War Of Fire and Fortune (The Osparia #3)

Prologue

Willow

Before the war…

I t was the day before the coronation. I hadn't been present for a crowning in a few centuries, so I figured it would be a sight worth seeing.

Every ruler of Osparia kept the throne for a century before they handed down their legacy to their heir. If they didn't have one, it went to the closest blood relative.

Ember’s current emperor, Devdin Corvus, had two sons, Valos, the eldest, and Taegan. Although Devdin had been a great leader during his reign, ever since he’d announced this morning that he was giving the crown to his youngest son, the magic that buzzed under my skin wouldn't leave me alone.

It begged to be released, to show me a vision of what would come of his decision.

I didn't want it. I could tell by the feel of it, it wasn't anything good, and no one would listen to a crazy old hoot of a woman like me when it came to royalty.

The only ones who took my and my twin sister’s foretellings seriously were those of our village on the outskirts of the Imperial District.

When I’d been a mere child, I hadn’t understood what the visions were, but over time our parents had realized that the things we said would come to be.

Sometimes, I would see something years before it happened, and other times only minutes before.

Marlena's visions were never as in-depth or as precise as mine, but we shared similar abilities. Our parents had assumed it was because we were twins. As I’d gotten older, I’d learned from the Kappa that only one of us had been meant to hold the power of a soothsayer.

The gods normally only blessed one within our world at a time, similarly to other ancient creatures we told stories about around the fire.

If something happened to us, to our soul—our abilities would be reborn into someone else.

I believed that the gods had almost finished bestowing our gifts when our soul split in our mother’s womb, which was why my sight was stronger.

“What is it?” Marlena asked, pulling me from my stirring thoughts.

“Nothing,” I dismissed, and she glared daggers at me.

“Oh please, Willow. You're my sister. I know that look. What did you see? Or are you focusing so hard because you're trying not to see something?”

“The latter.” I huffed.

“Ugh.” She rolled her eyes at me. “I don't understand why you fight it so hard, dear sister. It’s a gift, so use it. I know I do.” She gave me a wink.

“Oh, do you remember that gown I thought was absolutely perfect for the coronation tomorrow, the emerald one with the gold threads and flowy chiffon?” She smiled smugly as her eyes gleamed, as if she could already see herself twirling in it like a child.

“Yes, what about it?”

“It will most definitely be the dress I wear tomorrow,” she assured me.

“And how do you plan to do that exactly?” I asked.

“Well, we don't have that kind of coin, but I'm sure something will happen.” She glanced ahead to the trail of markets on the cobblestone. “Watch,” she whispered to me before she sauntered a short way down the path. Marlena grabbed two of Ember’s Fire Fae soldiers from their posts.

“Hello, boys. Could you come with me please? There's been a robbery.” Her voice was calm, and the soldiers looked confused, but they followed her, nonetheless.

Shouts rose from one building down, and three rugged-looking fae boys scrambled out of the building. Each had a makeshift bindle thrown over their backs.

Thieves.

Before they made it three steps, the Fire Fae Marlene had led over snatched them up. They cuffed them for their crimes, returned the merchant’s merchandise, and then thanked my sister for her insight. Doubtful they knew just how far our insight ran.

The merchant shook her hand and gave her four silver coins.

“Thank you so much, milady. With what they were trying to steal, I would’ve been out so much more than this, so please take it as a token of my gratitude.”

“My pleasure, dear. Have a good day,” Marlena crooned before taking the coins and walking back over to me with a twisted grin painted on her features. “Bet you didn't see that one coming, did you, sister?” Satisfaction dripped from her tone.

“Had no idea,” I lied. I didn't tell her I’d seen the vision of what had just played out in front of me weeks ago.

I had forgotten about it because of the clawing feeling of my magic doing everything it could to break down the barrier I’d held in my mind after the emperor’s announcement this morning.

I really didn't want to know what it begged to show me. At least, not yet. I just wanted to enjoy my day first, as I knew it would change everything.

After years of living with it, I could tell when a premonition was going to be positive or negative. It was like the vision came with an aura.

Living while always knowing what was coming wasn't a life at all, although plenty of others over the years had told me and my sister how they wished they would have been blessed with the same abilities. This wasn't a gift like my water bending, but a curse.

In the vision I’d seen with the boy thieves, it hadn’t involved Marlena, but being a soothsayer and seeing what was going to happen before it did, regardless of how much I hated it, had its perks.

We couldn't change the things we saw, but we could alter them. Use our magic to intervene in ways to turn things in our favor, like Marlena had just done. But there was always a risk. Our interference could change more than a single moment if we weren’t careful.

“Come on, dear sister. Now we have enough to buy us both a nice dress,” Marlena boasted, looping her arm with mine as she turned us around and headed back toward the shop with the dress she so desperately craved.

As I watched her put the dress on and twirl in front of the trifold mirror with a beaming smile on her face, I couldn't stop my own from tugging on my lips. She looked beautiful. We shared the same dark skin, salt-and-pepper hair, and brown eyes.

Over the years, I’d stopped caring about my hair graying and my wrinkles forming.

I viewed it as if I had earned them from all my life experience.

Regardless of being an immortal fae, the centuries would show on you—it just took time.

Eventually it slowed and then stopped when I was around four hundred or so.

My magic pulsed and tugged at me again. It seemed to be getting angrier by the minute.

My head was beginning to pound from the amount of restraint I was using to keep it from showing anything to me.

Marlena chatting with the seamstress faded into the background as I stood and walked toward the door.

“Are you alright?” Marlena called to me.

“Yes, I'm fine, just stepping out to get some air. Take your time,” I said as I walked out the door, the wood creaking closed behind me.

I needed to get somewhere a little more secluded.

I knew I couldn't hold off this vision for much longer.

It was physically painful at this point. None had ever been so insistent before.

I paced past the seamstress’s small shop and moved through the wooded area, away from the main street through the markets.

And then I saw silver. A young girl skipped cheerily down the path, her silver hair feathered around her face from the loose strands that had fallen out of her braid.

Her parents were not far behind. My magic thrummed, and the wall of resistance I had held all day crumbled in my mind.

I gasped from the force of power coursing through me. I wanted to stay away from the child, but I couldn't. My body moved of its own accord. Like a tether of fate tugging me toward her.

Emelyn, Emelyn, Emelyn . . .

I stumbled. My eyes had already gone milky white, the color of them lost to the magic coursing through my mind. And then darkness clouded my vision.

The light within the dark.

War and retribution.

Love . . . loss . . . betrayals, centuries’ worth of it.

All of the emotions shredded through my very being.

When I woke, a man, who I knew to be Orion from my visions, held a dagger pointed in my direction and had my hands bound.

“No need for this, child,” I said, my voice still weak from the amount of power I had burned through.

“Who are you, and how do you know my daughter’s name?” Orion questioned, moving the dagger closer to my throat.

“Orion, put it away,” I ordered, and his eyes rounded in surprise.

“Who are you?” he repeated, glancing back at his wife, Ivy, who was sitting up against the tree with their young daughter on her lap.

“My name is Willow. I'm a soothsayer and a water bender. I know who you are too. I know you're in Ember for the coronation tomorrow. You traveled from Esora. Your mate and wife’s name is Ivy. All three of you are water benders. Your best friend’s name is Hallan.

He's a Sky Elf. He also has a wife, Kali, who is also his mate, and a son named Ace. Do you believe me yet, or would you like me to keep going?” I asked, and he slowly lowered his dagger with parted lips and surprised eyes.

I lifted my wrists, revealing the ropes still tied there, and he cut me free.

“What do you want with us? I thought you were trying to kidnap my daughter,” he admitted, and I shook my head.

“I'm sorry about that. Sometimes, when I have powerful visions, I have little control over what my body is doing. I wanted to protect her.”

“From what?” he asked, his voice grave.

“I think we should go somewhere more private. There is a lot to discuss,” I suggested, and he stood up from his haunches and offered me a hand. I took it and stood.

“Come on, my home isn't too far. We can talk there.” I said, leading the way.

We made the journey quickly, rushing through the woods, the evening light casting an orange glow through the trees. This route was faster than staying on the trails.