Empire of Ash, Throne of War.
Chapter 1.
Mum steps forward with trembling hands, her face pale with dread.
“May I see Baylee?”
I nod, my voice caught somewhere between fear and numbness. I lift my head from Caden’s chest, and she lowers herself in front of me. Her fingers gently frame my face.
The moment she touches me, Ailm rises like a shadow behind my ribs.
She will feel it, she whispers. She will see what we saw.
Mum gasps.
Her body recoils as though burned. Her face twists—anguish contorting every line—before she staggers back, choking. She barely makes it to the bin before vomiting.
Dad is at her side instantly.
“Love? What is it? Are you okay?”
But she doesn’t hear him. Her eyes are locked on mine like she’s just seen a ghost—no, something worse. She lifts a shaking hand
