Page 3 of Ashes and Glass (Cursed Kingdoms)

Cinders

The air thickened with mist that hummed with ancient magic as Flame and I made our way deeper into the forest. Twilight painted the sky in watercolor hues of lavender and amber, casting long shadows that danced between the trees. The spellbook pressed against my side beneath my cloak, its presence both a comfort and a challenge.

"Keep your senses sharp, Cinders," Flame's voice resonated within me—not through sound but through a warmth that spread across my chest like glowing embers. "The Evergreen does not reveal its secrets lightly."

I nodded, though I knew Flame needed no such gesture. Each step forward represented a defiance of the life I had known—a life of servitude, of cinders and ash. Here, beneath the ancient canopy, I was no longer the girl who scrubbed floors and swept hearths. Here, I was a mage, the fire in my blood awakening with every breath I took.

The foliage around us formed a living tapestry woven with impossible hues—greens so vibrant they seemed to pulse with their own inner light. Flowers bloomed in fantastical shapes, some with petals as translucent as stained glass, others as soft as whispered promises. I reached out tentatively, my fingers brushing over a bloom that sparkled with dew—or perhaps something more potent than mere water.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I whispered, half-expecting the flower to answer.

"These plants thrive where lesser ones would wither," came Flame's measured response, the phoenix's fiery form casting dancing shadows among the trees. "Much like you, Cinders Everwood—flourishing despite the harshness that sought to diminish your light."

I smiled, feeling a kinship with the surrounding flora. They, too, were survivors, flourishing in a world that could be cruel and unforgiving. My smile faltered, though, as I caught sight of my reflection in a still pond nearby. Fiery red hair framed a face too thin from years of meager portions, eyes reflecting the verdant world around me yet shadowed by memories I couldn't fully escape.

"Your mother walked these same paths long ago," Flame continued, drawing me back from darker thoughts. "She, too, felt the weight of destiny upon her shoulders."

"Did she ever doubt herself?" I asked, needing to know that the woman whose blood coursed through my veins had faced her own uncertainties.

"Every mage does, at some point." Flame's wings folded gracefully as the phoenix settled on a nearby branch. "But she learned, as you must, that power is as much about trust as it is about strength. Trust in yourself, in the magic that binds us all."

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the scent of loam and wildflowers, mingled with something else—something that spoke of fire and rebirth. As I exhaled, a wisp of smoke curled from my lips, vanishing into the cool evening air.

"Is this where I learn to control it?" I gestured to the faint trail of smoke, evidence of the power that simmered beneath my skin.

"Control is only the beginning," Flame answered, eyes gleaming like twin embers in the growing darkness. "To wield fire is to engage in a dance—a dance of creation and destruction. Your heart must remain steady even as your spirit blazes."

We ventured deeper into the forest, the scenery growing more surreal with each step. Creatures of light flitted between the trees, their diminutive bodies aglow with ethereal luminance. Some darted away as I approached, like living stars fleeing the dawn, while others seemed curious, hovering near enough for me to feel the gentle heat they emitted. I extended my hand, palm up, and summoned a tiny flame, offering my own warmth in return.

"Are they watching over us?" I asked, enchanted by their silent vigil.

"They are the keepers of The Evergreen's memory," Flame replied. "They bear witness to all who walk these grounds, preserving each moment like insects in amber."

"Then I hope to be worthy of their gaze," I said, determination threading through my voice, surprising even myself.

The path before us began to climb, winding upward toward a destination unseen. With each step, I felt the surge of something powerful within me—an energy that craved release. Yet I held it in check, mindful of Flame's teachings and the responsibility that came with this newfound power. The forest grew denser, the trees more ancient, their gnarled trunks bearing silent testimony to centuries passed.

"Your mother reached the pinnacle of her craft here, amidst the whispering leaves and watchful stars," Flame said, voice tinged with nostalgia. "It was here she realized her true potential."

"And what of mine?" I paused, catching my breath as the path steepened. "Will I find clarity here as well?"

"Clarity comes in many forms," Flame responded, circling above me. "Sometimes it is a blazing inferno, other times a single spark. But always, it begins with a choice—to embrace the fire or to let it consume you."

I considered the words carefully, feeling their truth resonate deep within my bones. The choices I made here, in the heart of The Evergreen, would shape not only my destiny but potentially the fate of Elaria itself. I could not allow fear to smother the flame that sought to burn brightly within me—not when that flame might be the kingdom's only hope against Lady Belladonna's darkness.

"Then let us continue," I declared, my resolve hardening like iron in the forge. "I am ready to face whatever trials lie ahead."

"Good," Flame said, approval warming its voice. "Remember, Cinders, fire can destroy, but it can also illuminate and warm. It is a gift and a burden—one you must bear with both grace and courage."

"Like my mother before me," I affirmed, squaring my shoulders as we ascended further into the unknown.

After what seemed like hours, the dense forest canopy suddenly opened to reveal a clearing bathed in silver moonlight. A perfect circle of ancient trees surrounded a small glade where no undergrowth dared encroach upon the soft, moss-covered ground. I stepped into the open space, feeling an inexplicable sense of homecoming—as if every fiber of my being recognized this place from a dream half-remembered.

"Here," Flame said softly, "you will learn to master the flames that seek to dance with you. And in doing so, you will ignite the path to your destiny."

As the words settled over me, I closed my eyes and reached for the magic that simmered just below the surface of my consciousness. I was Cinders Everwood, daughter of a lineage steeped in fire and strength. Here, in the heart of The Evergreen, I would rise, transformed by the blaze of my own making.

The air around me grew still, charged with anticipation. When I opened my eyes again, she stood before me—woven from the very essence of the forest itself.

Niobe, the Fairy of the Evergreen, materialized as if stepping through a veil between worlds. Her flowing hair cascaded over her shoulders in waves of emerald and jade, unfurling like tender fern fronds catching morning light. Her eyes—deep pools of ancient wisdom—held the serenity of still waters after a storm. Her skin glimmered with a subtle luminescence that cast no shadow, and her gown appeared fashioned from living leaves and morning dew.

"Welcome, daughter of fire," Niobe greeted me, her voice a melody that resonated within my very soul, each note a perfect harmony with the forest's own music. "You have come far on your journey, but the path ahead is woven with both light and shadow."

I stood in reverent awe, feeling an immediate sense of peace infuse my being. "Niobe," I whispered, her name feeling both foreign and intimate upon my lips. "I seek guidance. The fire within me burns for purpose, for understanding."

The fairy moved toward me with fluid grace, each step causing wildflowers to bloom beneath her feet. "Fire is but one element among many, child," she began, her tone echoing the serenity of the forest around us. "It requires the breath of air to ignite, the nurture of earth to contain it, and the temperance of water to shape its destiny."

"Like the elements, am I to find this balance first within myself?" I ventured, my curiosity taking flight.

"Indeed," she affirmed, her smile gentle like the first rays of dawn breaking through morning mist. "To master the flames that dance within you, you must also root yourself deeply in the earth, let your intentions flow like water, and allow your thoughts the freedom of the skies."

Her words unfurled in my mind, blossoming into understanding though she spoke in riddles that revealed profound truths. Niobe moved closer, the air around us shimmering with hues of emerald and gold that seemed to emanate from her very being.

"Cinders," she said, using the name I had claimed for myself, "what does fire represent to you?"

"Strength," I replied without hesitation. "And sometimes destruction. But now, I see it also means transformation."

"Ah, yes. The fire transforms," she nodded, her emerald eyes reflecting the moonlight. "It reduces the old to ashes, making way for new growth. So too must you be willing to let go of what no longer serves you, to foster the seeds of what you may become."

"Letting go has never been my strength," I confessed, thinking of the memories and resentments that clung like ivy to the walls of my heart—memories of a childhood stolen, of a birthright denied.

"Yet it is the way of nature, and thus, the way of magic," Niobe continued, raising her hand toward Flame, who hovered nearby. "You have already found one guardian on your path."

"Flame," I nodded, glancing at the phoenix. "He emerged from my mother's spellbook."

"Ah, yes." Niobe's expression softened with reminiscence. "You see, Flame is not merely a creature of wings and fire. The phoenix is the essence of your mother's magic, a guardian birthed from the very spellbook you discovered. That tome is a conduit for your heritage, Cinders Everwood, a nexus where power and spirit converge."

My heart raced, a myriad of questions swirling like eddies in a river. The connection between my mother, the spellbook, and Flame—pieces of a puzzle I was only now beginning to assemble. Each revelation felt like another veil lifting from my eyes.

"Your mother and I," Niobe continued, her face suffused with a wistful glow, "we shared a vision for the balance of magic within these realms. When the time came, I chose to merge my essence with The Evergreen, to become its protector and ensure that equilibrium was maintained."

Her admission struck a chord within me, resonating with the pulse of the land that cradled us. I could almost feel the thrum of life beneath my feet, a testament to the sacrifice Niobe had made—giving up her separate identity to become one with the forest itself.

"That's why I'm drawn here, isn't it?" I asked, my heart breaking open with the weight of newfound knowledge. "To learn, to grow into this... responsibility that awaits me."

"Yes," she affirmed, her voice a gentle caress against the tumult of my thoughts. "The legacy of your mother, the path she charted for you—it's both a gift and a calling. You are her living testament. Through you, the flame endures."

A sense of awe washed over me, and I felt the weight of my magical destiny settle upon my shoulders—not as an iron yoke, but as a cloak woven from the threads of fate itself. I stood taller, drawing strength from the knowledge that I was part of something greater than myself.

"The tree sheds its leaves to rest, the snake its skin, the day its light to welcome the night," Niobe said, her words carrying the rhythm of an ancient truth. "What will you shed, Cinders Everwood, to embrace the fullness of your power?"

Her inquiry sparked something that lay deep within the shadows of my heart. "Fear," I declared, the word ringing clear in the moonlit clearing. "Fear of failing, fear of the fire consuming me instead of me mastering it."

"Brave child," the fairy said, her voice a soothing balm. "Fear need not define us. You carry within you the spirit of those who have walked before you. Let their courage fuel your own, and trust that your flames will illuminate, not obliterate." She reached out, her fingertips brushing my cheek with the softness of a butterfly's wing. "Remember, even in your darkest hour, that you are not alone. Never alone."

"Trust," I echoed, tasting the word like a new spell upon my tongue. "Trust in myself, in the magic, and in that which I cannot yet see."

Niobe's gaze held mine, a silent vow passing between us—fairy to mortal, guardian to heir. "Choose each day what you will kindle and what you will quench. The fire responds to intention as much as skill."

"Thank you," I murmured, her wisdom seeping into the marrow of my bones. "I will carry your words with me, Niobe. I will hold them as a lamp to light my way."

"Go forth," she bid me, her form beginning to shimmer and fade like mist beneath the rising sun. "Let your heart be your compass, and may your flames bring light to those in darkness."

With a final smile that seemed to encompass all the compassion of the ancient forest, Niobe vanished, leaving me in the clearing with my mother's spellbook clutched to my chest, Flame hovering silently at my side, and the whispers of The Evergreen surrounding me like a living embrace.

I stood motionless for several heartbeats, absorbing all that had transpired. Then, with newfound purpose, I opened the spellbook once more, its pages glowing with faint amber light in the darkness. Tonight was just the beginning of my journey—a journey that would lead me back to reclaim what was rightfully mine, to restore balance to a kingdom that had fallen into shadow.

"We have work to do," I said to Flame, feeling the fire within me burn with steady, controlled determination. No longer a wild, untamed force, but a weapon I would learn to wield with precision and purpose.

The phoenix's eyes gleamed with approval as we turned to make our way back through the forest, leaving the sacred clearing behind but carrying its magic with us. With each step, I felt myself transforming—shedding the ashes of my former life to emerge as something stronger, brighter.

I was Cinders Everwood, and my fire was only beginning to rise.