Page 58 of Prince of Blaze and Embers
“That’s why you were telling me to stay inside at night all that time,” I realized, embarrassment coloring my cheeks. “Why didn’t you tell me that? Why keep it a secret?”
His eyes met mine again, and there was a sadness in them that I hadn’t noticed before. “Because I didn’t want to burden you, Ash,” he said . “Because I thought I could protect you from all of this. If only you would just listen...”
I shook my head, my heart aching with a mix of frustration and understanding. “You can’t protect me from everything, Cade,” I said, my voice firm. “And you shouldn’t have to. I want to help. I want to fight beside you.”
His gaze softened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hope in his eyes. But then, his expression hardened, and he looked away. “We need to go back to the mystic,” he said, his voice distant. “He was in a deep slumber when we found him, and we couldn’t wake him. But I think you might be able to.”
I nodded, my resolve strengthening. “Me? Why me?" But then the realization of the Gilded Radiance in me sparked alive, changing my tone. "Let’s go then. I’ll try to awaken him!”
Cade glanced at the others, his expression grave.
Bella stepped forward, her chin held high. “We’re ready, Cade,” she said, her voice steady. “We’ll follow you.”
Rosa nodded in agreement, "Take them, Cade. Get your answers."
Hunter clapped a hand on Cade’s shoulder, a small smile playing on his lips. “You’ve got your team, brother,” he said. “Let’s go wake him up, and hopefully we get the answers we need. The answers we've been praying for...”
As we made our way to the dragons, anticipation surged through me. This was it—our chance to change the course of our fates. Together, we could face whatever lay ahead. Together, we were strong.
Just as we were about to mount the dragons, a sudden snarl ripped through the air, followed by a chorus of growls that sent a shiver down my spine. Krakos and Talonor reared up, their massive wings flapping as they snarled in response, their eyes flashing with fury.
“What’s happening?” Bella cried, her eyes wide with fear.
Hunter drew his sword, his gaze scanning the surrounding forest. “Who is it? The Stormscales?”
Huge dark clouds flew above the dragons from behind,looking like a mist enveloping them. The mists crashed onto the dragons as we all staggered back in confusion. Both dragons' bodies sank to the ground. Their enormous wings pinned under the weight of the gray mists. Wait, that isn't mist... its nets!
The dragons howled in anger as they were stuck, trapped beneath the nets that covered them, little blue flowers sewn into the stitching of the nets.
Cade growled, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the forest. “No. Those are dragonpearl nets. Only one person owns those. My stepmother… Once those pearls hit their scales, it makes their scales lock together! They can’t move!”
As the words left his lips, a horde of monsters emerged from the trees, their long arms and bony forms making them look like shadows come to life. Their glowing eyes fixed on us; their weapons raised. I recognized them by the sparse white fur that covered their inhuman bodies, after all, I helped bury them.
Cade unsheathed his sword, a fierce determination in his eyes. “Sythers! We need to fight,” he said, his voice like thunder. “We need to hold them off.”
A lone Syther, the tallest of the over two dozen strode forward, hefting a massive spear with a curved blade, finely sharpened on one side and jagged with barbs on the other. Its eyes were a berserking red; like the deep color of fresh blood. One arm raised the spear, and the other hand fell almost to its ankle. It lifted its head up and barked up to the sky. Its bark was shrill and ragged, like a dying wolf's.
Dread washed down from my mind to my feet, sinking fear deep inside of me. Glancing all around, I saw we were greatly outnumbered, and the two dragons were pinned and nearly motionless under the dragonpearl nets. How are we going to get out of this? I shook off my fear and reached down for Eden. She was there. Distant... but there.
"The girl," the Syther croaked, his white, scraggly beard hitting his chest as he spoke. "Give us the girl."
We all looked to Cade to respond. He didn't blink, glaring angrily at the lead Sythers, a full two heads taller than the prince.
"We will finish what you did not," the Syther said, inching toward us slowly. "The queen wants her prize. She wants the Gold-Marked. And you, prince, have disgraced your queen and your legions."
"How did you find us?" Cade finally spoke, his voice a shell of his normal battle cry.
"We always find what we're after. Its only a matter of time before we find our prey."
Behind the lead Syther, the others muttered. It took me a moment, but in their jumbled mess of echoes, I clearly heard they were repeating the word 'prey'. All of them. Every single one repeating the world like drums from the underworld, as if Rone himself was orchestrating their chant.
"Give us the girl, and we will let you live. You will have the queen to suffer to, but you may live, even reprieve your role after your... penance..." A wicked smile of yellow, sharp teeth gleamed in its mouth as he smiled wide.
"You're not taking her!" The Blaze Prince bellowed. "She's mine. You will not have her."
I grabbed the back of his arm subconsciously, feeling his power build back from the drained man who'd dismounted his dragon.
"Then you will die," the Syther said, lowering his weapon and pointing it at us. "Then you will all die."
