ASHBORN: A TALE OF THE FORGOTTEN THRONE

ind pulled at her cloak, tugged at the braids in her hair, as if the world itself

ed trees and hollowed ruins, shrouded in mist. This was the bo

," Kael said at last. "Voices echo t

ra replied, her voi

and began the descent, her red cloa

foll

nd- human, beast, and unidentifiable things best left nameless. Sable flew high above, crying out when danger

ith forgotten memories. She began to hear whispers-faint and indistinct, like water trickling in a dry r

Court came into vie

towers carved from ivory and fossilised bone, veined with crimson ore. Lanterns of

d. "You en

ha

e blood. They

her shoulder,

he approached the gate. Her hand hovered o

before she

r vision-too fast to catch. The air was thick with the scent of myrrh and fire.

r. In the centre stood a dais of bone, and upon it, a woman clad in

an said. Her voice rang like chimes cracking i

ing truth,"

n bl

a picked it up without hesitation. S

oor ig

re, but i

- her mother weeping before a shattered throne, a man in a crown of iron baring teeth in a snarl, Ashra as a

man whispered. "And the wo

t flinch. "

ied. The cha

e Court

side, gesturing for Ashra to enter. "You have pass

ed into th

fossilised dragonbone, it curved upward into a high dome. A pool of black

ung and old all at once, draped in bone-co

per of the Ash Rec

knees tremble,

ured to the

zed in

ies. Her great-grandmother was wielding the Blade of Mourning to defend the last citadel. H

hra saw

w. An army behind her. Her en

ol wen

me this?"

are. And to warn you

ed. "What

ar

with Kael waiting. Her eyes searched

you," she said.

nod. "And they show

en you un

g, part shrine. There, Ashra was given time to rest. But s

ame. Of the masked man reaching

ke, ga

soldiers, but in the rites of memory and fire. She was taught to channel

s changing. His feathers shimmered faintly with silver i

Ashra began

ly, of the Bone Pact that bound the Court to silence. She read of her mot

r mind. Dangerous.

mother. She would

she would n

mmoned her again. He placed befo

line," he said. "

on its hilt flared to life. Ashra felt a

ce as the flameborn heir raise

for hidin