Page 79 of A War of Embers

“If immortals from Tellus aren’t granted access to the Cliff of Embers, then where do they go?” I demand.

“Aren’t your people known for stealing mortal souls to swap with their own? Mortals cross over. It’s not their fault they were trapped on the wrong side of the sea during the war. Those who are immortals trying to enter, and there have been a few documented accounts over the years if you don’t believe me, are extinguished. They do not find peace. As far as I am aware, souls that are extinguished live in a dark pit of limbo where they never rest and never resurface. But there’s no proof of it. They simply cease existing. You can’t find their souls in the Cliff of Embers at all, of that I know for a fact.”

No wonder people trade souls as commodities between immortals. It's the only way to cross. How does no one in Tellus know this? People would second guess becoming immortals then.

“I take it your Lords and Ladies didn’t tell you this,” Lady Cirilla snorts. “Of course they didn’t. They like their little toys to be as oblivious as their subjects.”

At least I know that to be true. “Our histories are vastly different. I don’t understand the purpose of trying to get to the Cliff of Embers.”

“It’s a power source, full of souls old and new. The armies Tellus wanted were going to be made from elite soldiers who died in battle. Mortals who knew how to pillage and destroy. Something this realm had not had to deal with in a long time. An all out war was inevitable as we stood our ground against being used as puppets under their regime. They wanted absolute control of the creatures and magic in this land. But they weren’t successful.”

“They retreated back across the sea.” This part I knew well.

“Because they fractured the soul in Lord Rowan, killing his brother in battle, and realized their mistake as he tore apart their armies with his bare hands to get the shard they stole back.”

Now this was entirely new information. “Rowan went after them?”

Lady Cirilla sneers. “Of course he did, girl. Do you think he was going to allow a part of himself, of his magic, to be stolen by those hideous people? There was a short battle where the shard fractured again. Those cowards ran off with what they could keep a hold of.”

“So they have a piece of his magic?” Well that’s a terrifying thought to have.

“Most of us believe the fractured piece died. Most of the time souls that are fractured can only sustain in two parts. The further you break it down, the less reliable it becomes in giving you what you want. Lord Rowan is a powerful being, far greater than anyone else here in the realms. They wanted to kill him and his brother until there was no way for us to rise again. It is why the Lords and Ladies in Tellus do not cross the sea.”

Even with a missing piece of his soul, Rowan is far more powerful than anyone in Tellus knew what to do with. Maybe this is why his private study is full of maps of Tellus, even if they’re inaccurate. He wants to be ready to prevent another war. “Thank you for telling me this.”

She scoffs. “You are not suitable to be with Lord Rowan if you don’t even know the basics of our history here. Are you supposed to understand the people and their needs if you can’t even understand their past?”

I don’t plan to be here at all, I want to say. “I’m trying to understand now, aren’t I? I was a mortal once. I believed what I was told in Tellus because what alternative did I have?”

Lady Cirilla frowns at my comment. Clearly in her anger towards me she forgot the mortals she was adamant needed protection were where immortals originated from. “I’m sure your family–”

“Is dead,” I deadpan. “I killed them all.”

Clearly taking her off guard, she sucks in a sharp breath. I can almost smell the fear wafting off of her from my statement.

“The immortal souls inside of me had been activated. I didn’t understand what was happening. But I get nightmares sometimes afterwards that act as visions, showing me what I became capable of while someone else was in control of my body. The first act Lady Gwenyth initiated for me was to mass murder the entire Anderson family so I had no one to help me from escaping becoming an immortal. So, no, my family never told me anything about this. And if they did, it’s been a long time, I barely remember them.”

This is the first time Lady Cirilla has ever looked at me with a thread of sympathy in her gaze. She opens her mouth as if to say something, but comes up blank. Not surprising. Who knows what to say when something like this occurs?

“Anyways,” I lift my chin as I continue to stare at her dumbfounded face, “thank you again for letting me know about the Cliff of Embers.” And how bargaining for my death might be harder than I thought.

Her manners kick in immediately as she murmurs, “Of course.”

I take a step back to retreat from the room, but her voice halts me.

“Nothing good will come of this research you are doing, immortal. Whatever it is you hope to find in Lord Rowan’s study is not worth the torment he will unleash if anything were to happen to you.”

I know he cares in some sinister way, but it’s not a soul consuming type of caring that leads to a happy ending where we join together in a state of bliss. We’re two violent creatures, ready to eviscerate our enemies for such a thing to happen.

We would be at war upon ourselves; his people wouldn’t stand a chance at survival if we went head to head.

“Rowan is not thinking clearly.”

“Obviously,” she huffs under her breath. “He chose you, of all people, to be his mate. I have no idea what he was thinking.”

Neither do I.

“I’m surprised his monster didn’t rise and try to reverse his ill fated decision.”

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