d with glowing sigils from the Dragon Pact. Her body felt too full-of fire, of memory, of a power that wasn'

all... she fe

ng had

ing an

already scanning the room for more threats, twin daggers still drawn.

elith said quietly. "It wa

o. It was a lock. One of the s

n we don't have time to rest.

standing, the weight of he

a brow. "You

chamber, toward the horizon where smoke coile

the Ember Vaults hold the map of

dden deep below the ancient Dragonhold. Your mother left gua

tly. The Pact will strike again, and

ed around. "T

dn't ride o

y f

ra soared beside them on a sky-beast made of wind and magic-some relic of the Queen's Circle. Below them stretched

Mount Cindrel, the air grew heavier-not from altitu

f of black glass, Kaelith felt her knees

une that pulsed in time with her crown. Carvings of dragons in battle adorned the wal

stepped

n her head

ate o

, fire-scribed murals of forgotten kings and dragonlords, relics suspended i

they reached a central chamber-a vast dome supported by molten

it was the

h appr

erglass that shifted as she neared. Flames sparked within its surface, outlinin

eside her. "The

rned into the flame: House Pyralis. Clan Vorthen. The Lin

id, studying it. "But enough.

ck split t

one t

Several of the bloodline points winke

ap darkene

nter... a sym

l of bl

of the Ho

breath caught in her thr

ythos said grimly. "The Hollow Flame

dow detached fr

nd barefoot, eyes hollow like smoking pits.

not belong to you, Heir. R

a spun into a defensive stan

d toward t

it," she said.

ts head. "Then you

rms o

n the room t

ws er

d hurled a blast of golden fire. The crown s

ruck the fig

didn'

lowed t

laug

Kaelith was thrown across the chamber, cras

aimed her was the Map of Fire melting int

She gasped for air, her lungs heavy with the acrid taste of scorched magi

her, forming clawed hand

leaming with silver light as she struck at

A ring of flame burst outward, momentarily scattering the shadowy tend

rowled, pressing a glowing

wn her throat. Her eyes flared-golden again. Pow

vered near the ruined ped

h clenched teeth. "It's not hu

e, circling the chamber like a storm. "It is a f

led as she rose. "The

an as before-fractured, flickering-but it struck true. It split the s

adow r

dest

hu

etreated, vanishing into the cracks of the

ce re

Kaelith's fire and the hu

e lay ruined,

e now unsealed by the shadow's attack, a scroll shimm

ully. Fire runes spira

ly. "Your mother always plan

voice hoarse. "Then

gment of the Hollow Flame and lived. T

n," Kaelith mut

cted you," Nerythos rumble

ult-burned, cracked, and echoin

n with symbols or rel

rthern ridges visible beyond

low the Flame's call, we'll find them. E

hen we head to th

le. "Great. I've always w

oll tightly and tucked

go," sh

wling wind of the mountain heights-drag

longer walked

d as a fl

t pulsed softly-alive, ancient, and waiting. She didn't yet understand why the Map had chosen to burn itself to ash w

e began to darken-not from nightfall, b

es. Bu

Something's wrong. That's no

lets, her tone grim. "The

ime. This was never just about finding allies

rythos let out

and burning black and red across the clouds

heart pounding. "That'

he Hollow Flame... it'

ying distant screams

e hand on the scroll, the

let it