Page 78 of A Clash of Embers

"But seriously, you breathe way too heavily."

He sat up quickly, turning his head to face me with an exasperated look on his face. "What's going on, Clara? I know it's not my breathing that is truly bothering you."

When I peered back into his eyes, I knew he was right. There were so many things bothering me other than his breathing, and he could pick up on that easily. There was no hiding from him.

"I'm just nervous about what will happen today. What will Leo say? How will everyone else react to me being with you and the truth about everything?

He leaned in and looked at my eyes, which I was certain were glowing for him.

"Clara, stop. You need to stop thinking so much and just let it happen."

I sighed, leaning my head against the tree behind me and looking up through the canopy of trees as a shiver rippled through me.

"We need to get you a coat. The weather is starting to change quickly," he whispered to me.

I giggled because I knew he was right. The weather was changing and it wasn't because of me. It was nature taking control of this world. It's natural state. The rustle of leaves in front of us made my eyesight travel to a pair of eyes looking at me. Crystal blue in the reflection of the moon.

I sat up straighter gripping my sword tighter as I leaned forward to get a better view. I felt Eros's hand on my back letting me know he could also see the eyes. There was movement in the tree line and a certain sound that I could only describe as purring.

What was it?

In a swift movement, I could see the outline of a beast, large with scales, and a broad set of wings that trailed behind it as it pushed through the tree line on hind legs. I felt the breath escape my body as I took in what I was seeing. A beast. An Ophidian? No, a dragon. It was an enormous beast that I had never seen before. I had only heard of this type of creature in the childhood stories that my father told me.

I felt Ev grab me, pulling me behind him as he stood with wings expanded and in a defensive position against this monster.

The creature growled loudly and I couldn't help but realize it was looking directly at me. Wanting me to talk to it. A flicker of a memory surfaced—not my own memory, but someone else’s. This creature was known. I should recognize this creature. I knew what it was, but what I didn’t know waswhoit was.

Who are you? What do you want?

Clara. It's me, Luke. You need to leave. You are in danger. Athiana knows—

Luke? You’re a drag—

I heard the sounds of screaming before I could react. I gripped Ev's arm, "It's Luke. He has come to warn us."

Ev looked at me and I knew he heard everything I had just said, yet he acted like it didn't register in his brain that it was actually Luke.

The creature looked at Ev with a serious expression of concentration trying to coerce him into believing him. I watched as Ev's shoulders relaxed slightly as he turned to tell me what I needed to do, "Climb onto Luke and don't let go. You need to get out of here."

My expression was narrowed as I looked at him, "No. I can't leave you."

He kissed my forehead. "Clara. I need you to go. I'll be okay."

His eyes were soft and loving as he looked at me. I knew that he was right he would be okay. I looked into his emerald eyes that glowed slightly for me and only me. Evander. Eros. Ev. He knew me more than I knew myself at times. There were some things about me that I didn't even want to know but he did. He wanted to know everything about me and he wanted to protect it,eventhe bad parts.

When I looked up at the creature, it was anxious and waiting, wondering if I would go with it.

I glanced back at my mate, and through our bond, I spoke a softI love you. He didn't respond and I knew why. I watchedthe recognition cross his face that me saying that would never get old for him. His face was anguished—it was frustrated, it was angry—and I could feel the swarm of energy off of him, the need for this war to be over. It needed to end.

I knew now that everything that he had done—all of the bad, along with some of the good—had been to become free. Free of Athiana. Free of this label that he had above his head of being a vamprye and an angel. The Fallen Angel. But he hadn't fallen. He had risen above everyone else when others cowered to fear. And I wouldn't allow anyone else to stand in our way of happiness.

When I read the stories within the book of the gods and goddesses and their true identities, I realized something. They didn't want to be here either, but they felt compelled to be here to stop whatever Athiana was doing. It was important to them, enough so that they had to leave their own worlds to come and savethisone. If they could leave their worlds to save Darthium, then what was so important about it? What about this place that was so dire? What about it called them to be here and how did we set it free?

I felt a nudge on my arm pushing me to the creature, to Luke. Ev said, “You need to go. You need to gonow.”

I sighed because I knew he was right and I had to leave him, but how could I leave someone I had just gotten back? He knew that I was struggling, and within one breath both of his hands gripped the sides of my face, making my eyes look into his glorious face. His eyes were laced with the brightest purple and they searched mine for the answers he wanted.

“You are the absolute love of my life, of my world, of every piece of me, Clara. I will come back to you. I willalwayscome back to you.”

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