The night was restless. Even with the steady hum of the stream and the soft rhythm of the wind through the trees, sleep evaded Aelin. Every time her eyes closed, the whispers of the Flame grew louder. Voices not of this world curled through her thoughts, soft as silk and sharp as daggers.
You are chosen.
You are the light.
You will burn.
She sat bolt upright, gasping for air. Sweat clung to her skin, her cloak damp despite the cold of the night. The Heart of the Flame hung against her chest, its light pulsing faintly, as if aware of her distress.
Kael was there in an instant, crouched beside her with the silence of a predator. "Another dream?" he asked, his voice low.
Aelin nodded, running a trembling hand through her hair. "It's getting louder. I... I don't know what it wants."
Kael studied her carefully, his golden eyes glinting in the faint light of the Flame. "The Flame is testing you."
"Testing me for what?"
"For what comes next." Kael stood, his gaze scanning the darkness around them. "The closer we get to the Temple of Embers, the stronger its whispers will become. It's preparing you."
"Preparing me for what?" she pressed, her voice sharp with frustration.
Kael didn't answer, but the shadow that crossed his face told her enough. Whatever lay ahead would demand more of her than she was ready to give.
---
The next morning, they broke camp before the sun rose. Aelin's limbs were heavy, her exhaustion clinging to her like a second skin, but she refused to let it slow her. Kael pushed them forward without pause, moving through the forest with unerring precision.
They walked in silence for hours, the thick canopy above blocking out much of the light. Aelin's thoughts churned with every step, her mind replaying the whispers that had haunted her through the night.
You will burn.
What did it mean? Was it a warning—or a promise?
"We're being watched," Kael murmured suddenly, breaking her train of thought.
Aelin froze, her hand moving instinctively to the hilt of her sword. "By what?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. His gaze scanned the trees, his movements slow and deliberate. "Shadows," he said at last. "The Void's agents. They're drawn to the Flame's presence."
"How many?"
Kael tilted his head as though listening to something she couldn't hear. "Enough."
The word sent a chill down her spine.
Aelin drew her sword, the steel gleaming faintly in the dim light. "We can't outrun them, can we?"
"No." Kael's blade was already in his hand, the sigils along its edge flaring softly. "But we can make them regret finding us."
The words were barely out of his mouth when the forest erupted.
From the shadows came the creatures—twisted forms that oozed darkness. They crawled from the ground and slipped from the trees, their movements jerky and unnatural. Each one was a mockery of life, their bodies composed of swirling black voids and their clawed hands reaching hungrily for the light.
Aelin's heart thundered in her chest, but she held her ground.
"Stay close to me," Kael ordered, his voice steady despite the chaos unfolding around them.
One of the creatures lunged, its claws slicing through the air. Kael met it head-on, his blade flashing as it carved through the darkness. The creature screeched, its form collapsing into a cloud of black ash.
Another came at Aelin. She twisted to the side, her sword cutting into its chest. The blow landed, but it wasn't enough to destroy it. The creature snarled, swiping at her with one inky arm. She barely managed to dodge, stumbling backward as her boot slipped on the wet earth.
"Aelin!" Kael's voice snapped through the air. "Use the Flame!"
"I don't know how!" she shouted back, her grip tightening on her sword.
The creature advanced, its hollow face fixed on her. The Heart of the Flame pulsed wildly against her chest, its glow intensifying until it felt as though it might sear her skin. The whispers returned, clearer this time—stronger.
Let it flow.
Aelin didn't think. She ripped the Heart from where it hung around her neck and thrust it forward, the shard burning hot in her palm. Light exploded from it, a beam of searing fire that slammed into the creature. It shrieked, its form disintegrating into smoke and ash.
Aelin stumbled, the relic falling from her fingers. The glow dimmed, but the heat lingered, crackling in the air like a lingering storm.
Kael moved to her side, his expression grim. "Good. But don't lose focus—there are more."
Aelin turned to see three more creatures closing in. Her chest burned, exhaustion pulling at her limbs, but she forced herself to move. Kael's blade cut through one creature, while Aelin summoned the Flame again, letting it pour through her.
The second creature exploded in a shower of light and darkness.
The third managed to reach her.
Its claws raked across her arm, and pain flared white-hot in her mind. Aelin screamed, falling to her knees as the shadow wrapped around her, its cold seeping into her bones.
"Aelin!" Kael's shout was distant, his voice drowned out by the whispering in her head.
Give in.
Let it burn.
You are the Flame.
The cold began to recede, replaced by heat—raw, blistering heat that burned away the darkness like morning sunlight banishing night. Aelin's eyes snapped open, and fire erupted from her body in a wave of blinding light.
The creature screeched as it was consumed, its form evaporating in an instant.
When the light faded, Aelin was left kneeling in the dirt, smoke curling from her skin. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her body trembling from the effort.
Kael was there a moment later, pulling her to her feet. "You're all right," he said, his voice low but firm. "You're all right."
Aelin swayed, her vision swimming. "I don't... I don't know what I did."
Kael's grip on her arm tightened. "You survived. That's enough for now."
He led her away from the clearing, back toward the safety of the trees. Aelin glanced over her shoulder at the spot where the creatures had fallen. The earth was scorched black, smoke still rising from the ground.
She swallowed hard, her chest aching with each breath. "They're going to keep coming, aren't they?"
Kael nodded, his face shadowed. "Until you learn to master the Flame, yes."
Aelin closed her eyes briefly, exhaustion washing over her in waves. The Flame had saved her life, but it had taken something from her, too. She could feel it—burning inside her like a second heartbeat, restless and hungry.
Kael's voice broke through her thoughts. "We're close now. Another day, maybe two, and we'll reach the Temple of Embers."
"And then what?" she asked, her voice quiet.
Kael met her gaze, the golden light in his eyes steady and unyielding. "Then we see if you're strong enough to survive what's coming."
Aelin didn't respond. She couldn't.
The Flame had chosen her, and she knew now there was no turning back.
The sun hung low on the horizon, a pale disk smothered by the gray clouds rolling in from the east. The forest, which had felt alive only a day ago, grew quieter with each step. There were no birds here, no rustling creatures, just the steady crunch of boots on brittle leaves. It was as though even the earth itself had withdrawn in anticipation of what lay ahead.
Aelin's legs burned with the effort of keeping pace with Kael. Her body still ached from the clash with the Void creatures the day before, the scratch on her arm a pulsing, cold ache beneath her torn sleeve. She pressed a hand to the wound absently, feeling the edges of darkness that still clung to her skin.
"It's still there," she murmured aloud, breaking the silence.
Kael slowed, glancing back at her. "The mark of the Void runs deep," he replied. "It's drawn to the Flame, but it won't take root in you—not if you fight it."
Aelin frowned. "That's easy for you to say. You don't feel like half your soul is frozen."
Kael's golden eyes softened, though his face remained impassive. "I know more about that cold than you think, Aelin. But it's only a scar—proof that you survived."
She sighed, pushing forward beside him. Kael rarely gave more than scraps of his past, but she didn't have the energy to pry. "So how much farther?"
Kael turned his gaze eastward, to where the thick green of the forest gave way to barren, gray hills. "We're close to the Ashen Ridge. The Temple lies just beyond it. If we keep moving, we'll be there by tomorrow night."
Aelin's eyes followed his gaze. Even from this distance, the Ridge was an ominous thing. The hills were steep, their slopes scarred and crumbling, as though something had burned the life out of them long ago. Overhead, the clouds darkened, swirling like ash caught on an unseen wind.
"Lovely," she muttered. "Nothing screams 'safe sanctuary' like a wasteland of cursed rocks."
Kael smirked faintly. "It's not the rocks you should worry about."
Before Aelin could press him for more, she noticed the silence around them had changed. It was deeper now, heavier, as though the very air had thickened. A chill ran down her spine.
Kael stopped abruptly, his hand going to the hilt of his sword. "Stay close."
"What is it?" Aelin whispered, scanning the trees.
Kael didn't answer, but she saw the way his body tensed, his eyes narrowed. Aelin reached instinctively for her own sword, feeling the weight of the Heart of the Flame pulsing against her chest.
Then she heard it.
A low hum, like wind scraping over broken glass. The sound rose and fell, a chorus of faint, dissonant whispers that set her teeth on edge.
The shadows at the edge of the forest began to move.
Aelin's breath caught in her throat as figures emerged—half-formed things, darker than the deepest night. The creatures didn't move like men, but slithered forward, dragging themselves across the ground. Their hollow faces turned toward her, and even though they had no eyes, she could feel them watching.
"Kael..."
"I see them," he replied, his voice sharp as a blade.
One of the shadows shrieked, the sound splitting the air like a jagged crack of thunder. And then they charged.
"Move!" Kael shouted.
The first creature lunged for Aelin, its clawed hand swiping through the air. She twisted aside, slashing her sword at its chest. The steel bit into the shadow, but instead of cutting, it passed through the thing like smoke.
"It's not working!" she yelled, stumbling back.
Kael was already moving, his blade glowing faintly as he struck down two creatures in quick succession. Their forms evaporated into plumes of black ash as his sword made contact. "They're Void-spawn. You have to use the Flame!"
The Flame.
Aelin's heart raced as another creature lunged at her. She ducked beneath its swing, her hand instinctively pressing to the Heart of the Flame. It burned against her palm, its heat spreading through her like fire coursing through her veins.
The whispers returned, stronger this time.
Let it flow.
Aelin let out a breath and willed the Flame forward. The relic flared brightly, light bursting from her hands in a wave of gold and crimson. The creature shrieked as the fire engulfed it, its form unraveling into nothing.
She didn't stop to think. Another came for her, and she raised her hand again, the Flame searing the darkness away. For every creature that fell, two more seemed to appear. The effort of wielding the Flame pulled at her, leaving her muscles weak and her vision swimming, but she couldn't stop—not if she wanted to live.
Kael fought beside her, his blade a streak of silver light as he cut down the Void-spawn. Sweat slicked his brow, but his movements remained precise, relentless.
"There's too many!" Aelin shouted.
Kael didn't look at her as he fought. "We're not here to win. We're here to survive. Keep moving toward the Ridge!"
Aelin cursed under her breath but followed his lead, carving a path through the creatures with fire and steel. The edge of the forest loomed ahead, the barren hills of the Ridge visible through the thinning trees.
"Almost there!" Kael called.
Aelin turned toward him—just in time to see one of the creatures break through his guard.
"Kael!"
The creature lunged, its clawed arm plunging toward him. Kael twisted at the last second, but the blow caught him across the side, knocking him to the ground. His blade clattered from his hand, and the creature loomed over him, its form writhing like a living shadow.
Aelin didn't think. She sprinted toward them, the Heart of the Flame burning in her palm.
"Get away from him!" she screamed, thrusting her hand forward.
A torrent of fire exploded from her, brighter and hotter than any before. The creature screamed as the Flame consumed it, its form disintegrating into smoke. The heat of the blast burned Aelin's skin, but she didn't care.
She skidded to Kael's side, grabbing his arm. "Get up!"
Kael groaned, his face pale but determined. He stumbled to his feet, clutching his injured side. "Keep going," he rasped.
Together, they staggered out of the forest and onto the rocky slopes of the Ashen Ridge. The Void-spawn hesitated at the tree line, shrieking in frustration as though unable to cross the threshold.
Aelin and Kael collapsed against a jagged boulder, both gasping for breath. The sky above them was dark, the clouds swirling ominously.
"Are you all right?" Aelin asked, her voice shaky.
Kael grimaced, his hand pressed to the wound at his side. "I'll live."
Aelin swallowed, her gaze drifting back to the treeline where the shadows still lingered. "What... what was that? Why didn't they follow us?"
Kael glanced at her, his golden eyes sharp. "The Void can't cross into the Ashen Ridge. Not yet."
"Not yet?" she repeated, dread curling in her stomach.
Kael's expression darkened. "The Flame's power is waking, Aelin. And the Void is waking with it. This was just the beginning."
Aelin looked east, to where the barren hills stretched endlessly into the distance. Somewhere beyond them lay the Temple of Embers, the place where she would finally learn to control the Flame—or be destroyed by it.
She shivered, the Heart of the Flame pulsing faintly against her chest.
Let it flow.
The whispers were louder now, and for the first time, Aelin wasn't sure if they were her salvation or her doom.