorn, and became a part of him.<br/><br/>When Kara stepped back and Hallbjorn looked upon her, he would see a swirl of blue flames, and in the center of those flames was the outline of a woman. Kara's features were indistinct. She had truly become a creature of fire.<br/><br/>Slowly, the flame began to dissipate from her. Kara's features returned as the last of the flame licked at her skin. Her eyes glowed amber with traces of blue, but the look in them was full of love for Hallbjorn.<br/><br/>“You came for me.” Kara said in a voice thick with tears. “Hallbjorn, I love you. We were tricked. I did not know what Tarek told you. I would have stayed with you if I had.” Her voice became too choked with tears, and Kara gave into them as she hugged herself to his chest. She trembled against him and sobbed freely with her face pressed against his chest.<br/>