Page 57 of Prince of Blaze and Embers
“And if I leave… if I run…”
“You could save yourself.” His wise old eyes met mine. “But others will suffer. The war will rage on. The queen will continue her reign of terror, seeking ultimate power. And who's to say she won’t capture you eventually? No matter how well you hide, magic like yours leaves a trace.”
A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of the queen’s cruel hands stretching toward me, seeking to siphon my power for her twisted ambitions. Could I really hide forever? Did I want to—knowing what it could cost others?
I paused, my thoughts spiraling. "And Cade? If I run, what will he do?"
Cornelius was quiet for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. “He believes he must ascend the throne someday, that he can help Allovan more with absolute power. With his duty to the crown, he will do what he thinks is best for his people, even if it makes him miserable."
"Miserable? You mean he'll give me up to his stepmother? That he'll turn me over if I escape?"
The pause in his eyes spoke more than his words. "Yes, child,there’s a chance he will turn to his stepmother’s bidding. The queen seeks immortality, and the power locked inside you might just be the key. And if she achieves that, then saving you from her clutches will mean facing a whole different beast. It makes this fight so much harder."
My breath caught in my chest. The idea of Cade turning me over... it hurt more than I could explain. But I had to hear it, I had to face what that might mean and how devastating it could be for all of us.
With that thought, and my fingernails tapping on the mossy rock, a new grit formed deep down. The thought of him turning me over was perhaps the final straw. Not only could I not allow the queen to continue in her brutality of our world, but I had to convince Cade to do the right thing, even if it meant tossing away our feelings, and never sharing a kiss with him again.
"What are you thinking about, child?" Cornelius' brow furrowed as he thought. "Something inside of you is screaming, but I can't hear the words."
I’m tired of being the victim. I’m tired of being used for other people’s gains. I deserve more. I deserve to be happy, even if I have to fight to get it. Bella deserves the world, and if I can… I’m going to fight to make it a better world for her. She’s stuck by me, and I’ll tear down Calcaedus itself if that’s what it takes!
"I'm going to stay Cornelius. I'm going to stay til the end. Not just for him, not just for me or Bella, but for everything. I've got to do what I can to help all these people that share our world. I'm done being put in chains. Someone, or something, gave me this magic for a reason. And although I don't know what the reason is exactly, I've got to follow my heart. And my heart is screaming for Cade. I choose... to fight!"
CHAPTER 26
The forest around me blurred into a haze as I marched back to the house, determination fueling each step. I had to talk to Cade. I had to convince him that I could help, that I was more than just a pawn in his stepmother’s twisted game. The realization that I had a choice—that I could fight or flee—had crystallized into a fierce resolve. I was done running. I was done being a victim.
As I approached the house, the sight of Bella and Rosa washing clothes together outside brought a wave of comfort. Their presence grounded me, reminding me of the strength we had together. I paused for a moment, watching them work in harmony, their laughter echoing through the air. It was a simple, peaceful scene, a stark contrast to the chaos that seemed to follow me everywhere I went.
Just as I was about to step forward, a thunderous roar reverberated through the sky, shaking the very ground beneath my feet. I looked up, my heart pounding in my chest, as two massive shapes darkened the horizon. Krakos and Talonor, their powerful wings slicing through the air like black and gray blades, descended with a grace that belied their enormous size.
The scales on Krakos shimmered like obsidian under the sunlight, reflecting an almost blue tint as he spread his vast wings wide. His fearsome maw was lined with teeth as sharp as daggers, and his eyes were an unnatural red that seemed to burn with an eternal flame. Talonor, by contrast, glistened with stone-gray scales that caught the light in a softer glow, his sleeker form no less imposing. Massive curling horns adorned the sides of his head, and his eyes were a milky white cloud, almost ethereal but commanding. The sheer strength and power emanating from these beasts was palpable, a force of nature that could level mountains and tear through the skies like a storm.
As the dragons landed with a thud that sent vibrations through the earth, Bella and Rosa dropped their laundry and rushed to my side, their eyes wide with concern. Cade and Hunter, astride their respective dragons, looked worn out and haggard, their bodies slumped with exhaustion. Their faces were etched with lines of weariness, but there was no mistaking the determination in their eyes—a resolve that matched my own.
“Ash, what’s happening?” Bella asked, her voice laced with worry.
“I don’t know,” I replied, my gaze fixed on Cade as he dismounted Krakos, his movements slow and deliberate.
As Cade approached, his eyes met mine, and I was struck by the liveliness in them. There was a spark, a flicker of something that I hadn’t seen before. He looked tired, yes, but there was a determination in his gaze that matched my own resolve.
“Cade,” I began, my voice steady despite the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. “I need to talk to you.”
He hesitated for a moment, his gaze flicking to Hunter's before returning to me. “Ash, I?—”
“Please,” I interrupted, taking a step closer. “I need to understand what’s going on. I need to know why you’ve been so distant, why you’ve been keeping things from me.”
His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he wouldrefuse. But then, he sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “I found something, Ash,” he said, his voice low. “Something that might help us.”
My stomach squeezed like pincers grabbing hot iron at the thought he was going to finally tell me the truth.
Bella, Rosa, and Hunter had gathered around us, their faces etched with curiosity and concern. Cade glanced at them briefly before continuing.
“We've been looking for something, well someone, my father told me about when I was a boy. But I found him! I’ve been searching for an old mystic deep in the heart of the Faewood,” he explained, his eyes never leaving mine. “His name is Myrathyn. He’s a great keeper of knowledge of the old world. My father told me that when he was a young man and at a critical point in his life, needing guidance and resolve, his father told him to find Myrathyn. And with everything going on right now, my stepmother, the war, the constant battles, and now you... I needed answers.”
My eyebrows rose in surprise. “A mystic? Why would you keep that from me?”
He hesitated again, blinking hard and turning his head. “I'm not always good at... opening up. I've always been the strong one. The leader of armies. I didn't need you to know, and I wanted to keep you safe." He turned and raised his arms toward the house behind me. "Because this house is magical, Ash. It’s protected by a barrier put on it hundreds of years ago by my people. It keeps you safe while you’re inside.”
