Page 61 of Prince of Blaze and Embers
“Run!” Cornelius’s voice echoed in my mind, and I turned, dashing into the forest, branches whipping my face as I ran. My heart raced as I sprinted, my breath ragged and desperate. Sharp branches scratched my arms and legs, leaving stinging trails of pain. Eventually, I heard the Sythers roar in rage at the illusion, racing into the forest after me. They crashed through the trees like a monsoon ripping in from the sea. A spear zipped through the air, narrowly missing me as it slammed into a tree with a resounding thud.
My mind was a maelstrom of terror and regret as I fled deeper into the Faewood, the image of Cade and Hunter battling valiantly against the Sythers seared into my memory. Each step Itook away from them felt like a betrayal, yet the wisdom of Cornelius' command reverberated through me: Run.
The underbrush whipped against my legs, and the sting of scratches from low-hanging branches barely registered through the adrenaline coursing through my veins. My breath came in ragged gasps, the air burning my lungs as I pushed my body to its limits, driven by the primal instinct to survive. The golden light of Eden pulsed within me, a reminder of the power I held—a power I was only just beginning to understand.
As I sprinted through the dense forest, the sound of pursuit grew fainter, but the fear of being caught never waned. My heart pounded in rhythm with my frantic footsteps, a drumbeat of flight echoing in my ears. The Faewood around me was a blur of green and brown, a testament to the speed at which I moved—a speed I had not known I possessed.
The cool, rushing water of a brook came into view, and I skidded to a halt, my boots slipping on the damp earth. I bent over, hands braced on my thighs, as I fought to catch my breath. The gurgling water seemed to mock my desperation, its tranquil melody a stark contrast to the tumultuous pace of my heart. I was alone, wounded, and far from safe, yet the brook whispered of peace and serenity—a sanctuary amidst the chaos.
Bella's face flashed before my eyes, her glacier-blue eyes filled with trust and affection. I had promised to protect her, to keep her safe from the horrors that plagued our world. And here I was, running for my life, while she was left to face the darkness alone. Guilt gnawed at my conscience, threatening to pull me under just as surely as the Sythers' nets had ensnared Krakos and Talonor. Cade and Hunter were back there fighting for their lives, and there I was, forced to run. But there was no time for thoughts of their safety, I had to worry about my own.
Just as my breathing slowed, I heard a familiar, terrifying voice in the dense forest. It was the lead Syther’s voice, and fear gripped me anew as he emerged from behind a tree.
“Where are you running to? There’s nowhere to hide from me, and from the queen. I’ve marked your scent. I’ll follow you to the ends of Allovan now.”
I stood my ground, summoning every ounce of strength and determination within me. “Well, I’ll have to take that disgusting nose right off your face then,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear churning in my gut.
The Syther hulked forward, his eyes narrowing as a wicked grin spread across his face. “You’re nothing, girl. Tiny, frail, puny.”
The lead Syther lunged with a swift, vicious motion, I braced myself for the inevitable impact. My hand shot out, fingers splayed, and to my astonishment, they closed around sharp blade's tip. The golden light that Eden provided pulsed strong, radiating from my palm and encasing the spearhead in its brilliant glow. The Syther's eyes widened in shock as the momentum of his attack halted abruptly, his mighty strength rendered useless against the force of my magic.
The golden light intensified, seeping into the spear and crawling up its length toward the Syther's clawed hand. Panic flashed across his grotesque features as he felt the relentless power consume him. His fur smoldered, the light spreading across his body, igniting an ethereal fire that burned bright. His screams echoed through the forest, a sound that would have once terrified me but now served as a testament to my own strength.
"You'll never harm another woman," I repeated, my voice carrying the weight of my resolve. "I won't let you." The words were more than a promise; they were a vow to protect myself and those who couldn't defend themselves against the cruelty of the Blaze Queen's army.
The Syther's body convulsed as the golden flames danced across his form, his cries growing more desperate with each passing second. I watched, unflinching, as the creature that had intended to bring me pain and suffering crumpled to the forestfloor, a husk of what he once was. The golden light receded, leaving behind nothing but the metal spearhead and the charred remains of the spear's wooden staff.
After a moment standing over his body, I spat on his corpse, showing my final farewell to the monster. Then, I heard the rustle in the forest, the other Sythers were coming, and not far off. I darted into the dense thicket of the Faewood. My heart pounded in my chest, not just from exertion, but from the adrenaline of battle and the thrill of victory. I was no longer the helpless girl from Bramblebash; I was a force to be reckoned with, a beacon of power that could finally stand up for myself and others. And it felt incredible!
Branches whipped at my face and arms, but I barely felt the sting of their slender fingers against my skin. My focus was singular—escape and regroup with Cade and the others. I could hear the Sythers crashing through the underbrush behind me, their snarls and growls growing ever fainter as I put distance between us. I didn't dare look back, knowing that any moment wasted could mean the difference between life and death.
Suddenly, a searing pain tore through my side, and I stumbled, a gasp of pain escaping my lips. A spear, thrown with deadly accuracy, had grazed me, leaving a burning trail of agony in its wake. I pressed a hand to the wound, feeling the warm trickle of blood seeping through my fingers. The Sythers were gaining on me, their determination to capture me—or worse—fueling their pursuit.
I pushed myself to run faster, the forest around me blurring into a mass of greens and browns as I weaved through the trees. My breath came in ragged gasps, my lungs aching with the effort, but I refused to give in to the fatigue that threatened to overwhelm me. I refused to become another casualty in the Blaze Queen's relentless quest for power.
As I sprinted deeper into the forest, the sound of the Sythers' pursuit gradually faded away, replaced by the gentle babbling of anearby brook. I paused for a brief moment, leaning against the rough bark of a tree as I caught my breath and assessed my injury. It was painful, but I would survive. I had to.
But just as I felt a glimmer of hope, the ground beneath me gave way, and I found myself tumbling down a steep embankment. My body rolled and bounced uncontrollably, the world around me nothing but a dizzying whirl of sky and earth. When I finally came to a stop at the bottom of the cliff, I lay there, dazed and in pain, the coppery taste of blood in my mouth.
The last thing I remembered before darkness consumed me was the distant roar of dragons, a sound that filled me with both hope and a deep, pervasive dread. The Blaze Queen was still out there, and she would not rest until she had claimed the power that pulsed within my veins. But the darkness took me, and there was no Cade or Cornelius to protect me.
CHAPTER 29
The brisk air bit into my skin as I stirred awake, the damp earth beneath me sending a chill through my bones. I groaned, my side throbbing with a dull, insistent ache. Gingerly, I touched the wound where the spear had grazed me, hissing at the sharp pain that shot through my body. The blood was dried and crusted, clinging to my skin like a grim reminder of the battle I had fled.
I tried to stand, but my legs wobbled, and I stumbled, falling back onto the forest floor. The world spun around me, the shadows of the trees merging into a dizzying blur. I was alone, surrounded by the eerie silence of the Faewood, the only sounds the distant hoots of an owl and the rustling of leaves above.
A heavy weight settled in my chest, a mixture of guilt, fear, and self-doubt. How could I have been so foolish to think I could fight alongside Cade and Hunter? I'm just a slave girl from Bramblebash, unremarkable and weak. What good is my magic if I can't protect those I care about?
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the moonlit forest around me. I had failed. I had run, leaving Cade and Hunter to face the Sythers alone. I'm no warrior, no savior. I'm a burden, aliability. The Blaze Queen is coming for me, and there is nowhere I could hide, nowhere I could run that she wouldn't find me.
I hugged my knees to my chest, rocking back and forth as despair washed over me. The weight of my failures pressed down on me, threatening to crush me beneath their weight. I was just a pawn in a game I didn't understand, a game where the stakes were too high, and the odds were stacked against me.
"I can't do this," I whispered, the words tasting like bitter ash in my mouth. "I'm not strong enough. I never will be."
Just as I was about to give in to the overwhelming hopelessness, a soft, familiar voice cut through the darkness. "Ash, you are stronger than you think."
I looked up, wiping the tears from my eyes, and saw Cornelius standing a few paces away. His deep yellow eyes with streaks of fiery oranges and reds glowed in the moonlight, a beacon of hope in the darkness.
