Page 133 of Song of the Heart Scale
Azareth turned his uncanny eyes to Cat. “And you,” he murmured. “The girl born of two worlds.”
Cat defiantly tilted her chin. She didn't flinch, but I could feel the tension ripple through her.
He turned back to me. “You were chosen because you are the balance. The forgotten son. The shadow among flame.”
Uncle Bai stood off to the side with his arms folded, his expression unreadable. Malachar's head was bowed. Only Cat looked unyielding, though I knew her heart was racing.
“You were born not from a royal womb, but from something greater,” Azareth continued. “The former emperor was not your father.”
The words hit like a blow even though I’d already known that man wasn’t my father.
My breath caught. “Then who was?”
Azareth's gaze didn't waver. “I am.”
The silence shattered me.
When I staggered back a step, Cat's grip tightened on my hand. Uncle Bai gasped. Even Malachar's eyes widened in shock.
I tried to speak, but the words tangled.
Azareth continued. “Long ago, I walked among mortals. A mistake, perhaps. But from that mistake came you. Your mother was brave. Beautiful. Mortal, to some extent. A dragon shifter.”
My mind reeled. I had no memories of my mother.
“When the time came, I knew your existence would alter the course of this world. So I marked you. The twin flame was never a curse. It was a calling.”
“And Cat?” I managed, my voice hoarse.
Azareth looked at her again. For the first time, something almost human touched his features. A flicker of admiration.
“Because shechoseit,” he said. “Many are given fate, but few dare to defy it. She is your flame. Your echo. And together, you were always meant to ignite change. I only sent her the dream… it was her decision to follow the path.”
Cat blinked, her throat working as she tried to absorb the weight of his revelations. “So we were just... pawns?”
Azareth shook his head. “Never pawns. You were forged, not forced. Every choice you made brought you here. This world survives because of what you built from your pain.”
I swallowed hard. “Why now? Why appear to me only at the end of things?”
Azareth looked up at the scorched ceiling, the cracks in the stained glass, and the bodies left in our wake. “Because you weren’t ready before, but now you are. And because the scales had to be righted. Thorne had two heart scales. The balance was broken.”
Uncle Bai stepped forward, finally finding his voice. “And now? What happens next?”
Azareth looked at me. “Now you must decide what kind of ruler you will be.”
My hands clenched. “I never wanted the throne.”
“And that,” Azareth said quietly, “is exactly why it should be yours.”
Cat turned to me, her eyes soft. “Whatever you choose, you won't do it alone.”
Azareth began to step back. The glow around him shimmered like heat rising from stone.
“Wait!” I said quickly. “Are you staying?”
He paused, his gaze filled with the weight of the world. “I cannot. My place is not here.”
“If I don’t want to be emperor, will Elaria be punished again?” I hesitantly asked.
