Page 50 of Embers to Flames

“Stop!” Theo commands, his eyes flashing. The jeweler freezes, confusion etched on his face.

Theo gently takes the necklace from the jeweler’s hands and holds it up, peering closely at the carved raven pendant. He runs his fingers over the stone, then sniffs it cautiously. His eyes widen. “Did you think we wouldn’t detect your treachery?” Theo demands. He pulls me back from the stand, placing himself between me and the jeweler.

The jeweler’s face twists in fury. “You were meant to die, Princess!” he spits. “You were never supposed to be born. It’s an abomination!”

Theo shakes his head in disgust. “Guards!” At Theo’s shout, royal elven guards rush over and seize the jeweler. As they drag the venomous traitor away, Theo turns to me, relief washing over his face. “That was close,” he murmurs. “We should return to the Lord Phirel’s estate.”

I nod, shaken, but relieved. “News travels fast in Endia,” I say with a wry smile. “I didn’t realize my heritage was already common knowledge among the Elves.”

Theo chuckles softly, his tension easing. “It seems everyone knows you’re a princess now. We’ll have to be more careful.”

Lord Phirel has provided us with a lavish bedchamber adorned with silken sheets and a sumptuous canopy bed, draped in heavy furs. I am drawn to the window, gazing out at the city bathed in moonlight, its spires a silhouette against the night sky. A heaviness settles in my chest, a mixture of eagerness and apprehension. Theo’s hands gently encircle my waist from behind, drawing me close until his arms are fully enveloping me. He plants a tender kiss just beside my ear and murmurs, “My sweet, how I wish you’d let meaccompany you.”

“We’ve talked about this. I must go alone. Eulee will accompany me to the temple, but I need to face this challenge by myself,” I explain. “You and I may be destinara, but this is a personal journey I have to take on my own.” His fingers trace the curve of my jaw as he turns me to face him. His eyes lock with mine. The tenderness in those eyes of fire stir a fathomless longing within me.

He sighs, “I understand, but please promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?” I whisper, feeling his warmth enveloping me.

“Promise me you will do everything to find your way back to me.” He implores.

I feel the weight of his plea, and with a heart full of unspoken words, I nod. Our eyes meet, and in them, I see the reflection of our bond, unbreakable even by distance. He brushes his lips against mine, a gentle kiss that lingers long after he steps back, leaving me standing by the window, watching the city sleep below.

I make my way over to the bed and settle in next to Theo, with Eulee at our feet. In the stillness of the night, their bodies radiate warmth that soothes the chill in the air. My mind can’t help but wander to the journey ahead, the dangerous road that awaits me as I embark on my quest to uncover the secrets of the Raven Temple.

I drift into a fitful sleep, images swirling through my mind—the raven pendant, the temple, Theo’s tender embrace. Suddenly the images morph into something darker.

A raven caws overhead, its cry piercing and foreboding. I glance up to see its inky form circling high above before disappearing into the gloom. When I lower my gaze, a shadowy figure stands before me, face obscured by a dark cloak. Fear spikes through me. The figure raises a slender hand and beckons me forward. My feet move of their own volition until I stand directly before the stranger. A pale hand reaches out from the folds of the cloak, long nails like talons grasp my wrist. I try to wrench away but the grip only tightens.

“Do not be afraid, princess,” the figure rasps, voice hollow and inhuman. “I will show you what you seek.” The talons dig into my skin, and I gasp from the pain. Darkness crowds the edges of my vision. Just before everything goes black, the figure throws back its hood, revealing not a face but the gleaming visage of a raven’s head, eyes glinting… blood-red...

“Rose! Rose!” Theo’s voice rings in my ear as he shakes me awake. “Rose! Wake up!”

I jolt awake, Theo’s concerned face swimming into focus as my racing heart begins to slow.

“Just a nightmare,” I murmur, mostly to reassure myself. Theo brushes a strand of hair from my damp forehead, his brow furrowed.

“I’ll get you some water,” he says, pressing my hands between his before rising from the bed. I watch his silhouette disappear into the darkness. The silence of the room feels like a living entity. The dream was too real, the raven too familiar.The fear still clings to my skin, making it crawl in dreadful anticipation.

Theo returns then, water sloshing slightly within the stained glass as he carefully sits beside me. “Here,” he hands me the glass, his eyes searching my face for any sign of lingering terror.

I take a small sip, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat. “Thank you,” I whisper, noticing how his eyes soften at my words. We sit in silence for a few minutes, each lost in our own thoughts. My mind keeps circling back to the cloaked figure and its cryptic promise, ‘I will show you what you seek.’

“Rose…” Theo’s voice is insistent now.

“There were...” I hesitate, my voice barely above a whisper. “There were things... incredibly distressing images.” I swallow hard against the lump forming in my throat, remembering the raven-headed figure. “It was...” I falter, struggling to put words to the nightmarish images still lingering in my mind. “There was this figure... shrouded in a cloak, with... with a raven’s head instead of... of a human one.” The words come out in a tumble, and I can’t help but shudder as I remember the blood-red glint in those avian eyes.

Theo’s hand tightens around mine and then he moves closer, pulling me into his arms. “It was just a dream,” he murmurs into my ear. Yet beneath his calm exterior, I sense Theo’s own unease—almost as if he recognizes something from my description.

I try to shake off the unsettling feeling, focusing instead on the steady rhythm of Theo’s heart against my ear. His fingers brush lightly up and down my back in a soothing pattern that calms me down bit by bit. I feel the tension in my body slowly start to melt away as he leans in, pressing his lips to my temple in a feather-light kiss. I let out a soft sigh, feeling my body relax further into his embrace.

Chapter Twenty-Two

We make our way towards the outskirts of the city. I feel Theo’s hand tighten around mine, as if seeking reassurance in the cold morning air. Eulee remains glued to my side. We approach Lord Phirel and he hands me a small satchel filled with necessities: a dagger for protection, a compass, a vial of healing elixir, and a set of charms imbued with protective magic.

As he hands it over, he utters a solemn warning, “Remember, the trials are not just tests of your physical strength, but also of your mental resilience. The Raven Witches may push you to your breaking point. There is no turning back once you embark on this journey.”

I nod. Accepting whatever fate has in store for me. “Lord Phirel, I can’t thank you enough for your generosity. The horse and the winter clothing are more than I could have ever asked for,” I say gratefully, gesturing towards both gifts.

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