When the Wind Met the Embers (The Ashford Saga #2)

Chapter One

It had been twenty-eight days since I murdered my own father.

Kin-slayer.

That was what I was. That was all I’d ever be known as.

I clenched my hands tight, trying to erase the feeling of my father’s blood dripping off them. Though I knew it wasn’t real, my mind seemed to enjoy playing these tricks on me as of late.

Cruel, wicked tricks.

Taking a deep breath, I focused on the feeling of the warm, mid-summer air filling my lungs. I counted down from ten, then peeled my eyes open.

I was in mine and Byn’s bedroom, located in the private royal wing of The Haven, which was in Cairnyl, the capitol of the South of Inphis.

So far away from what I had once considered to be my home.

I was no longer on that battlefield, in that tent where I had fought my own flesh and blood.

It seemed my mind needed to be reminded of that sometimes.

I brought my hands to my face and took them in. They were clean, of course, with no blood in sight. The life blood on my hands that day had been surprisingly easy to wash away.

The markings left on my soul… well, that was another story.

I had to remind myself on days like these that I’d had no other choice than to put an end to Father. He would have stopped at nothing to continue to corrupt the continent—after wreaking havoc and chaos on it.

There’d been no other option, I told myself.

I vaguely remembered Byn, my loving husband, trying to coax me from bed earlier this morning.

In response, I had tucked my head deeper into my silk pillow and drifted in and out of sleep once again.

He, as well as the rest of our Valwain, had been doing their best to keep me active and my mind busy, but this week had been especially difficult.

The memories had plagued my thoughts without end, etched into the depths of my heart.

A knock on the door drew me from the spiral of my mind.

“Go away,” I said without lifting my head from the pillow.

Without a sliver of warning, the door to the chambers swung open, and Matea swaggered in as though these were her own chambers.

“What are you doing in here?” I asked her, pulling myself up into a sitting position and gently wrapping my wings around myself. My hands idly stroked one of my gray-tipped white feathers.

“Anything I can to get you out of this bed. Out of this room, actually,” my half-sister replied, and though I wanted to be annoyed at her, I appreciated her honesty.

As she rounded my side of the bed, I noticed she was holding a large plate of different fruit slices.

Their sweet aroma floated through the air towards me, and without warning, my empty stomach released a ferocious growl, reminding me that I couldn’t recall the last time I had eaten anything. It must’ve been days.

“And this is why I brought the snacks,” Matea said. “Robyn said he couldn’t place the last meal you’d had. I figured some food would help.”

She set the plate on the small, honey colored wooden table next to the bed, then sunk to the ground and rested her back against it.

“You know, you can sit up here,” I offered.

Matea waved a hand dismissively. “I’m alright where I’m at. Now, either eat or start pouring your heart out to me.” She phrased it as a joke, but I knew the underlying offer was legitimate.

Picking up a slice of a soft peach, I bit into it and nearly groaned as the sweet flavor and syrup coated my tongue.

After devouring that slice along with two more, I caught Matea peering up at me.

“Thank you,” I said softly after a beat of silence.

We both knew this act of service was my sister showing she cared and that she was worried. Though I’d felt unworthy of that depth of love as of late, I still deeply appreciated it.

She nodded, not one for sentimentality, and asked, “What was it this time? Robyn said there’s a few different memories of those moments that plague you.”

I couldn’t help but look down at my hands again at the thought. Noticing the syrup sticking to my fingers, my hands began to shake.

“His blood,” I said quietly, holding them out farther from me, my heartbeat beginning to race. Gravity caused the syrup to roll down my skin, and I couldn’t help the shudder that ran through me.

“Can… can you—” I stuttered.

“I’ve got you,” Matea said, standing and reaching for a cloth she must have brought in with the dish of fruits.

Sitting on the very edge of the bed, I felt her lean closer and, with a gentleness so unlike her tough exterior, she wiped the syrup and juices from my fingers.

I watched meticulously, unable to look away, the same way I had when I washed my father’s life blood away twenty-eight days ago. Her olive, sun-kissed skin was such a stark contrast next to my pale complexion, sometimes it was difficult to believe I was related to such a beautiful female.

With that thought, along with the absence of sticky residue on my skin, I looked up at my half-sister and studied her.

Her eyebrows were still scrunched together as they had been when she was concentrating on my hands.

Her eyes were a striking combination—brown surrounded by a ring of green.

Her wavy hair had grown out, sitting just below her shoulders now, and I realized I must’ve missed that detail in her life while I’d been stuck in this bed.

Her eyes shifted to meet mine, and her expression was guarded as always.

Though, since we’d met, I’d noticed that her walls had cracks.

The slight downturn in her lips displayed her worry, and suddenly I was grateful for all the times I had snuck out of Gatlyn Castle in the North as a child and teenager to study those around me.

“I don’t know what’s worse…” Matea said quietly. “Knowing them and then losing them, or losing them before you ever knew them.”

Matea had been left with our maternal grandparents when our mother and her father went to war and never made it back home.

Meanwhile, I’d been led to believe I had killed our mother in a freak accident as a child, and twenty-eight days ago, I truly did kill my father—for the sake of what was best for our continent.

Matea still believed our mother was out there somewhere, and after my last interaction with my twin, Dimitri, I wasn’t so sure her theories were that farfetched.

“Part of me wishes I never knew them at all,” I responded. “Then there would be less about them to miss.”

Matea nodded slightly and looked as though she wanted to say more, but something seemed to shift her train of thought. “What’s one thing that makes you feel alive?” she asked suddenly.

I tilted my head at her in a silent question, but she motioned for me to answer, so I took a moment to think.

Being with Byn always helped. Being surrounded by flowers and wild grasses and the nature of the South. Swimming in Echen Bay, watching the fish move all around me.

“Something we can do now,” Matea clarified, pulling me from my thoughts.

I pondered for a moment, then answered, “Flying.”

“I knew you were going to say that,” she groaned, but lifted herself from the edge of the bed anyway. “Laurence should be here any moment with Eden.”

“Pardon?” I sat up a little straighter.

“I want to do something with you that makes you feel alive, Aviva. If flying is what it takes to show you that you’re missing out by staying cooped up in here all day—all week—then so be it. Though, I’d much prefer it if something here with both feet on the ground made you feel more alive instead.”

“You really don’t have to—”

“I’d suggest you get dressed in the next few moments, unless you want Laurence seeing you in whatever you have on under that blanket… Actually, I don’t think Robyn would be too happy about that.”

Faster than she could react, I grabbed the pillow from behind me and swung it towards her. Catching her off guard, it hit her in the side and she stumbled back a step.

“That’s for doing this without telling me,” I said, swinging my legs over the side of the bed for what felt like the first time in ages.

Matea, not wanting to show her surprise, crossed her arms and pointed towards the washroom and closet. “Go get ready,” she ordered.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it. “You do know who you’re talking to, right?”

“Queen or not, you’re still my sister—apparently. My sister, my duty. Now, hurry up,” she said, huffing in annoyance that wasn’t entirely one sided.

“Alright, alright, I’m going.” I walked across the chambers to the washroom. Matea shifted to be closer to the balcony, likely looking for Eden and Laurence, before peering back at me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her as I shut the door behind me.

It may have been twenty-eight days since I’d murdered my father, but it’d been twenty-one days since I had officially met my half-sister.

And I thought she might just be my new best friend.

***

Soon enough, I found myself freshly washed and donning a pair of plain brown leathers, consisting of flexible trousers and a form-fitting tunic.

Lacing up a pair of matching brown boots, I headed out of the washroom while braiding my pale white hair away from my face into one thick plait.

I fluffed my bangs, which I noticed as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror were framing my face perfectly today.

I tugged the balcony door open to find Matea, Laurence, and Eden waiting. Their conversation ceased as I stepped out into the near-blinding sunlight. I couldn’t remember how long it’d been since I’d seen my own griffin.

I cleared my throat, looking towards the older male before me. Not only was he here right now, but if Eden’s shiny feathers meant anything, he had been taking great care of her in my stead.

“Thank you.” I shifted my gaze towards Matea. “Both of you.”

They both smiled and exchanged a quick glance, subtle pride written across both of their features.

“It was nothing, Your Majesty,” Laurence said kindly.

“Now, let’s stop wasting daylight and get up there,” Matea exclaimed, grabbing Eden’s reins from Laurence with a confidence I knew she was faking.

She hated the simple idea of flying.

The fact that she was still willing to do this with me made my appreciation for her run even deeper.

“Matea, you really don’t have to—”

“I want to,” she reassured me. “Come on.”

She settled into the custom-crafted saddle on Eden’s back, affectionately scratching the top of her head after settling in.

She hid her nerves well, but not well enough.

She absent-mindedly picked at the skin around her nails before focusing her energy on gripping the reins.

It seemed that nervous tick was another thing we had in common.

“Just don’t drop me, alright?” Matea whispered to the griffin, who in response let out a sharp chirping sound.

Tilting my head skyward, I gazed upon the scattered clouds moving at a leisurely pace above. I tucked my wings closer into my body cautiously. I desperately missed it up there, but was I ready to fly again?

I couldn’t help but think, After everything I’ve done, do I deserve this privilege?

Picking up on my hesitation, Laurence rested a hand on my shoulder. “Let yourself enjoy something again. Take this opportunity and fly, Aviva. Fly… for those of us who cannot.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded and took a step forward, towards the middle of the large stone balcony.

Slowly, I stretched my wings out, away from my body.

They spanned the length of the balcony, the silvery tipped feathers shining in the morning light.

With a deep breath, I bent my knees slightly and launched myself into the air.

The cool wind nipped at my skin as I sailed straight up into a passing cloud.

Sweat beaded on my skin, and I couldn’t help the smile that crept onto my lips.

Flying blind, I continued upwards until I was above the lower cloud line.

Not but a moment later, I heard wing beats below me.

I swerved out of the way heartbeats before Eden and Matea could slam into me.

“I don’t know how you do this all the time!” Matea cried out, clinging to Eden tightly.

It stirred something in me at the sight of my sister clinging to my griffin. Maybe it was the insanity of the fact that I had a sister. Or maybe it was that even up here in the vast, pale blue sky again, I was to be able to see it. All I knew was that in that moment, something broke in my chest.

Tears sprung to my eyes, and I couldn’t help but release the hearty laugh bubbling up inside my chest.

I spread my arms wide, angling my head towards the sun and clouds and sky beyond. My wings kept me steady as I laughed until my sides hurt. Matea eventually laughed as well, either at her own absurdity or mine.

After catching my breath and wiping my damp cheeks, I looked back towards Matea.

“I’ll race you to the dens,” I challenged her. Since Laurence took the time to bring Eden to us, the least I could do was ensure she made it back safely.

“Oh, you’re so on,” Matea responded, arrogance dripping from her words, seemingly covering her earlier nerves. “Let’s go, Eden!”

Without warning, the two females sprang into action, Eden’s wings beating so strongly they stirred the top of the clouds directly below us as the duo headed in the direction of the dens.

“Hey! We didn’t even count down!” I called out. When they didn’t stop, I shouted again, “Wait for me!” And with that, the three of us raced through the cloud-speckled sky over the Southern city of Cairnyl.