Chapter 34
Chapter
Thirty-Four
I rubbed the lingering sleep from my eyes, but the frustration from waking alone remained. Zander had stayed with me until I’d drifted off, his warmth wrapping around me like a protective shield. Yet somehow, he’d managed to slip away without me noticing.
Bastard.
I dressed quickly, pulling on my flight armor with movements that were a little too aggressive. The memory of his fingers brushing my waist, his bare chest against my back, lingered far too vividly. He’d been naked—naked—and hadn’t done more than rub my hip. Who does that?
By the time I made it to the fire pit outside, I was still brooding. Tae stood over a pot, stirring something that smelled surprisingly good. He sprinkled cinnamon into the bubbling mixture as I approached.
“Breakfast is almost ready,” he said with a grin.
“Great,” I replied, slumping onto a nearby log. “I could eat an entire cow, I’m so hungry.”
“There’s not a lot of meat,” Tae admitted. “We were pressed for time, but I grabbed some sweetbread.”
“Thank Rowenda,” Jax muttered as he sat down across from me.
“The God of Fertility?” Naia snorted, her spoon halfway to her mouth. “She’s the last person I thought you’d pray to.”
“She may grant your wish by making your future lovers fertile,” Naia added with a wicked grin. “Could you imagine a dozen little Jax’s running around?”
Riven, Tae, and I burst out laughing. Even Ferrula smiled behind her mug of tea while Jax shot us a “seriously?” look.
“You’re all hilarious,” Jax grumbled. “Absolutely hilarious.”
Cordelle sat at the edge of the fire, his face buried in a small book. His fingers flipped through the pages so fast I was surprised they weren’t smoking.
“What are you reading?” I asked, grateful for the distraction.
“I think this is about you,” Cordelle muttered without looking up.
That snapped my focus back into place. “What?”
He didn’t respond right away, his eyes skimming line after line as though he were deciphering something complicated.
“Cordy,” I pressed, my tone sharpening.
Finally, he glanced up, his face pale. “This text is about your power. But it’s more than that.” He paused, eyes flicking between me and the book like he wasn’t sure how to say what came next. “It’s... linked to the Blood King.”
The world seemed to narrow, the warmth of the fire suddenly unable to touch me.
“What?” The word squeaked out.
“The fae king’s court—before the Unification—they had a particular kind of magic,” Cordelle continued. “Storm magic. It’s rare, but when it manifests, it’s stronger in those born of fae bloodlines... but there’s more.”
“More?” I echoed, stomach knotting.
“Those with Storm magic… they were hunted. Feared. Because their power couldn’t always be controlled.
It could lash out and destroy entire villages if the wielder wasn’t careful.
” Cordelle’s gaze lifted from the book, pinning me with an unsettling seriousness.
“Ashe... you’re not just powerful. You’re dangerous.
And if the Blood King’s agents know that… ”
His words trailed off, but we all knew what he wasn’t saying.
If the Blood King’s followers knew… they would want me.
The memory of the Blood Fae in the forest twisted in my mind—his mocking smile, the promise that I belonged to his master.
I swallowed hard. “What else does it say?”
Cordelle hesitated, then turned another page. “Only one person ever survived a Storm-born’s destruction,” he said quietly. “The person they were bonded to.”
“I’m not full fae. I must have more human blood than the nobles.” I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince them or myself.
Cordelle set the book down with a sigh, his fingers lingering on the worn leather cover as if he were still trying to make sense of what he’d just read.
“Ashe,” he said carefully, “I don’t think this power could manifest in someone who didn’t have a full-blooded fae parent.”
I blinked, shaking my head. “That’s impossible. There are no full-blooded…” My voice faltered, the pieces slotting into place in a way that left my stomach twisted in knots. “The prisoner?”
Cordelle nodded grimly. “I think there’s a real chance he could be your father.”
I stared at the fire, the flickering flames blurring as my thoughts spiraled.
“That doesn’t make sense. Blood Fae can’t…
” I trailed off, remembering the stories—the warnings.
“Blood Fae lose their fertility when they force a bond on a young dragon. It’s a violation of nature’s laws. They can’t reproduce.”
“Exactly,” Cordelle said. “So if you’re here—if your power is real—your father couldn’t have been a Blood Fae.” His fingers drummed the spine of the book. “He’d have to be a Light Fae.”
I let that sink in for a moment, my thoughts tangled. “But the Light Fae vanished centuries ago… didn’t they?”
“Most of them,” Cordelle agreed. “But not all. Some went into hiding. Some… fell into enemy hands.”
I swallowed hard. “You think the prisoner is a Light Fae who was imprisoned by our king?”
“Maybe.” Cordelle’s expression was grim. “If he wanted to control his magic—or even worse, his bloodline—they’d find a way to use him. Maybe they thought a child would be easier to manipulate… or maybe they never meant for you to survive at all.”
I shook my head again, trying to make sense of something that felt impossible. “But my mother… she was human.”
“She likely was,” Cordelle shrugged. “Fae have been known to disguise themselves. Or she could’ve been a human who didn’t know what she was getting involved with. Either way…” He exhaled slowly. “If the prisoner really is your father, this all gets a lot more complicated.”
Before I could respond, footsteps crunched behind us.
Eilvin appeared at the edge of the firelight, his gaze shifting between me and Cordelle. His dark eyes lingered a second too long, and I knew he’d heard enough to understand what we were discussing.
“Whatever’s going on,” Eilvin said, voice low, “we need to be careful. The Order isn’t the only one with spies.”
I nodded, my gaze flicking to the tent where Zander was still inside, the only one in our group not yet awake. His tent flap remained stubbornly closed.
“What about him?” Eilvin asked, his eyes narrowing. “Is Zander in on this?”
“He knows some of it,” I admitted. “But not this.”
“And you trust him?” Eilvin’s tone was skeptical.
I opened my mouth to answer, but the truth was… I didn’t know. Zander had saved me more times than I could count. But he was still the king’s son—and if my father’s paranoia was right, the crown had its own dangerous agenda.
“Yeah,” I said, more for my own benefit than anyone else’s. “I trust him.”
But the words didn’t feel as certain as they should have.
We sat around the fire, the flames casting flickering shadows across our faces.
The air was thick with smoke and the lingering scent of charred wood, but no one seemed eager to leave.
It felt like none of us wanted to break the fragile bubble of warmth we’d built in the middle of the cold, dark morning.
“I have to know,” I said quietly, staring into the flames. “One way or another, I have to find out if the fae prisoner is my father. And if he is… if he can tell me anything about my magic.” I exhaled slowly. “I can’t keep walking blind into whatever this is.”
The silence stretched, broken only by the occasional crackle from the fire. Riven shifted closer, her shoulder bumping mine.
“Then we’ll help you,” she said, like it were that simple.
“You don’t have to,” I said, my voice softer now. “This isn’t your problem.”
“Like hell it isn’t,” Jax shot back, his face dark with anger. “You’re our squadmate, our friend. You think we’re just going to let you sneak off and deal with this alone?”
“I wouldn’t let you go alone,” Naia added firmly. “So yeah, we’re helping.”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat and forced a shaky smile. “Thanks.”
“We need a plan,” Cordelle said, ever the strategist. “Infiltrating the castle won’t be easy—especially with all the new security measures.”
“Not to mention your father’s spies crawling around,” Tae added grimly.
I shook my head. “I don’t care how hard it is. If this prisoner knows anything about what’s happening to me… I need answers.” My fingers curled into my palms. “I can’t keep walking around waiting for my magic to explode or for my father to send another assassin after me.”
“You won’t have to,” Riven said, her voice gentle but certain. “We’re with you.”
“All we have is each other,” Jax added, his usual bravado tempered with something quieter, something softer.
I looked at their faces, my squadmates, my friends, and realized that somewhere along the way, they’d become my family. A family that had chosen me, despite everything. Despite my past, despite the danger I carried like a shadow.
More than I’d ever had before, more than even Solei, who I still loved and missed with an ache I couldn’t shake, these people were mine . And they weren’t going to leave me behind.
“I don’t deserve you guys,” I muttered, my voice catching. “But… thank you.”
Riven grinned. “You’re stuck with us now.”
Cordelle was staring at me for some time. “What is it, Cordy?” I asked.
“Would Kaelith know if you were a first-generation halfling?”
“I don’t know.”
Kaelith, I reached out to her as the others drifted off into their own conversations by the fire. I need to ask you something... something important.
She was quiet for a moment, her presence a muted warmth in the back of my mind. I almost thought she was ignoring me. But then her voice slithered through my thoughts.
Ask.
Am I... I hesitated, suddenly unsure how to phrase it. Am I... a true halfling? Is one of my parents... fae?
The silence stretched between us, colder than the night air. I felt her reluctance, a strange flicker of emotion I couldn’t quite place.
Yes, she said finally. One of your parents was full fae... and the other had some fae blood, but was mostly human.
My breath caught. I didn’t know what I’d been expecting, but hearing it confirmed still hit like a punch to the ribs. How do you know?
Because, Kaelith said, her voice quieter now, almost... wistful. I couldn’t bond with the current noble bloodlines. I tried a long time ago... but there was no connection. No balance. She paused. And I never wanted a rider who could control me. Not like the ones before.
I frowned. I would never... I swallowed hard. I mean, I couldn’t even if I tried. I can’t control you.
Kaelith, I reached out to her again, feeling the flicker of her presence as she stretched her wings. The warmth of her thoughts curled around mine like smoke. Tell me about the Blood Fae.
Her silence lingered for a breath longer than I liked before she answered.
They were once of the Light, she said, her voice low. Long ago, they walked with the High Fae, part of their courts, and a few bonded to dragons like myself. But they wanted more—more power, more years... more control. When the Blood Fae turned against their own, they began stealing our eggs.
My stomach twisted. Why?
To gain immortality, Kaelith said bitterly. The magic inside dragon eggs is ancient, older than the continent itself. By consuming that magic, they believed they could cheat death. And they weren’t wrong.
But the dragons... My voice faltered. The ones they stole—the ones they turned—those are the ones we fight now.
Yes. Her answer was cold. They are our lost children, warped and twisted by blood magic. They can only be set free in death now. That is why I offer mercy when I face them. My mercy is death.
I swallowed hard, remembering the dragon she’d killed earlier, the sickening crack of its spine still fresh in my mind.
The strongest of the full-blooded fae could take this magic further, Kaelith continued. They didn’t just corrupt eggs—they could bind adult dragons... those newly awakened to their power, still uncertain in their strength.
I felt a shiver crawl down my spine. You mean... they could control you?
If I allowed it, Kaelith replied, her voice darkening. But I never would. I would die before I let someone take my will.
I have lived my entire life without choices, I said. I would never force that on someone else. Not even if it meant saving my own life.
A warmth spread across my chest, soft and steady like a heartbeat. I reached for my pendant and noticed there was more purple showing. Making the scale beneath more evident.
Kaelith...
It’s time for me to hunt, she said, her tone softer now.
I stood in the clearing and watched as her form lifted into the sky. Her wings caught the early threads of sunlight as she disappeared into the clouds.
In the distance, Hein soared after her, his silver scales catching the light like molten steel. Whatever tension still lingered in my chest softened as I watched the two of them slip into the horizon.
Be safe, I whispered to her—but I knew Kaelith didn’t need my warning. She was a force unto herself... and I was starting to believe I was stronger for having her at my side.
Zander finally emerged from his tent, his hair mussed and the shadows beneath his eyes deeper than usual.
He walked straight to Tae, grabbed a bowl of porridge without a word, and settled beside me on the log.
His thigh pressed against mine, solid and warm, and I forced myself to keep my gaze on my own breakfast.
“Our dragons are hunting,” I said quietly, stirring my spoon through the thick porridge.
“I know.” His voice was low, a rasp that coiled through me like smoke curling under a door.
He took a slow bite, but his gaze flicked to me—lavender darkened at the edges, a storm of deep-violet rimmed with the black sheen of Dark Fire.
My stomach tightened, and I was too warm beneath my layers.
I knew that look. He felt it too—this pull that tangled between us like an invisible cord.
And when his eyes dipped to my mouth, my breath hitched.
I thought— gods above —I thought he was going to kiss me. Right there, in front of the entire squad, with the fire crackling low and the scent of cinnamon thick in the air. I wanted him to. Every part of me screamed for it.
But instead, he shifted his bowl to the side and stood up.
“We need to head back,” Zander said in a clipped voice.
The moment snapped like a twig beneath a boot, and my breath came out in a slow exhale. He turned away, shoulders tense, and started packing up his gear.
I clenched my spoon so tightly I nearly bent the metal. My pulse thundered in my ears, still waiting for something that was never going to happen.
Coward, I thought bitterly—though I wasn’t sure if I meant him... or myself.