At the commander's mention of the horse and the look he gave the animal, Sybil found herself moving closer to continue petting the creature—as if to console it for having to put up with being in captivity with such a terrible person for so long.  Her stance was protective and one look showed she refused to let the man return with it, no matter the kindness he had in his eyes for the animal.  He was undeserving and even the horse knew it as it didn't move from it's location back to his former master.

These men apparently weren't convinced she was a witch, or so she gleamed from their use of the word suspected—and she suspected that most of them, had they thought she was a real witch, would have been too afraid to continue chasing after them even if it was under the kings orders.  She'd seen many men sent from the Empire run away once they realized the extent of her mother's full power.  None of them had ever made it far and hidden deep in these woods somewhere were the disfigured bodies of their comrades.  

Frowning at Dalious, she shook her head in an attempt to tell him it was a bad idea.  The Imperial Empire—and people in general—could not be trusted.  Even if he did manage to win, it would only anger them more.  But he either did not see her movement or ignored it as he faced off with one of the soldiers, the man's arrogance and cockiness leading to his downfall.  Just as she predicted, the commander yelled the order to the others to kill them.  Sybil's eyes widened and, for a moment, she began to panic, her mind unable to focus on what she should do as her first instinct had been to run.

But as the men grew closer, she had to react on nothing but instinct.  Holding her hands out in front of her, the flames emerged from her palms and sprayed the ground in front of her.  A wall of fire erupted between them and the men keeping them at bay for the moment as another group tried to flank them.  A wave of their hand sent a shockwave knocking them off their feet and struggling to regain their balance.  There was a sudden rush of anguish tightening her chest knowing that these were the same men that had killed her mother.

Something began stirring inside of her—something dark and twisted.  The ground beneath her feet began to shake as the flames of the fire suddenly began to spread, encircling the area entrapping everyone inside.  Her breathing came out in short bursts as her gaze focused on the soldiers.  The blazing wall licked at their feet as they clamored over one another trying to figure out how to escape as it made a slow and agonizing crawl towards them.  Some were brave enough to try to rush through the flames, but the moment they reached the other side they collapsed, bodies convulsing on the forest floor much like the bug her mother killed.  Blood pooled from their eyes and ears as vomit spilled from their mouths and soon their lifeless eyes were staring up at the canopy of trees overhead.  

Their pleading cries filled the clearing, begging mercy from the witch—and it would have made her laugh if she didn't feel dead inside.  Her eyes were kept on the scene, urging the flames on with nothing more than her mind and soon the begging was replaced by the sounds of their tortured cries as they burned.