ith's throat as the wor

eing dragged through fire and memory at once. Time fractured. Voices echoed in languages she didn't know but somehow

-sil

eturned, only to realize

ead was molten gold, the ground cracked obsidian. Flame danced along the

he air, glowing with a fire that seemed aliv

ame. Will you b

d. "I don't even

the crown, you must remember. Fa

fireglass and steel. The Flame Queen-her mother-sat upon the throne, holding Kaeli

igure. "Hide her. The Ashen Pact canno

red. This is what I w

d forward, faster than she could react, and slammed into her ches

scre

awak

strewn across the floor. Varion was wounded, blood like glowing magma dripping from a gash along his

he cr

ted on Kae

t placed

chose

. The very air seeme

outside. The

was hoarse. "

o him, panting.

ur blood it awakened all of it. The pact will feel i

felt taller. Not physically but inwardly. Like the fire that had on

d. "My mother. She knew I

ive head. "Then the p

le near the shadow

ly, flames surging a

wasn'

somethi

e earth beneath the stones. Its body was stitched together with ash and bone, glowing

ker. They've sent it t

eature

h didn

ised h

frightened. They were focused. Sharp. Wrapping around the seeker's form in a

ong the smoke, her eyes glowing with the

think," she s

on rumbled. "The crown rem

suddenly from t

enough, li

in the Ashen Pact's sigils, each bearing weapons crafted from void-steel and

hadow

was no longe

their

wasn'

d Kaelith as Varion placed himse

clock has started. In seven nights, the Pact will gather at the O

steady. "Then I guess I b

didn't reach his eyes

moke, they

e fell

am of smoke. "We don'

ling at her lips. "Then we better find

id. "And not all o

flame-woven crown, th

re do w

s wings

n the Ember Vaults. It holds the names of the old

stepped

r had

time... she was

ter, screams, lullabies. Kaelith floated in it, weightless, her senses stretched thin. She couldn't feel her b

...

. Like a candle flame

th..."not spoken aloud, but in

and her eye

longer in t

in a fie

violet fire. Stone towers jutted from the cracked earth like broken teeth. And in the far dist

t up. She

she th

ame a voice behind her calm, a

tu

en flame, her eyes molten gold. Her presence radiated power and sorrow.

th went dry.

will become... or who you might have b

eart raced.

memory. A shard of legacy locked within the crown. You were about to

stirred. Visions unfolded in

blazing.A boy in chains, screaming as shadow poured into him.

, breathless. "

ut sacrifice." The woman looked at her. "You are being hunted,

t ask fo

softly. "But the world is breaking. A

shakily. "Wh

rdened. "Then the re

appeared again, floating before Kaelith, still

ll me?" she

n away the parts that cannot carry the flame. On

tared at

ing fingers... sh

, it did

her brow like it

rything

knees buckled but she didn't fall. Wings of flame unfurled behind her, a

nt Kaelith remem

oice echoed o

ones who still remember the fir

hattered and Kael

bble scattered around her. The obsidian-blade boy was gone. Vari

blazed o

burning, voice calm

g," she said.

died but smiling. "N

aintly-ancient sigils awakening from centuries of slumber. Kaelith felt the weight of the crown, but it was

n his temple. "That was... reckless," he mutter

. in a way. But I came back as

in. "Then remind me never

ent of calm

oor tr

agic. From

oing. Grow

rrowed. "They're

"The Blackfang Order. The

he door just as

flame. At the front strode a tall man in pitch-black armor, crimson runes etche

e like gravel soaked in venom. "Good. T

flames coiling around h

fall. I am the blade your mother failed to break. I am a

ers surge

he ground, forming a wall between them and the enemy. But she felt somethin

ot what

layered, familiar and foreign.

his sword, and the fla

e you, girl," he

d respond a sharp whist

lf in the stone right

one f

pped down-a hooded woman cloaked in emerald and

te," Kaeli

miled. "You

, moving like smoke and

dy on his feet,

er lit with fire once more. She didn't

rmored man pushing forward

-but he absorbed it. His armor shimm

ered. "That's n

nged

d across her arm burning cold instead of hot. Her kn

," he hissed, towering over her

h the pain. "Then

lifting just enough for her to s

in

e final blow a low boom e

ing abov

Then stone.

s cracked, but alive. It crashed throug

leapt to Kaelith's side, dragging her clear

ature, recognition dawnin

room, "Your father's last comma

ng onto Kaelith. Its voice ec

f Flame. The batt

agon's claws. Its wings stretched wide, casting a massive shadow across the ruins. Rubble smoldered

at the creature, h

ed with streaks of gol

s Anc

cr

und by

agon released a warning snarl. The man in black armor, howev

llar. "That's not just any dragon," he whisp

utched her wounded arm.

her cowl to reveal sharp amber eyes and braided chestnu

ced at her.

of the Queen's Circle. I was sent to

os let out a low rumble. His voice

mere man. He wears the

ed. "What doe

d your mother. One who sought the crown not to protec

man raised his sword toward the dragon. "Y

der. She is the rightful heir. Chose

"If you're truly with me," she whisper

symbol shimmered across his forehead-a

lith-don't! A Dragon Pact b

rges them. She'll be stronger. Bu

, heart pounding. She h

it," she

essence poured into her, not burning-but awakening. Symbols carved themselves into Kaeli

owed like m

he stone, the Crown of Emberlight floating

tumbled back, su

ke thunder. "You want t

ched himself forward, flam

blades of fire fo

molten steel, dragonfire engulfing his cloak. But jus

anis

rted-and ther

y s

le

sper, echoing th

have awakened the crown... but

d to her knees

arion rushed

tively around them, wi

curse?" Kael

mber tr

ath the palace ruins a

ns b

ething

older than

ing wa