Page 33 of A Clash of Embers

I smiled softly at him. “Maybe one day, but not now. I have far too much to figure out for myself before I can raise someone else.”

He leaned in and kissed me on my temple. “All right… enough of the heavy talk. We should head down to breakfast.”

As we were both getting dressed my eye caught something on Leo's side. A strange marking. Almost like claw marks. Three stripes alongside his rib cage. I'd seen it before. I know it. My memory flashed back to the inn, to Madok in Carondelet. He had the same marking.

We both got dressed and moseyed our way to the dining room only to be greeted by many happy andcuriousfaces. The mostcuriousone, Callan. I smirked at him and he winked back at me acknowledging exactly what had happened between Leo and I.

I sat next to Bethany and across from Luke. She smiled at me and Luke made a funny face, which made me chuckle. We sat and ate breakfast with one another like no time had passed. Toward the end of our meal, Luke made an announcement.

“As you all know, we are expecting the enemy regime to attack our city sometime in the next few days, thanks to your intel." He gestured to Leo. "Our goal is to plan a counterattack before they can. It will be unexpected and successful if we can do it right. Clara will lead the attack on the regime over the eastern mountains. It will be a small platoon of soldiers that will attack at the heart of Ingria. Our goal is to capture Eros. Better known to Clara asEvander.”

My eyes were in shock, my entire body unmoving hearing the plan. They would sendmeinto his home. To extract him. I wasn’t going to fight against this idea but it was alarming for me. Luke should’ve warned me, prepared me for this.

“We will set out for Ingria this morning."

Everyone raised their glasses and toasted to the plan. I sat staring at my empty plate wondering what the abyss I was getting myself into. A few hours later I found myself in the courtyard grass alongside Luke and Bethany who were packingvarious weapons and materials in bags. I was obviously irritated. Anyone who had eyes could see it on my face.

“Clara, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the plan beforehand. I should have.”

I stepped towards Luke thrusting my pointer finger into his chest. “Yes! You should have. Although Evander is this horrible monster, did we forget that I am stillmatedto this man?”

“No, we didn’t forget, which is the exact reason it has to be you. The only way we can stop this is if he sees you.”

I rolled my eyes, “Did you also forget that he told me if I tried to find him, he would kill me?”

Luke stepped towards me, closing in the small space between us. “Do you honestly believe that your mate would kill you?”

I looked between his two crystal blue eyes. Searching for the answer. “I-I’m not sure.”

He tilted my head at the answer I gave him. “Well, let’s do some last-minute training just in case. Don’t want you to betooweak.”

“I am not weak!”

“Then prove it,” he said with a smirk and his arms in an open wide gesture signaling me to try.

I placed my hands in front of me exposing slivers of white light that emitted from my body like ribbons dancing in the wind. I swiftly moved my hands towards the ground and roots started to emerge splitting the ground. Luke and Bethany frantically looked around at the rapidly moving roots and plants then Luke’s eyes landed on me and smiled.

I gripped onto the roots with my essence and looped them around Luke's ankles and wrists similar to how I tied up Callan in the valley at Monowi. I raised my hand causing Luke to rise with it. He was suspended in the air by only the roots attached to him.

“What else you got?” Luke laughed at me as he struggled against the roots.

I knew I was already exerting a few different powers—my natural power and warrior power—but I thought I’d try to tap into Luke’s head. I took a few steps towards him, my eyes full of purpose and strength. He looked slightly nervous as to what I might do, as he should be.

I pushed into his mind only to hit a wall. I pushed harder to get through that tough exterior but he wouldn’t let me in. So, my last resort.Persuasion.

“Are you being completely honest with me about this war and the people in it?”

His eyes widened and I knew he had to answer. He couldn’t fight it and part of me already knew the answer.

“No, I’m not being completely honest.”

“And why are you not being completely honest with me?” I asked.

He sighed out a breath and looked towards Bethany before he spoke. “To protect you. It’s for your own good.”

I nodded my head and swiveled around to look at Bethany who was looking nervous about this situation watching Luke be suspended in the air. Her wings were expanded, as if she was preparing herself to save him.

“Why is Bethany here with you and not at her home?” That’s when I really noticed it. The looks the two were giving each other held too much secrecy and I would find out what it was.

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