Page 25 of Embers to Flames

Theo listens intently, his expression grave. Prince Ruvyn, on the other hand, seems bored and disinterested, playing with his food and occasionally shooting sideways glances at me. Lord Erhorn nods thoughtfully throughout my explanation.

The King looks at me with intent, “And your husband? Do you believe him to be a good man?”

I pause for a moment before responding, choosing my words carefully. “He was, Your Grace. And I believe that he still could be, had it not been for the influence of the Auraroot.”

The King nods, considering my words. “And what of this murder situation? Do you believe he did it?” Suddenly I feel like I’m the one on trial.

“I do not know, Your Grace,” I admit, my voice wavering slightly. “I desperately want to believe in his innocence, but I can’t deny the evidence against him. When we last spoke, he adamantly maintained that he did not commit the crime. He did, however, go through the victim’s pockets afterwards; yet he swore to me that he did not harm him.”

The King leans back in his chair, taking a bite of sausage. He swallows and then continues, “Well, the other High Lords should be arriving soon. We shall have the trial today and give your husband a chance to plead for himself. One more question though; what are your plans for the future Rosanhi? If your husband is found guilty, where will you go?”

“I have a home on the island of Bahulya, Your Grace, where my grandmother also resides. With all due respect, I believe that regardless of Mikyl’s verdict, our marriage is essentially over. I am ready to move on with my life.”

The King nods, seeming to accept my answer. “Well, we’ll see what the trial brings,” he says. “In the meantime, please enjoy your breakfast.” I take a deep breath and continue eating, trying to calm my nerves.

The sudden crash of shattering dishes startles me, prompting an instinctive leap. Ava is standing there with her hands covering her mouth. Beneath her is a scatter of broken porcelain. Her eyes brim with unshed tears, betraying her shock. I stand up and rush to her.

“Ava, what is it?”

Predictably, she remains silent. Lenna bursts through the door in response to the sound of the crashing dishes. Yet, Ava’s gaze remains locked—onto Prince Ruvyn. Her expression is etched with sheer horror. I look towards the prince; his face is blank and unyielding.

“Are you alright, Ava?” I ask, trying to comfort her.

She shakes her head, still unable to speak, and Lenna quickly rushes over to her side. I glance at the prince, but he still seems indifferent to the situation. The King clears his throat, bringing my attention back to him.

“Take the girl to her sleeping chambers. I’ll send in a healer.”

“That won’t be necessary, Your Grace. Thank you.” I say, taking Ava’s hand, Lenna takes the other and together we guide her out of the dining hall to their sleeping chambers.

We settle Ava onto the sofa. She is still shaken but seems to be calming down a bit. I sit beside her and take her hands in mine, offering her a gentle smile. My attention is drawn to the sound of quiet knocking on the door. Theo peeks inside and I motion for him to enter.

“I can help.” He whispers.

I give him a grateful, but sorrowful look of admiration. “No one can help her. The Raven Witches couldn’t even help her.”

“I can’t help her to speak again, but I can look into her mind.” His face shows worry, as if I might be offended bythis information. I take a long glance at Ava then nod, knowing it’s worth a try. I trust Theo.

“Thank you. But please, be gentle with her.”

He nods and approaches Ava, taking a seat on the floor in front of her. Lenna and I stand back, watching, anticipating. He gently takes her hands in his and closes his eyes, concentrating. After a moment, he opens his eyes and meets Ava’s gaze, and a silent exchange begins. His gaze deepens, becoming a vortex that seems to pull the very thoughts from her mind. Theo’s expression remains impassive, but his eyes flicker with the reflections of Ava’s deepest secrets, reading her inner world as one would a book written in luminous ink.

After a few moments, Theo looks up at me, a mixture of shock and concern on his face. He stands up, patting Ava on the knee gently and nodding his head towards her. Ava looks at him with relief, as if the weight of something heavy has finally been lifted from her.

He steps towards us, “We need to go speak with my uncle. Now.” I notice the urgency in Theo’s voice and nod.

“Ava, we’ll be back soon. Lenna, please stay with her.” I follow Theo out of the room, my mind racing with questions.

We burst into Lord Erhorn’s chambers, interrupting his preparations for Mikyl’s trial. His gaze falls onTheo, immediately sensing that something is amiss, “What is it?”

“I have some vital information regarding the prince. It can’t wait.” Theo responds quickly.

Lord Erhorn’s expression turns serious as he directs his full attention to us. “Tell me,” he demands.

“I have reason to believe that Prince Ruvyn has been using Auraroot to create an army of Obscuro Elves.” Theo’s face is as serious as the ocean is deep.

While his face is unyielding and stoic, reflecting the gravity of his thoughts; my expression was confused, “Wait, what are Obscuro Elves?” I ask.

Lord Erhorn takes a seat at his desk; his face having lost its color. He reaches up to caress his beard, a nervous habit. “Obscuro Elves are a dark and twisted version of our kind, created by the use of Auraroot. They are known for their fierce loyalty and unquestioning obedience, but also for their cruelty and lack of empathy. How did you come to have this information Theodas?”

---