Chapter 127
Emilia's POV
The air was full of the smell of burning wood, but it wasn't only that which held my attention. It wasn't the kind of heat that made your chest feel warm. It was a slow and steady kind of burn that made it hard to catch one's breath. The oldest tree in the land, the Ash Tree, was in front of me, and its branches were now curling in on themselves because of the red-hot embers. A place of authority. He remained patiently below the surface.
The one who wears a mask.
I could sense him before I even saw him because his presence was so strong and clear. The wind made a soft sound, but we could not hear anything. No noise. Just the burden of what had happened.
I took a moment to calm myself as I moved ahead. I didn't want him to know how much I was afraid. I made my
