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Her breathing hitched at his words, the thrumming of her sorcery making her heart pound faster.

“No one else needs to know what weapons you hold.”

“Do witches really endanger each other for power?” she asked Torin.

He must have heard the concern in her tone. “The supreme wouldn’t allow that; she needs a united front. She needs a strong union between the covens. However, that doesn't stop the catty politics between Houses, or the jealousy, should one be more favoured. But don't worry, I will protect you from that.”

“I will protect you from that.”

Her stomach dipped.

“Blacksteel,” Artem shouted from out front. “We are about two hours away. Do you want to pick up speed?”

“Sounds like a plan, Stryker.”

“Two hours?” Emara exclaimed, breaking the intentions of where her conversation was about to go.

Torin chuckled, and she could feel the vibrations from his chest through her cloak. “Relax,” he said. “You are tense again.” He wrapped an arm around her stomach and pulled her into him. “You could maybe get some sleep, since you were up early this morning,” his tone danced suggestively in the air.

But she didn’t fire a snide return his way, she simply leaned back against him and let out a small sigh. There was so much yet to be answered about who she was and her purpose, but she couldn’t dive into that dark cave just yet, not when she was so close to ascending.

Because the kingdom needs you to. You are the only thing that can stop the darkness. The world as we know it now depends on your ascension.

She let her head fall back against Torin’s chest and listened to the beating of his heart. It had become a sound that spoke to her in a way she never thought possible, a song that gave meaning to her journey.

The steady beating of his heart and the constant clicking of hooves must have sent her off into a slumber, because she awoke to the sound of her name.

Torin whispered again, “Emara.”

She blinked open her eyes and her gaze instantly found why he had awoken her. They were high into the mountain range now, and a thick cloud lay below where they rode, cascading down into the valley.

A gasp escaped her, and she sat up further.

The sky had cleared up and the winter sun burned a glowing yellow above them, casting a light onto the layer of fluffy cloud. The peaks of the mountain could no longer be seen; she was so close to the top, but not quite there yet. She swung her legs over the saddle and hit the uneven ground, bending her knees. Walking towards the cliff’s edge, she could see for miles into the distance, and through little waves of smoky cloud, she could see the kingdom below her.

Looking over to her left, she placed a hand up to shield her eyes.

A glittering fortress sat on the edge of the mountain, sending out sparkles of violet, lilac, and lavender. Its ancient magic sung out to her, grasping her attention. Something inside of her acknowledged the olden magic, like her blood knew its melody, and she inhaled sharply.

The fortress had been carved from the mountain itself, and its remarkable structure seemed to be floating like one of the shimmering clouds. The pointed tops of the fortress were solid crystal, and the windows were all stained glass from what she could see, swirling in all different colours and shapes.

Her eyes couldn’t quite believe that something like this could exist.

She turned back to where the men sat atop their horses. “The Amethyst Palace!” she breathed, looking directly at Torin.

“There is nothing quite like it in the whole of the kingdom.” Artem mirrored her tone of admiration.

If the scenery wasn’t so sublime it could blind her, the palace was wholly spectacular on its own. But the two of them together, where the landscape met the palace, was outrageously beautiful. It sat like one gigantic, ancient crystal at the side of the mountain, magic thrumming from its infrastructure, and it was as if the mountains themselves bowed to it.

“All the great witches have ascended here.” Torin looked her over and a dipping sensation rolled in her stomach before she felt her heart lurch into her mouth. She wasn’t sure if it was because of his words or the way he looked at her like she was more beautiful than the crystal fortress.

But she could feel the magic in her blood calling to the ascension place, like it craved for her to get there in a heartbeat and unite with a fate she was destined for.

Emara looked back to it, its glittering edges winking at her, inviting her towards it.

“Come on.” Torin gestured for her to get back onto the horse. “We are almost there.”

Pulling herself back onto the horse, she mounted gracefully and fixed her cloak back around her. Torin sat with one hand around her waist as they made their way towards their destination.