BOUND TO THE WRONG FLAME

The Storm B

Ceremony, clouds gathered like secrets, heavy and bruised above the marble

ivory rail. Below her, the palace thrummed with life-dancers spun through ribbons of gold, drum

nce Auren. The match of fate, arran

ect pa

rfec

last coral pins into her crown of braids

goddess," one whi

ayed on the horizon. Somewhere across th

y. Born second, but al

re both sacrifices

obsidian mirror nearby. The veil softened her features, made her look ser

alm. This is duty.

it feel lik

urt, Nyelle yanked at the c

ing me," s

a nervous handmaid, gently

snapped, swatting t

nging to her skin like smoke. She was to be bound to General Kaidun of Koro'Da-a man sh

y, they'd send me to the one

with fear, but with power. The kind she was forb

outer chamber. The pries

ve run. She

se sad, steady eyes, and whispered, "Maybe, one

t. Still didn't. But she held the

nt on sacred stone. Guards flanked them-expressionless, unmoving, watching everythi

converged at the

ed beneath the rising moon. Pools of water reflected torchlight, and stone basins steamed w

the Old Tongue. The air pulsed with ancient magic-old as t

remony

m, faces hidden until the sacred unvei

-the sto

cattering petals like ashes. Flames guttered, then died. A priest stumbled, dropp

hand picked up

e not

bindin

d suitor. Their hands were placed t

were l

s m

aya nor Nye

groom he

breath of cold air that swept through

ooms, not the twins themselves-noticed

t

mple, the clouds

he sky as if the st