chapter thirteen: emberborn
274 Words
The air was thick with tension.
Lila followed the sound deeper into the temple’s heart, drawn by something she couldn’t explain. The stone halls grew warmer with every step, the icy chill from Cassian’s magic fading behind her.
“Lila!” Cassian’s voice echoed faintly. She knew he was following—but something inside her told her not to stop.
At the end of the corridor, a door stood half-open, glowing faintly with a golden-red hue. Her fingers hovered over it, then pushed gently.
Inside, the room was circular, ancient. Carvings danced across the walls—flames, phoenixes, and a symbol she’d seen in her dreams: a burning crown.
At the center, a single flame floated in the air, pulsing with life.
As she stepped closer, it flared—casting light on a mirror embedded in the far wall. Her reflection stared back… but it wasn’t Lila.
It was *Aralis*—dressed in royal fire-silver robes, eyes glowing like twin suns. And she was smiling.
“Who are you really?” Lila whispered.
The flame answered. It surged into her chest, filling her with warmth so intense it stole her breath. Visions exploded in her mind—battles, firestorms, a love that had burned and broken.
Cassian burst into the room just as she fell to her knees, gasping.
“What did you do?” he cried, kneeling beside her.
“I didn’t… do anything,” she whispered. “It found me.”
Her veins shimmered faintly now, as though fire danced beneath her skin.
Cassian looked at her with awe—and fear.
“The Emberborn,” he murmured. “You’re awakening.”
- Writer
