Page 29 of Prince of Blaze and Embers (Emberveil Empire #1)

T here were multiple reasons for me to disobey Cade’s orders to stay in my room.

I needed to learn to use my magic, and I had to be out in the forest, near the water, to do that.

But there was something deeper at play too—something about Cade's recent behavior nagged at me. He had been such an asshole, treating me like I was nothing more than his property instead of the person I was becoming. I didn’t mind defying him; not this time.

I was tired of waiting for someone to rescue me.

If there was a chance to gain power, to harness this magic within me, I had to take it.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Bella’s voice broke through the dense air, yanking my arm, as she'd surely been waiting outside my room under the night sky.

“I need to practice,” I replied, my voice steady, though my insides twisted with uncertainty. “I can’t just wait here and hope for things to get better. I need to learn to use my magic.”

Bella interrupted, shaking her head vehemently. “Cade didn't leave you here to go off by yourself, and he forbade you from doing this again.”

I turned to her, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I’ve got to do this, Bella. I can’t rely on someone else to protect me all the time. I've got to learn to fight. I've got to be ready when the time comes!”

“You’re right,” she admitted, stepping closer. “But that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. I want to come with you. I want to see your magic!”

“Bella, listen!” I stepped back from her, feeling my nerves surge. “I don’t want to get you hurt. I don’t want to put you in danger again. You have no idea what I’m up against...”

“It’s not just you anymore!” she argued back, her voice firm as she crossed her arms. “We’re in this together. I can’t sit back and let you face whatever is out there alone. You’ve already saved me once, and I’ll be damned if I’m not strong enough to help you fight back.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but stopped. The fierceness in her glacier-blue eyes reminded me of the bond we shared through our tumultuous past. If she wanted to be by my side in this and was willing to fight, who was I to deny her that?

With a reluctant sigh, I relented. “All right… But you need to promise me that if things get too dangerous, you’ll run."

“Deal.” A smile slipped onto her face, and I felt a spark of hope rekindle.

I stepped back, turning toward where the ancient tortoise had been in the moonlight, as he'd disappeared again at the sight of Bella.

“Cornelius, she’s with me. Please, can you show yourself to her, to help me?”

He sighed, the sound rippling through the air.

As Bella stepped forward, he materialized into view. His head extended from his shell, revealing the wise, old eyes that seemed to see right through me every time we spoke. In the light of the full moon his body glistened with a faint yet staggering aura.

Bella gasped .

I suppressed a grin—that was nothing compared to what I felt the first time I saw him.

“Easy there,” Cornelius spoke, his wise old eyes looking Bella over. “You’re with the Gold-Marked, and that’s good enough for me. But you should know, she’s about to take us into great danger. Are you ready for what may come?”

Bella swallowed hard, but nodded. “I am.” A resolute expression coated her face, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was about to charge into battle.

Her bravery made me feel all the more nervous, but with Cornelius and two of us, I thought we could manage. I hoped we could.

“Good. Then let’s begin,” he said, turning away from us and starting off into the night.

Bella and I followed, and as we ventured deeper into the thick of the Faewood, the only sounds that filled the air were our footsteps, the distant hooting of an owl, and the creaking of old trees that rose tall into the starry sky.

I glanced over at Bella. She looked so determined.

Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and beneath the light of a thousand stars, her skin glistened.

I wished I looked half as courageous as she did at the moment.

We walked for what felt like hours in complete silence besides the crunching of leaves, and the slight muffle our footsteps made in the bleak night.

I worried; worried that Cade would find out and be even more angry than before.

When it came to him, my insides quivered with uncertainty, but as the thought of him left my mind, it was replaced with the feeling of powering through this journey—the drive to learn, and butterflies of excitement—that was all I needed.

“This way,” Cornelius said, veering off the path and into a thick area of the forest where moonlight couldn’t puncture through the canopy above.

The deciding factor to keep going was seeing a sparkling creek ahead, winding like a silver serpent through the trees. The surface shimmered with the soft reflection of the moon and stars.

Cornelius stopped beside the creek and turned to face us. “The water will help you greatly. Take off your shoes.”

Bella and I sat on the bank and complied, wincing as the cool water seeped between our toes.

“Now, listen closely. The Gilded Radiance has been unlocked inside of you, and it’s long been dormant.

To summon it, you must first feel for Eden within you.

Feel that connection, that bond that I told you about.

She will help you. And when you’re ready, picture an orb of golden light in the center of your chest.”

I closed my eyes, taking a breath as the cool water lapped against my ankles, and I felt for the sister I never had, this magical being that was me, but also not me.

She was there again—that rich, warm streak of golden light pulsing inside of me. I smiled to myself.

“I feel her,” I whispered.

“Excellent,” Cornelius said. “Now, when you’re ready, summon her. Imagine that orb blooming, getting bigger, brighter, until you feel its heat radiating throughout your body. When you’re overcome with it, release it.”

I nodded, and closed my eyes. I took several deep breaths as the cool creek water lapped higher onto my calves.

My insides churned with excitement and nerves.

This was it. The moment of truth. I felt for Eden, that stable streak, and imagined a glowing flower opening inside my sternum.

A warmth grew from deep within me, making me feel powerful, and charged with electric potential.

The golden orb expanded, and with each breath, it grew bigger, heavier, nobly bright.

I clasped my hands over it, feeling like a maiden about to give birth to a powerful future queen.

“Now, release it,” Cornelius whispered.

I opened my eyes and screamed, thrusting my hands outward, palms facing the thick black forest in front of us .

A brilliant pulse of golden magic erupted from me, exploding into the night. The force of it knocked me backward, sending me falling into the creek with a splash. The magic ripped through the air, cutting into the blackness and puncturing the silence of the forest.

As the golden light dissipated, I felt a rush of power coursing through me. I gasped, sputtering as I stood up in the waist-high water. The cool liquid soothed my burning skin, and I felt incredibly alive, energized in a way I never had before.

“Ash!” Bella shouted, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and concern as she rushed to the water’s edge.

“I’m okay,” I assured her, stepping carefully toward her. “I’m fine.”

Cornelius moved beside me, his eyes glowing in the moonlight. “You did well, Ash. Your magic is strong, but remember, it comes with a cost. You pushed it too far, too fast.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of elation and exhaustion wash over me. “I know. I just got caught up in the moment.”

“You must be careful,” Cornelius warned. “Too much and you'll be left vulnerable, just like what has happened the last few times. Use only as much as you need, and leave some in the reserves.”

Something tingled at the back of my brain; an eerie, troubling notion. Like a scratch I couldn't itch. Even past my exhaustion, it was as if something was pulling me deeper into the forest, beckoning for me to come, and it was overpowering.

"What?" Bella asked with both eyebrows raised. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"There's something over there," I breathed, the chirping of crickets and the flutter of bird wings overhead dimmed.

Cornelius' head followed my gaze, and his wise eyes narrowed, but he didn't peep a word.

"Follow me." I trudged down the middle of the stream, the cool water replenishing my depleted energy as we stalked deeper into the night forest.

The night was eerily peaceful, the forest creatures silent as if holding their breath. I felt that tingling sensation at the base of my skull, an ominous foreboding that something sinister lurked nearby.

Twenty minutes into our search, the sound of rushing water grew louder, and the forest opened up to a small clearing where a waterfall flowed gracefully over jagged rocks into a deep pool below. The moonlight illuminated the mist rising from the waterfall, creating an ethereal atmosphere.

And there, standing in the shallow pool, was the most breathtaking creature I had ever seen. The waterfall fell onto its massive body, rolling down its wings like a river.

It was a dragon, its scales a brilliant shade of blue that shimmered in cascading waves of hues, glistening under starlight.

The creature was immense, easily half the size of Krakos, with graceful curves and a sleek, muscular build.

Its eyes, a striking shade of emerald, scanned the surroundings, locking onto us momentarily before baring its pearly white teeth.

“Oh my god,” Bella breathed, her grip on my hand tightening.

I felt transfixed, unable to tear my eyes away from the stunning creature. Its scales were wet and glistening, each one reflecting the moonlight like a polished gem.

Cornelius seemed to sense my intention. “Ash, we must go. Now.”

But I couldn’t move. The dragon was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and a part of me yearned to approach it, to touch its sleek scales and feel its power.

The dragon emerged from the waterfall, shaking its massive head, and a burst of cool mist enveloped us.

It roared, the sound like thunder in the night sky, and spread its wings, which were a deep indigo shade.

With a powerful flap, the creature launched into the air, its eyes fixed on us.

Its wild eyes pierced me so deeply that my knees wobbled and I couldn’t look away, even if I wanted to.

It was incredible. The most majestic thing I’d ever seen.

I felt a rush of adrenaline as the dragon’s gaze bored into me. Then, with a final, piercing look, it turned and soared into the night sky, its wings carrying it away.

I stood, transfixed, watching the dragon until it disappeared from sight.

“Come on,” Bella urged, pulling me from my trance. “Ash, I have a feeling that’s not the last time we’re going to see that dragon.”

“Why do you say that?” I hoped her words were right, but she always had a knack for those things. Getting feelings that were right, even when I swore by Odiun she had no way of knowing those things.

“Just a feeling.” She winked, but then noticed something on the ground. She knelt, plucking a small white flower, showing it to me before placing it in her pocket.

I grinned. Bella, always finding beauty in this ugly world.

With a deep breath, I followed her and Cornelius back into the dense forest, the image of the blue dragon etched into my mind. As we walked, the excitement of what I had just accomplished buzzed through me, along with a sense of unease about the mysterious dragon.

We returned to the house in silence, each lost in our thoughts. Bella bid me goodnight with a hug and a whispered word of encouragement, and I retired to my room, my mind racing.

Sleep eluded me for a long while as I stared up at the ceiling, replaying the events of the night. The power I had unleashed, the breathtaking beauty of the blue dragon in the forest all tangled together in my thoughts.