Page 94 of A Clash of Embers

"I—I don't want to be called Leo any more. That name is not me. That was the name to cloak me, but Madok— that is who I am. That's what my mother called me."

I heard the sadness in his voice, and the longing to be the child his mother desperately wants.

I gave him a warm smile, nodding my head. "Okay Madok. I like that idea."

Run! Run! Keep Running!

The fire was overwhelming. Everything was dead. Nothing was standing.

"What are these things?” I screamed.

I heard roars and cries for help as we kept running, “They’re called Lyetta. They won’t stop. We have to keep moving until we can hide.”

As I looked up, I saw the large creatures that were mutated and rage-filled. Their eyes bore flames and their mouths salivated at the thought of dismembering anything in its path.

“Gods, what did I do?”

“Keep running! We can’t stop it now. Athiana did this. She set it up.”

The sweat was pouring down my body as I sat up in the makeshift bed. I felt around the space for a body. For Ev. But he wasn’t there. When I peeked outside of the tent, he was nowhere to be found, but the light and white glow on the ground told me that it was dawn. He couldn’t be far. I’d go find him.

Walking through the thick ice that lay on the ground, I could help but be thankful—

Fuck! These traitorous creatures!

The annoying fluttering around my face was what I couldn’t stand. I squealed, “Stop!”

Then there was silence. I looked around suspiciously and realized they had listened to me. I noticed a body of water up ahead and started my trek again, hoping he would be there. I heard a chirp behind me and stopped. I looked around searching for the source but was not successful.

Chirp. Chirp.

I stopped again, but this time when I looked around, I spotted them. The two birds from outside the window in Ingria. They had followed me. I smiled with eyes bright and wide. They toldme they were waiting for me. That they would be ready. What they were ready for, I had no idea.

“What are you doing?”

I jumped at the sound of his voice. He was cold and distant even though he was so close.

“I... was looking for you. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

He studied me before moving past me, back to camp. “I’m fine.”

I scoffed, turning after him, “No. You have had plenty of time to think. No more ignoring me.”

His teeth were snapping at me and I stepped back from being startled. “That’s enough.”

“No. No, it’s not enough. Tell me what the abyss you're trying to figure out.”

He shook his head, “No, I won’t share it with you. There’s no reas—”

“There absolutely is a reason. Talk to me. I’m your wife. I’m your mate. Dammit to the abyss, Evander Aster. Talk to me.”

His eyes immediately lightened and his shoulders relaxed slightly. He licked his lips as he stood in front of me, “Clara, I’m going to Tetharus and I’m going to bring Madok with me.”

I blinked slightly because I already knew this was what would need to happen. I nodded. “Okay then. Let’s make the preparations for it.”

I went to move past him and he grabbed my arm, “That’s all you’re going to say?Okay then?”

Deep within me, it was the right thing to do. Innately it was the right path.

---