Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 130619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
“It’s held in the wastelands where magic and demons run freely, and not gently. It’s almost impossible to prepare for. You fight each other. You fight the elements. You fight demons.”
I laugh without humor and at myself. “And yet, I’m nervous about facing whatever is in the forest.”
“You are the Aza, Ember, and a certainty I know from the books is that you have powerful magic inside you. Reach for it and your dagger. You’ll be stunned at how those things overcome time and training.”
A butterfly floats to the edge of my plate, the glowing shades of blues in its wings breathtakingly beautiful. I hold out a hand and watch as it almost hops in the air and settles in my palm. I can feel magic tickling my skin, and to my utter shock, a sliver of power slides inside me, a zip of electricity darting about my hand. My eyes lift to Micah. “The butterflies—”
“Are a part of this place and a part of you, and so is their magic,” he replies, proving he’s noticed what happened.
“I feel as if they ignited something inside me.”
“You’re waking up. Your magic is waking up, and feeling a connection to Elysium helps that happen.”
“I’m excited to train and apply my awakening to kicking Silas’ butt. What’s the overall schedule today?”
He sets his napkin down. “Gabriella is meeting us to work on your fire early evening.”
“No.” I push my chair back, and I stand up, somehow certain we’re headed to battle. “I’ve decided there will be no fire for me. In fact, I want you to help me bind that asset.”
The table disappears as Micah steps in front of me. “Fire is how you kill the serpent.”
“Or you. I do not want what will kill you.”
“You might be able to kill me, but you can also save worlds.”
“And I do that by way of whatever powers choosing the light gives me.”
“Those powers are already inside you. You have to claim them.”
“You reacted to the idea of me possessing fire badly for a reason,” I counter. “Neither of us wants me to hold such power when I’m not yet rid of the serpent or the temptation the darkness is supposed to represent.”
“There is no in between. You either claim your power and you fight to win, or you give up.”
“What if I just don’t do this? Then what?”
“The moment you came of age, the demons began to grow stronger. Every day that passes, they grow stronger. Think of it like a kid growing into a man. Every day you exist that you do not claim the light, that process continues, and they grow stronger.”
“Okay, talk about pressure. You didn’t tell me that.”
“I’m telling you now.”
I press my fingers to my temples and then drop my hands. “It’s a lot of pressure.”
“I know.”
“How do I even claim the light?”
“There’s a book, and that book is power. When you hold it, it will call to you, tempt you, play games with you. It will ask you to make your choice and will test you in the process. You have to be ready.”
“I don’t understand a word that just came out of your mouth. Will it try to make me choose the darkness?”
“One of the books I gave you suggests it will.”
“Where is this book?”
“Locked away in the kingdom vaults, and until the Judgement Tree rids you of the serpent, you can’t risk touching it. You need your fire, Ember, and before you bring up my reaction to you having it, I won’t lie and say it didn’t concern me, but we’re all dead if you turn to the darkness anyway. The fire can kill a hell of a lot of demons.”
“Something is telling me not to use it, Micah. I can’t. Maybe later, but right now, it’s a mistake, and I think we have to listen to my gut. And I remind you that it was what you felt, too. I know it was.”
“You’re right. It was.” He considers me for a moment. “All right, then. No fire.”
“Can we bind that asset?”
“We could be wrong. We might need it. We hold for now, but trying to suppress it is a dangerous action.”
“Fine,” I say, not in full agreement. “Take me to the forest.”
We stand at the edge of the forest, and the trees whisper, the collective voices making me crazy. I can’t hear their words, but I can feel them mocking me. They do not think I belong in this forest, even if Micah does. “How do you tell the forest to shut up?”
“You don’t. It never shuts up. It still mocks me.”
I glance up at him. “I bet it doesn’t cross you.”
“Oh, the trees are wicked. They love to play games, even with me.” He motions me forward, and we enter the forest, my hand settling on my blade as we do.