Page 41 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

KAIDA

T he acrid stench of smoke fills my nostrils as Declan and I descend from the skies above Thaldrim’s capital village.

Flames devour the remnants of buildings, once strong and proud, now reduced to ash and rubble.

Screams tear through the air, mingling with the clash of steel and the guttural roars of Dragons.

This place isn’t a village anymore; it’s a graveyard—chaos incarnate.

I glance at Declan flying beside me. His golden scales shimmer faintly in the waning sunlight, his jaw clenched tight. I don’t need words to know what he’s thinking. It’s the same as me: this is a losing battle.

We land just outside the village, ash swirling around us as our claws dig into the scorched earth. The second my feet touch the ground, I shift, my wings retracting and the familiar ache of transformation settling into my bones. I stand there for a moment, vulnerable, the air cool against my skin.

Declan lands beside me a heartbeat later, his massive form shifting with a swift movement, leaving his body as bare as mine.

A guard approaches immediately, carrying bundles of clothes and our weapons. Without a word, he hands them to us. I take the clothes from him, slipping into them quickly as the chill of the air bites at my skin.

Declan follows suit, his usual smile in place as he gets dressed.

“It’s not often I get to see you like this,” he teases, his voice light despite the weight of the mission ahead.

I ignore him, focusing on pulling my tunic over my head, the tension of the moment pulling at my thoughts.

Once we’re both dressed, I give the guard a nod of thanks, and we turn toward the village.

“You ready for this?” he asks, pulling his daggers from their sheaths. His voice is steady, but his eyes flick toward the burning wreckage ahead.

I flex my hands, the anticipation thrumming through my veins like fire. “Always.”

We charge in without hesitation, the chaos swallowing us whole. I move instinctively, my claws tearing through the first Fae soldier before he even sees me coming. Blood sprays across my face, hot and metallic, and his body crumples to the ground.

Declan fights beside me, his daggers a blur of movement. He’s efficient, precise, each kill clean and calculated.

But me? My movements are anything but. Shadows coil around my arms, writhing and twisting as though alive, striking out at the Fae who dare to cross me. My claws sink into flesh and bone, ripping apart anything in my path. They scream and fall, one after another, but I don’t stop .

The bindings on my arms loosen with every movement, the fabric ripping away bit by bit.

I can feel the dark marks beneath them pulsing, writhing like living things.

My claws catch the light, gleaming black as obsidian, and the swirling patterns on my arms creep into view, crawling up my wrists and forearms, stopping just below my elbows.

When the last Fae retreats beyond the village’s borders, I stand amidst the wreckage, chest heaving.

The fires rage on, casting flickering shadows over the blood-soaked ground.

My claws drip with gore, the stench of death hanging heavy in the air.

The shadows around me finally retreat, sinking back into my skin.

Declan approaches, his face pale, his gaze locked on my arms. He sucks in a sharp breath, the sound sharp against the quiet crackle of flames. “I didn’t realize… I didn’t know they’d gotten this bad.”

I glance down at my arms, my breath slowing. The dark marks twist and swirl over my skin, stark against the soot and blood. My fingers twitch, and I curl my hands into fists. “Every blessing comes with strings,” I mutter, my voice low and bitter.

Declan doesn’t respond, his expression tight.

I don’t need his pity. I pull the remnants of the wrappings tighter around my arms, turning away before he can say anything else.

“Help the wounded,” I bark, turning to the surviving villagers and soldiers.

“Put out the fires. I want everyone who’s not injured redirected to the town hall.

It’s still standing. Declan, set up a temporary aid tent over there.

” I point to a relatively untouched patch of land near the center of the village.

Declan nods and moves off, already shouting orders to a group of soldiers. I watch him for a moment before turning my attention back to the villagers. They’re moving like ghosts, their faces pale and hollow as they sift through the rubble for loved ones.

My chest tightens, but I shove the feeling down.

“Sir!”

The voice cuts through the din, sharp and urgent. I turn to see a young messenger sprinting toward me, his face flushed and streaked with soot.

“What is it?” I ask, my tone curt.

The messenger stops a few paces away, panting heavily. “Sir, there’s a report from Iryndel Castle.”

I straighten, the tension in my body returning. “Go on.”

The messenger swallows hard, his gaze darting nervously to the ground before meeting mine. “Your Fae, Aeris, has been arrested and charged with espionage and aiding the rebel Fae. She is set to be publicly executed in three days… by public whipping.”

My world tilts on its axis. For a moment, I can’t breathe, can’t think. The words hang in the air, heavy and suffocating.

“What?” The word escapes me in a whisper, barely audible.

Declan appears at my side, his brows furrowed. “What’s going on?”

The messenger repeats the report, his voice trembling slightly. Declan’s face goes sheet-white, his usual composure shattered.

My wings snap out from my back, a reflexive burst of emotion that sends the messenger stumbling backward. Without a second thought, I launch myself into the sky, my heart hammering in my chest.

“Kaida!” Declan’s voice follows me, and I glance back to see him shifting mid-air, his golden wings catching the moonlight as he races to catch up.

“What do you think happened?” he shouts over the wind.

“I don’t know,” I grit out, my teeth clenched. “But I’m going to murder anyone who even thinks about harming her.”

We fly like demons, barely stopping for breathers as we cut across the night sky. The stars blur above us, and the landscape below is a patchwork of shadows and light.

We reach Iryndel in a day and a half—half the usual time—but every grueling second stretches into eternity. The moment the castle comes into view, I dive toward it, my wings folding in tight as I plummet toward the throne room balcony.

I crash through the doors, ignoring the startled shouts of guards and advisors. Declan is hot on my heels, but I don’t slow down. My eyes lock onto my father and the king, standing near the center of the room, deep in conversation.

“What the fuck is going on with Aeris?” I demand, my voice booming across the chamber.

The king sighs heavily, his expression one of weary resignation. The commander glances at me with a flicker of annoyance.

“She has been charged with espionage and aiding the rebel Fae,” the king says, his tone flat. “We found proof.”

He gestures to a guard, who hands him a stack of papers. The king passes them to me, and Declan leans over my shoulder as I rifle through them.

Each document feels like a punch to the gut. Military outposts, strategic plans, all written in Aeris’s handwriting.

“These must be forged,” Declan says, his voice sharp with disbelief.

The commander steps forward, plucking one document from the pile. “This one was found on a dead Fae’s body in Arboriscyne. The rest were found in your room, under her clothing.”

Declan runs a hand through his hair, frustration etched into every line of his face.

“We also have a witness,” the king adds, his voice heavy.

“This isn’t right,” I say, my voice low but firm. “She would never do this. This has to be a setup.”

The commander sighs, his gaze softening for a brief moment. “Even if it is, the proof is ironclad. I have no choice but to publicly execute her.”

He places a hand on my shoulder, a gesture of sympathy that feels like salt in a wound.

“I’m sorry, son.”

I brush his hand off, my jaw tight. “We’ll prove that isn’t real,” I say, turning on my heel.

Declan follows close behind, his footsteps heavy on the cold stone floor as we descend into the dungeons.

The air grows thick, oppressive, each breath tasting of iron and damp stone.

My heart pounds in my chest, terror clawing at my insides.

What if they’ve already hurt her? What if she’s already beyond saving?

I shove a guard out of my way as we round a corner, my eyes fixed forward, every inch of me burning with purpose.

I will tear down every wall, break every damn lock, and crush anything that stands between me and Aeris.

They won’t keep her in this hell. Not for another second.

I don’t care who gets in my way. I don’t care what it costs.

No one touches what’s mine.

If I have to, I’ll burn this place to the ground to save her from it.