Page 10 of Immortal Origins (Chronicles of the Immortal Trials #1)

Something was still pulling her. She followed it to the center of the garden where the air was stolen from her lungs the second time that day.

There stood a tree that emitted a magickal energy so intense, Ambrose didn’t bother fighting it, she immediately fell to her knees in awe.

Baked in golden light—no, it was the golden light—pulsating with a steady hum.

So bright, it was almost blinding. So bright, it filled everything when she looked at it.

“You’re the one who saved me,” Ambrose whispered, knowing it was true .

“ Yes. We did .” Its voice was nothing like she would’ve expected. Both male and female. Human and Fae. Every creature all at once. And something she didn’t understand, ancient and young all coming together as many and one all around her. A blend of melody that almost brought her to tears.

“ How are you…alive? ” Instinctively she said the words in her mind, knowing that they’d still understand her.

“ Everything is alive, young mage. ”

Humbled before the ancient soul, she knew what they said was the truth.

“ Why ?” The light hurt to look at but she didn’t dare tear her eyes away. “ I don’t understand. ”

“ You will, ” they assured. “ It is not time for you to know why. ”

“ What are you? ”

“ You are not yet able to understand. ” The voices rode each glowing pulse from the tree all the way to her.

“ When will I understand? ”

“ One day. ”

“ One day, ” Ambrose sighed. “ How do you know who I am? ”

“ We’ve known you for a long time. You’ve known us for a long time, ” their melody echoed. “ We’ve been waiting for you. ”

“ What do you want from me? ”

“ We’ve been waiting for a choice. ”

“ What kind of choice? ”

“ An eternal one, ” the voices sang around the garden. “ To take control of your fate, or remain a victim of it forever. The choice is yours. ”

“ What does that mean? ” She shook her head. “ That doesn’t make any sense. ”

“ It will. In time. But the decision must be made before it’s too late. We’ve helped all that we can, the choice is yours. Choose, young mage. ” There was no fear in their tone, but she could feel it in their magick.

“ That doesn’t feel like much of a choice. ”

“ Choose, young mage. ” Urgency laced their voices as the sound of commotion could be heard outside, edging closer to them. The guards must have combed the rest of the castle and finally found their way to them. Even as deep in as she was .

To take control of her fate, or stay a victim to it forever.

She’d never been in control of her own fate, the idea of it seemed impossible to grasp. What would she do with her fate in her hands. Was that even possible?

The sounds of armor were now clearly identifiable from somewhere close. Too close.

Magickal energy cut through the air that Ambrose knew almost as well as her own. They’d even woken Magnus for the hunt.

“ Choose!”

“ I choose my own fate! ” Ambrose screamed into her mind with everything she’d held back for twenty-three years. “ I want to be the master of my own fate.”

The thought had crossed her mind over the years more times than she could count.

Always a wish, but never one she let escape past her lips.

She never let herself hope or believe it could be true.

How could it? She allowed herself many feelings at court, feelings she refused to let the empire take from her.

Her rage. Her fight. Her determination. But she never dared to hope.

The unfamiliar emotion swelled as she stared at the spirit.

Hope.

How fragile it felt. Yet so big.

“ What do I do? ”

“ Eat from my fruit and soon enough…you will see… ” the voices trailed off until they were gone, but the intensity of their magick remained. Pulsating as though it grew stronger with each heartbeat. Gently hanging on a branch above her head was a golden peach, sinking down, begging her to take it.

She pulled the fruit from its perch and sank her teeth into the skin.

It was unlike anything she’d ever tasted.

Juices thick like candy as it washed over her tongue.

She could have eaten a thousand of them in one sitting.

For as long as she lived, she would never taste anything so perfect again.

Unable to stop herself she devoured it like it was the last meal she’d ever have.

She licked the juices from her fingers, savoring every drop as a warm, tingling sensation warmed her core like a hug from within.

It was satisfaction like she’d never known and a giggle pushed past her lips.

The sensation grew, spreading throughout her body.

Not unlike the way the tree spirit’s magick felt.

A strong hum vibrated from her heart to the tips of her fingers and toes to the top of her head.

Once it hummed through her body it grew to a rushing current that increased with each passing moment.

The noises outside were growing louder, and by the sounds of it they were right outside the door.

She knew she should run away. That they’d finally reached her and she should hide, run, do whatever she could to save herself, her judgment looming just on the other side of that door. But her body wouldn’t respond.

She stood there helplessly as the sensation inside of her grew.

The warmth becoming a heat she couldn’t contain.

Searing pain shot across her nerves as the current built past what she was sure any regular being could handle, with no end in sight.

Heat so intense it would boil her alive from the inside out.

A scream tore its way from her throat as she thrashed and clawed at her skin, tearing chunks away.

Her nails dug into her throat as it tightened, stealing her breath away.

She gasped desperately but her lungs wouldn’t respond.

Her skin so hot she was sure it would melt right off of her.

No one could survive such pain.

It was impossible.

Tears stained her cheeks and evaporated almost as soon as they touched her skin.

Screams ripped from her chest as she crumpled to the ground, heart pounding so hard she couldn’t hear her own cries over the thunder in her head.

The boiling inside her reached its fill and burst from her in a flash of blinding light.

The door behind her crashed open and angry guards charged towards her, Magnus leading the front. They tore their eyes away from the light, unable to bear it.

Magnus called her name and released a gut-wrenching cry as Ambrose gasped.

Eyes wide, she felt her heart beat its last beat. And stop.

Then, there was no heat.

No pressure.

No pain.

Nothing.