Page 31 of Prince of Blaze and Embers (Emberveil Empire #1)

T he first rays of morning sunlight crept through the window, casting soft rays of golden light on the wooden floorboards.

The night had been a torment of restless thoughts, and I felt the weight of my emotions pressing down on me like a heavy blanket.

Even though Cade’s touch had ignited a fire within me, the realization that we could never truly be together extinguished it just as quickly, leaving a void in its place.

The reality of our situation – of what we couldn’t deny – was a bitter pill to swallow.

Finally, I threw off the covers and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my bare feet cold against the hardwood floor. With a heavy sigh, I rose and made my way to the window. As I looked outside into the pale, morning light, my heart sank. The dragons were gone, and so was Cade.

I didn’t want to think too much about where he had gone this time, or what he would do.

I couldn’t bear another moment of worrying about the man who my heart refused to stop loving, even if every fiber in me screamed it was impossible.

The ache inside of me was only growing stronger as I thought more and more about him… about us. I needed a distraction .

Rosa was sitting quietly on the porch, a steaming mug of tea in hand, staring off into the peaceful surroundings. She seemed so serene, so at ease, like she had all the time in the world. I envied that about her.

Pushing the thoughts of Cade aside, I made my way to the porch, easing myself into the chair next to Rosa. She glanced my way but said nothing as I sat down.

I took a breath, the cool morning air filling my lungs as the birds chirped melodically in the trees. "Where do you think they’ve gone this time?" I asked, breaking the silence, though my voice was heavier than I intended.

“Eh. Who knows?” Rosa responded simply, taking a long sip of her tea. “Those two are always running off ta only the gods know where.”

“I just… I hate waiting,” I confessed, staring out at the forest, my eyes tracing over the spot where the dragons had been. The anxiety gnawed at me like a persistent itch, never letting me relax completely.

“They’ll be back,” Rosa assured me, though her tone didn’t betray any confidence.

“They always come back.” She took tobacco from her pouch on the side table and stuffed it into her pipe.

Sparked it with the lit candle on the table and puffed.

The wrinkles at the corners of her mouth deepened as she sucked in the smoke, then blowing it in a plume before her.

I nodded, even though the words did little to soothe me. Cade always felt like a storm ready to unravel, and the unpredictability of his behavior left me feeling uncertain about everything. Just then, Rosa rose, but I reached out, grabbing her hand gently before she could walk away.

“Wait, please.” My words were softer now, weighed down with desperation. “Can you stay with me for a moment? I... I have questions. Questions about Cade.”

Rosa hesitated, her brow furrowing as she looked down at our hands. “I don’t think it’s wise to meddle in their affairs, Ash. The prince and you is not my concern.”

“But he is my concern,” I pressed, my grip tightening. “I need to understand him. He means so much to me, even if I can’t have him. I know that sounds foolish, but there’s something about him that… I can’t just let it go.”

She gave a deep sigh, one side of her mouth twisting. “What do ya want me to tell ya?” Rosa asked, pulling her hand free to sit back down. She folded her arms over her chest, peering at me through narrowed eyes.

“Anything you can. I just… I feel so lost. He’s so withdrawn and angry. I want to know why. What happened to him? Why does he seem so tormented?”

Rosa sighed again heavily, glancing off into the distance before turning back to me. “He lost his father in battle with the Stormscales. His father was a powerful rider in his own right. When he fell, Cade was left to shoulder a heavy burden…”

“A battle?” I asked, drawn in by the gravity of her words. “What happened?”

Rosa leaned back in her chair, her eyes becoming distant as she recalled the past. “His father led a charge against them, but during the attack, witnesses say he was wounded.

The Blaze King fell from his dragon Scorpius.

None thought the king would ever die, especially Cade.

He admired the king. Cade deeply misses his father.

The king meant everything to him, and when he died, I think a piece of Cade died too.

So, all he was left with was the queen, who ascended the throne by the Rite of War.

While there is a current war, the spouse of the king may ascend the throne if the firstborn isn't fit to, until the war is done, and that kin will be crowned.

" She paused, a flash of bitterness crossing her face.

“His stepmother is not what he needed though. Mortriana was never the nurturing type. Chaos breeds chaos, and the queen is a conniving, spiteful woman.”

“I can’t imagine what that’s like.” I shook my head, my heart aching for him.

“I never met my parents. Garris used to tease me, saying my mother was a whore and my father was just some drunken nobody. But I always dreamed of what they looked like—my imagination filled them with grand stories, images of strength and adventure. I imagined them as dragon riders, heroes of the realm, fighting against dragons in the sky, rescuing me from the wretched life I felt so trapped in." Hearing about Cade’s father hit hard. An actual hero. Fallen in a battle that spiraled his son’s life out of control.

“This, Garris, doesn’t know a bloomin’ thing what he’s talking about,” Rosa said, her voice quiet yet firm.

“I’m sure your mother and father were good souls.

Because you’re one.” She put her leathery, kind hand on mine, causing my eyes to water and my lips to quiver.

“You may never get to hear stories about them, but they're a part of you. All the characteristics you possess—it was in their blood. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“Thank you, Rosa.” My throat tightened. “I used to make up adventures for my parents, imagining they were out there flying on dragons and saving the world. It’s sad to know they’ll never come for me, just like I feared.

And that every time Garris opened his mouth, he was betraying the truth of such a beautiful outcome.

But at least I hope they died for someone worth fighting for, right? ”

“That’s exactly it.” Rosa’s eyes softened, and there was a warmth in her gaze I hadn’t noticed before. “And you are worth fighting for, Ash. No matter what circumstances brought you here, you have magic and power that others envy. Each day you grow stronger. Don’t let anyone dim that spark.”

“Can you tell me more about Cade?” I leaned forward, my curiosity growing. “What was he like before… his father died?”

Rosa glanced away, her fingers tracing the rim of her pipe. “He was carefree. Lighthearted even. One might say he was like a breath of fresh air. The prince of the Emberveil Empire, adored by all. ”

My heart sank again. “And then everything fell apart?”

“Exactly,” she said solemnly. “He became a shadow of himself; burden laden by the weight of the empire, and life pushed onto him at such a young age. His stepmother… Mortriana Vissex. I don’t know what kind of madness consumed her, but she’s driven Cade into a corner.

The pressures of royal life are immense.

He fights so hard against expectations, against the dark legacy of his stepmother.

Everything became a performance to him. He had to be tough, ready to fight against everything and everyone at all times. ”

“I don’t want to think of him as that kind of person.” I shifted nervously in my seat, wishing for the prince whom I had kissed, who had held me so close. “He isn’t that guy now.”

“No, he’s not. But it takes time fer’ someone like him to open up.

And you may have to be the one that helps him break through those barriers.

” Rosa suddenly leaned in close, watching me intently.

“But I will say this, Ash. The obstacles in front of ya are monumental, and he may never be able to give you the life you dream of.

You should focus on what's in front of you, and that's the Blaze Queen.”

“I want to fight for him.” My voice was stronger than I expected, though it surprised me still.

“That may be a fool’s errand.” She waved her hand at me dismissively, and I sensed she was blocking something in the back of her mind.

“You have to keep your head together. You cannot let your feelings surmount the reality. Your feelings blind you to danger, but if you could break through to him, you might get a chance at something more than just survival.”

“I know he cares about me in a way. I know he does.” A warmth unfurled in my chest. It felt real, but the lingering doubts flipped back to the front of my mind.

“I know you’re scared. Scared of losing him.

You can’t look at him without thinking about how much he means to you.

I’ve watched you, you know. The way you look at him when you say things in the room before.

How you light up even just when he walks back in.

It’s obvious to me you have feelings for him.

” Rosa took a moment, dropping her eyes before she continued.

“But you have to remember, as much as he may care about you, he has a surprise loyalty to his stepmother and his empire that runs far deeper than you can imagine. The stakes are high.”

The truth echoed in me, and as I lowered my chin, shame fueled my prior anger. “I’m just another burden to him, aren’t I?”

“With everything happening—oh child… even if you think he cares for ya back, he may need to see it. The truth is, no true feelings can come out of this at this time. This is war. Hard, dirty, terrible war.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, hardening her gaze.

After a breath, she leaned in again, and she lowered her voice; her words were fierce yet soothing.

“What you need right now is to be steadfast, Ash. Do what the prince needs. Not what you want. Let him see what you’re capable of, and you might break through. ”

Inside, I felt myself trembling, but I pressed on.

“Rosa, can you help me? Please. I want to know how to be with him, even if I can't like before. Even if I have to fight for it. Even if it will be a torturous path.” She was right; my feelings for Cade were consuming me. Every gesture, every word from him punched like knives, but I couldn’t let go.

Suddenly, Rosa caught me in a gaze so intense I nearly flinched.

“You presume I can help you, but… child, I can only say what I know.” Deliberately slowly, she leaned back in her chair.

Her gaze dropped slightly before she spoke again.

“Even if I tell you how his heart can be won, you have to carry the responsibility.”

My pulse quickened. “I can handle it. I’ll do anything.”

Her eyes riveted on mine again, and her expression hardened.

“The truth behind the Blaze Queen is a terrible one. It plagues Cade with a cruel fate, a fate where he believed love doesn’t belong.

Ever since the king passed, I feel something has taken the queen.

A darkness in her heart, like a demon buried in her soul.

Cade’s troubled, but not lost in darkness like his stepmother, but that darkness in her heart is spreading.

I fear the prince thinks he is undeserving of love, and happiness will never find him. ”

I gasped. “What?”

“He thinks that love is a luxury. If you can show him that love and care is strength,” she said, her voice laced with a bitter humor, “it might work. His life has been one tough mountain to climb since his father disappeared. The woman you have to win him over from isn’t easy.

She is powerful, calculating, and she has everything else knotted around him.

But in her quest for power, she often overlooks the power of what she can't comprehend.”

“The power of …?”

“Love. Love finds a way. Love conquers all,” Rosa said with a gentle nod.

“All those ancient sayings we’ve heard time and time again…

all those clichés about love. They're true.

If destiny deems you two find a way, then it will.

But until then..." she stood slowly, ashing her pipe.

"...maybe you should stop sneaking out at night.

You're digging yourself into a hole that's gonna be awfully hard to get out of.

" She walked off to build the fire in the ovens and prepare breakfast, leaving me with a knot tied tightly in my stomach.