Page 39 of Embers to Flames

“No! Get out of my head! You can’t be serious right now! You knew! You knew we were destined to conceive this… this child… and you left me no choice in the matter!” I could barely look at him.

“Rose, I didn’t…I wasn’t sure. But then you turned last night. It all fits!”

Theo’s face contorted into a mixture of guilt and concern. “Rose, I swear I never intended to deceive you. I knew I was a part of this prophecy, but I had no way of knowing you would be involved. I was just as shocked as you are now.”

“But you knew I was Destinara with you?”

“I knew it was a possibility. I had never felt this way towards anyone before. And then when you turned, I had the confirmation I needed. I had to be certain before I told you anything.” I couldn’t help but be touched by his words, but I was still angry. I vigorously shake my head, hands planted firmly on my hips in frustration. The sound of my steps echoes as I pace back and forth in front of him, my feet stomping against the ground with each turn. My heartbeat quickens and my breath comes out in sharp bursts as I try to control my emotions.

“I still don’t understand. You are not a Dragon. The markings say the father has to be a Dragon. There are no more Dragons.”

“I am a Dragon shifter. I have always been one, but I have never been able to shift into my true form. Why else do you think I’m the only Elf with wings?”

“You are joking right?” I snort a laugh and take a step over to the boulder and sit down. “How can you be a Dragon shifter if you have nevershifted?”

He walks over and sits down next to me. We both stare at the markings as he continues, “My family is one of the last remaining bloodlines. My mother was a shifter… and my father a rider.” Theo’s gaze turns distant, as if he’s lost in a memory. I take his hand in mine, scooting my body closer to him. With that, a flash of images enter my foremind along with Theo’s voice narrating what my thoughts show to me.

“I was still just a child. Couldn’t even fly yet, but how I loved to watch my mother and father soar through the clouds together. My mother was majestic. Her scales would turn a soft color of gray—almost silver— and her eyes were golden, like mine.”

I look up at Theo’s face and watch a tear slowly release from his eye and fall down his cheek. I could smell the saltiness of it. He continues to soulspeak, images of his mother and Lord Ailwin play in my mind.

“My parents left Zorrina to attend the Fire Rites here at Dragon’s Edge. A few days later, my father returned… my mother never did.”Theo grips my hand harder, finally looking up at me, his eyes wet and dripping. His voice is full of sorrow.

I choke back a sob as I look into Theo’s pained eyes, knowing the weight of his loss. “I’m so sorry,” I murmur, my own tears beginning to fall.

“She was a force of nature, unstoppable and terrifyingly beautiful,” He recounts, the image of his mother rippling in my thoughts like a reflection on the water’s surface—a silver-scaled Dragon against the cerulean sky, her wings unfolding against the wind, all strength and grace. “But she had a soft heart.”

“Like you.” I say with a soft smile as I brush the back of my hand against his cheek. “What happened to her?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I’ve tried asking my father,” Theo says softly, pulling himself out of his reverie. “But every time I bring her up, he shuts down or changes the subject. I think… I think whatever happened that night broke him.”

Chapter Seventeen

We emerge from the dark depths of the cave and make our way back through the roaring waterfall. As we step out into the bright sunlight, its golden rays hit the cascading water at just the right angle, causing a stunning display of iridescent colors to flicker and sway along the edges.

“Care for a swim?” Theo’s voice is a soft invitation, his hand warm as it clasps mine, guiding me towards the shimmering pool.

I nod, my gaze locked onto his, unable to look away. “Only if you promise not to splash me,” I tease, a smile tugging at my lips.

“No promises,” he grins, leading us intothe cool water.

We pause in the middle of the pool, treading water. Theo splashes me playfully, his laughter a melody that echoes off the surrounding cliffs like joyful birds taking flight.

“Hey!” I laugh, splashing him back. “I thought we had a deal!”

“Deals are meant to be broken,” he chuckles, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Our bodies brush against each other, each touch sending electric thrills through my veins. Our eyes meet, and the connection between us feels almost tangible, a silent conversation of shared secrets and unspoken desires. Theo pulls me closer, his arms wrapping around me with a possessive tenderness.

“You know, you’re terrible at this whole ‘not splashing’ thing,” I murmur, my voice softening.

“Maybe I just wanted an excuse to get closer,” he replies, his voice low and teasing. We slip beneath the surface, our bodies entwined, moving as one. The weightlessness of the water is liberating, allowing us to explore each other with a new-found freedom. Every touch, every caress, is amplified by the liquid cocoon that surrounds us.

We break the surface, gasping for air, and our lips meet in a passionate kiss. “You’ll never need an excuse to be close to me,” I whisper against his lips, my hands gliding through the water to find the solid strength of his back.

Theo’s eyes sparkle with mischief. “Oh, is that so?” he teases, a grin spreading across his face. “Good to know,because I was running out of excuses. Next, I was going to claim I needed you to help me fight off imaginary sea monsters.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously enamored by you,” he counters, pulling me even closer. “And I plan on staying close for a very long time.” He wraps his arms around me, our bodies melding together in the cool, moonlit pool, the waterfall’s mist enveloping us.

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