CHAPTER 45
“The huntresses are connected through the stones. They are connected through the symbols. Only a true huntress can find another.” - Book of Azure
MY FIRE DRAGON SOARS AROUND me, circling me alone before the rest of them follow.
Ice. Darkness. Air. Water.
They are all here, and I feel their elements radiating off of them. My hair whips in the wind, goosebumps prickling against my arms due to the hot, yet chilly air. I catch sight of them until they begin to part ways and soar upward in the middle of the fiery tornado that surrounds us.
My chin lifts, eyes squinting as their wings become smaller and smaller, hardly noticeable the more they fly towards the dark clouds.
As they soar upward, lightning flickers throughout the dark sky. Each bolt targets my dragons. Electricity cracks and vibrates through the air. With each snap against my dragons, the bolts turn the color of their elements.
It’s as if a lightning storm of a rainbow is playing before me.
The fire one soars down first, like a damn torpedo, and dissolves into my chest. Directly in my heart. I gasp for the air that leaves my body. I lose my balance, but my Fireninze catches my fall with her head. My hand lifts to my chest, feeling this surge of power rush through me.
I suck in deep breaths through sudden groans of agony, my eyes repeatedly clenching shut after opening.
Flashes of the ceremony when the God of Fire chose me to rule the Realms flood through me.
Memories I have yet to discover.
I fall to my knees, hunching over as my hands squeeze into the sand.
Tileatha was given her power that evening. I can see her. The fire stretches wide, flickering around her until the flame connects to her head. No one knew her gift since Father told us to never speak of it. It should always stay a silent connection between us Fallen Embers and the Gods.
However, Tilly told me. Unsure why she did if she had planned to kill me.
But I never told her I was granted three. That I was granted the dragons.
Except Koen.
Unsure why our gifts from the Gods must stay a secret.
My dragons were gifted to me that evening, each one representing the Gods of the Realms. They are my protection. They knew my sister was bound to betray me before I ever did. I can still vividly see my dragons falling down from the sky through the fire that scorched me, when no one else could.
They vanished in the air after each one touched my arm. I wonder now if they waited for me to return to connect with me at last.
Fire wielding—my first gift from the Gods.
It’s ironic that I now scorch people to their death.
I begin to wonder if my father and Koen taking me to the Darklands when I died altered something within my gift.
I wonder if the oracles used dark magic, cursing me before the curses were even brought onto the Realms.
My red stone pulses, brightening against my arm.
Through the wind that kicks up the sand I see the dragon of darkness, soaring towards me and slamming into my chest.
I wince, groaning through clenched teeth.
My second gift—the ability to communicate with the animals from the Gods. It’s as if the Gods knew they were to send the horses to help us against the darklings. But I also wonder if they knew the Realms would betray the treaty with the dragons.
My yellow stone begins to spark, lightning up the hues of the sun.
Ice comes soaring towards me, then water, then air.
My back hunches before I let out a raging scream, feeling the memories and powers come to me all at once.
The last gift… I remember now.
The Dragon Ember. The gift to control and wield the dragons. The Gods knew I needed them to bring peace back with the shifters.
The fire tornado that twists and growls begins to weaken, disintegrating into the sky.
I let out a trembling breath, steadying my rapid heart rate as I rise up on my knees. The elder stands before me with a soft grin along her lips.
“Time to take down the Queen of Eekatia. And your sister.” Her brows rise, and a bright light begins to pulse around her. Within a split second, she shifts into the dragon and soars in the sky over me before diving into the sand. The others follow.
The soft melody that led me home, here in the Realm, echoes in the wind and gently fades as the dragons soar away.
Some underneath ripple in the sand, causing rocks to bounce along the land. Others dive up then down, as if we are in the sea.
I intently watch as I stand, steadying my weak balance around my Fireninze’s neck. My chest rises and falls as I rest my head against her, her fire weakening for me.
“Serene!” Theon shouts.
Kaine trips in the sand, falling face first as Koen sprints around him, his eyes locked onto mine. His tousled curls bounce as he runs, his boots digging into the sand, making it almost impossible to reach me.
“Are you okay?” Koen catches his breath, slowing down his pace. “Are you hurt?” His emerald eyes filled with fear scan my body frantically.
I nod. “I’m good.” I reach for my arm, feeling the heat of my stones begin to fade. “We need to finish the race. I know what I must do.”
I grunt, weakly wrapping my arms around my horse and trying to lift my leg. But I slip, my boot slamming into the sand.
“Let me help.” Koen swiftly walks around the horse, grabbing my waist to lift me up. The suit rubs against my skin with his firm hold.
He places me on the back of my Fireninze without struggle, gripping my thighs firmly as he stares into my eyes. The fabric of my pants is barely giving due to its tightness. The sun is beginning to rise behind him, casting a soft, golden light around him.
“I promise I am fine.” I lean towards him, my hand reaching out to brush the curl that rests against his head, but I pause, letting it fall back down.
“I thought the Gods were taking you from me again.” His eyes flicker between mine.
My head shakes gently. “Not yet.”
His fingers grip firmly against my pants, allowing his head to drop as he takes a deep breath. “Never do that to me again.”
“Do what?” I whisper.
He lifts his head, allowing me to witness the pure weariness in his eyes. A split moment of weakness, vulnerability, within him. “Die on me. I won’t survive this time.”
“I’ll do everything I can to try not to.” My eyes soften. My body is screaming to touch his face, to pull him in at last before the Gods do take me, but I fear it. I don’t fear him hurting me. I fear myself burning him.
“I’m not trying to break up this moment between the two of you.” Theon scratches the back of his neck. “No, actually, I am trying to break this up. We need to go. Now. If we aren’t back before the sun is fully risen, we will fail the race.”
My brows pull inward, glancing between Kaine and Theon. Their firm grips tighten around the reins of the three ice horses.
“Where is the fourth?” I toss my leg over the broad body of the Fireninze.
“It must have fled due to fear. I am sure it followed the pathway of the Gods back to the finish line.” Kaine leaps up on one of the Iycekazie.
Theon walks the horses over, giving the reins of Koen’s horse to him as they both hop on theirs with ease. They whip their reins, sprinting through the desert.
My fingers curl around the fire of my Fireninze’s mane, turning her towards the pathway of the Gods but pause, catching sight of the outline of a dragon in the distance—directly in front of the rising sun.
The wings spread outwards, almost completely blocking the light before launching upward into the sky.
My shoulders relax, watching intently before the dragon is no longer visible. Then, I give a swift kick, launching the Fireninze to sprint towards the men ahead of us.
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!” QUEEN Antivianna screams as we all gallop through the finish line. The light of the pathway completely shifts to darkness after we cross. As I take one last glance over my shoulder, tiny stardusts float back up into the clouds.
“The dragons attacked us.” Theon hops off of his horse, walking towards his mother.
Lykia takes her gown between her fingers, lifting the front of her dress high before running towards Koen.
My eyes roll as vomit sits at the bottom of my throat.
Disgusting.
“I was worried!” Her hand touches his leg. My eyes lock onto her hand, watching as she gently brushes back and forth against it.
That's my man. Not hers.
Fire spars against my fingertips, internally screaming for the burning rage inside me to sizzle out. But I can’t burn. Not with the Royals here.
My lip rises with disgust, and I glance away so I won’t puke right here in front of everyone.
I catch the swift movement of Koen as he pushes her hand away from him, which makes me grin from ear to ear.
“No need to worry,” he grunts.
My fingers brush together, feeling a fire flicker between them. Without thinking, I snap, watching the grass beneath her feet catch fire.
I tried to hold it in. But I can’t.
And it sure as hell feels good to unleash.
A scream rips from her throat as she lifts her dress up. Her feet dance in place as the grass catches flames around her.
“Help!” she cries out, staring at Koen.
I hold my hand over my mouth, trying not to let out the laugh that is sitting in my throat. I shouldn’t have done it, not in front of the Royals, but damn, I needed that.
“I bet you have been dying to do that.” Kaine prances beside me, leaning over with his lips, grinning wide.
Koen rolls his eyes back towards me, knowing exactly what I did. “You are fine, Lykia.” He hops off of his horse, beating his boot against the fire as it dies out.
Lykia’s face flushes red. Her finger points towards me as she screams. “You! You did this!”
My lips pull downward, tossing my hands up before I hold my breath so I don’t let this laugh escape. “I did no such thing.” My lips pull between my teeth. “Could have been a fire ember from my horse's mane.” I lift my shoulders, shrugging despitefully towards her.