Page 26 of The Ascended
"And they're all... separate places?"
"Think of Voldaris as a realm containing twelve territories," Lyralei explained, her tone careful. "Very different from Elaren, where you lived before."
"Exactly. Your kingdoms are all mushed together. Here, each domain is its separate world," Novalie added softly. "No walking between them. Only portals, only with permission."
I nodded, silence filling the space.
Lyralei studied me for a moment. "You're from the Eastern Coast, aren't you?"
I tensed. "How did you know that?"
"Your accent. Your sun-drenched skin. I've encountered mortals from that region before." She leaned forward slightly. "What was your life like there?"
The question gnawed at me. I could almost feel the salt air hitting my face, that constant wind that made your eyes water and your hair stick to your skin. Saltcrest wasn't pretty—it was rough and weathered and half the buildings needed repairs we couldn't afford. But it was home. A place where the worst thing that could happen was a bad harvest or a storm.
And it was a life that felt like it belonged to someone else. A life I would never get back.
"Quiet," I said finally. "Simple. We worked the oyster beds, sold our catch at market. Nothing special."
"And your family?"
The question hit like a blade between my ribs. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Could only see Sulien kneeling peacefully by the fire, accepting his death with more grace than his killers deserved.
"My father raised us." It was all I could manage.
Lyralei's expression softened. "We don’t have to speak of it."
I nodded, surprised. "I don't understand why you're being so kind."
Lyralei was quiet for a moment, seeming to look right through me. "Perhaps because some of us remember what it's like to hope for something better.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Not all who serve the divine realm agree with every tradition we're asked to uphold."
But before I could ask what she meant, heavy footsteps echoed in the corridor outside. A metallic-skinned guard appeared in the doorway.
"Thais Morvaren," he announced, "you have been summoned."
My heart lurched, but I stood on steady legs. This was it.
I was ready.
I had to be.
Chapter 7
The Proving
The world ripped apartbeneath my feet.
The sensation was like being grabbed by invisible claws and hurled through space. My stomach lurched, and my vision shattered into fragments of light and shadow, but before I could even scream, I slammed back into existence.
I stumbled, nearly crashing face-first into white stone. Instead, I collided with warm flesh and expensive fabric. A young man with mousy brown hair.
"Easy," he said, steady hands catching my shoulders before I could fall.
My power hit me like a tidal wave. Days. It had been days since I'd last released it, and whatever magic had been suppressing my abilities in that cursed palace was gone. Now it roared through my veins, demanding release, threatening to pour from my hands.
I gritted my teeth until I tasted blood, forcing the inferno back down. Not now. Not yet.
"Thank you," I managed.
