Page 48 of Embers of Fate
I feel the eyes of the clan upon me, hundreds of faces peering down from the terrace, watching in awe and terror as I shed my human skin and become something... other.
Moonlight spills over me, casting my dragon’s shadow across the lawn, engulfing Bram’s cowering form. Darkness threatens to swallow me whole, to drag me down into the depths of my beast’s consciousness, but I fight it, clinging to my sense of self with every ounce of strength I possess.
My dragon is restless, eager to assert its dominance, to unleash its fury upon the world. And for once, I let it, taking a backseat as the beast surges to the forefront of my mind.
A rumbling growl builds in my throat, a roar that shakes the very foundations of the earth. It’s a declaration of strength, of power, a warning to all who would dare to challenge me.
I slam my foot down, and the ground trembles beneath me, cracks spiderwebbing out from the point of impact.
That’s enough,I tell the beast, struggling to regain control, to pull myself back from the brink.Go to sleep now.
But the dragon fights me, screeching its defiance, its hunger for destruction. Fire builds in my throat, searing hot and deadly, and for a terrifying moment, I’m sure I’m going to lose control, going to incinerate everything and everyone in my path.
No, no...!I growl, wrestling with the beast inside me.Don’t do it!I wrench my head back, and flames erupt from my jaws, shooting upwards into the night sky in a blistering column of heat and light.
Screams of horror rise from the grounds, the clan scattering like frightened rabbits before a predator.
I said...I roar, my voice thundering through my mind.Go to sleep!
At last, the dragon relents, its presence diminishing as I assertmywill,mydominance. The fire in my veins recedes, the scales fading back into smooth, human skin.
Cold washes over me, and I feel lighter, as if a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. My knees buckle, and I sink to the ground, my breaths coming in ragged gasps.
When I open my eyes, I’m myself again, my shadow no more than that of a man. A long, shuddering sigh escapes my lips, exhaustion seeping into my bones. But even through the fatigue, I feel a flicker of triumph, of pride.
I did it. I controlled the shift, bent the beast to my will. Sam was right—itdoesget easier with time.
Slowly, painfully, I drag myself to my feet, my eyes seeking out Bram’s face in the crowd. He stands frozen at the base of the stairs, his expression a mask of unmitigated horror.
Silence hangs heavy in the air, thick and oppressive. I’m the one to break it, my voice ringing out clear and strong. “You will step down as head of the Draken clan, brother. I’m taking care of the family affairs from now on.”
With that, I make my way back to the house, my chest heaving with the effort of each breath. Gods, I need to lie down, to rest, to process the enormity of what just happened.
But Bram’s voice stops me in my tracks, cold and bitter as a winter wind. “Do you want to knowwhyI got rid of you when you were a child?”
I glance back, confusion furrowing my brow. “You wanted me to go to school, to procure my education...” I manage, the words feeling hollow and inadequate.
“No. It was never that.” Bram slips his hands into his pockets, his expression hardening into a mask of cruelty. “I would not share a roof with my parents’ killer.”
The words hit me like a physical blow, snapping my head back as if he’d struck me. “What are you saying?” I breathe, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Bram steps forward, emboldened by my shock, my pain. “I’m saying exactly that.You killed our parents.”
Anger surges through me, white-hot and blinding. “You’re drunk,” I snarl, turning away, desperate to escape the venom dripping from his tongue.
“You don’t remember, do you?” he taunts, his voice following me up the steps, burrowing into my brain like a parasite. “It didn’t come to you? Not even when you were in the beach house?” A pause, heavy with malice. “Oh, you loved playing with fire, Niky. Always experimenting, wielding the flames... That night, you started one. It got out of control and took our parents’ lives.”
My throat constricts, my vision blurring with unshed tears. “No...” I choke out, the word barely more than a broken whisper.
“The fire came fromyou,” Bram continues, relentless, merciless. “Embers set off from your hands and brought us nothing but tragedy and ruin.” He shakes his head, a mocking smile twisting his lips. “I knew then you’d be nothing but trouble. And I was right... You’re a fucking monster.”
Tears spill down my cheeks, hot and scalding. “You’re lying,” I manage, my voice breaking on the last word.
“Am I, Niky?” Bram raises an eyebrow, his expression one of cruel indolence. “Well... I guess you’ll never know.”
With that, he brushes past me, striding into the house with the self-satisfied air of a man who knows he’s won.
I stand there, frozen, my mind reeling with the implications of his words. It can’t be true. It’s impossible. I would never... I could never...
