The Broken Crown sat heavy in Elena's hands as they made their way out of the ruins. Its dark, jagged surface seemed to pulse faintly, as though alive. The closer she held it, the more she could feel its power humming through her veins. It was intoxicating and terrifying all at once.
Cassian walked beside her, his silver eyes flicking to the crown every so often. He didn't say anything, but his tension was palpable. Behind them, Maren and the rest of the group followed, their movements cautious as though afraid the ruins might swallow them whole.
"What happens now?" Maren finally asked, breaking the silence. Her voice was low, but it carried the weight of everyone's unspoken question.
Elena didn't answer immediately. She kept her gaze ahead, her thoughts churning. "We use it," she said finally, her voice steady.
Cassian frowned. "Using it isn't the same as controlling it. The crown's power is volatile. It will push back."
Elena stopped and turned to face him, her jaw set. "Then I'll push harder."
Cassian held her gaze, his expression unreadable. "Just be sure you know what you're fighting for. The crown won't let you forget the price."
By the time they reached the edge of the ruins, the sun had begun to set, casting long shadows across the forest. Elena glanced back at the broken castle one last time, the weight of its history pressing on her like a stone.
"What do we do now?" Maren asked, her bow slung across her back.
Elena tightened her grip on the crown. "We keep moving. There are more villages out there, more people who need our help. We gather as many as we can before Lucian realizes what we've done."
"And when he does?"
Elena's gaze hardened. "Then we make him regret it."
The group traveled through the night, their path winding deeper into the forest. The shadows seemed to press closer now, the air thick with tension. Elena could feel the crown's magic pulsing faintly, a steady thrum that matched the beat of her heart.
"Does it… feel like anything?" Maren asked cautiously as they walked.
Elena glanced at her. "It feels like fire. And ice. And everything in between."
Maren shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. "Sounds awful."
"It's not awful," Elena said softly. "It's power. Pure and unrelenting. And it's mine now."
Cassian, who had been walking ahead, slowed his pace until he was beside her. "It's not yours, Elena. Not entirely. The crown's magic is like a storm. You might guide it, but you'll never truly control it."
Elena didn't reply. She kept her gaze forward, her grip on the crown tightening.
They reached a clearing just before dawn. The group set up a small camp, lighting a fire that cast flickering shadows across their faces. The air was cold and damp, the scent of rain heavy in the breeze.
Elena sat near the fire, the crown resting in her lap. She traced its jagged edges with her fingers, the faint hum of magic sending shivers through her.
Cassian approached, his expression serious. "You're thinking too much about it."
"I'm thinking about what comes next," Elena replied without looking up.
Cassian crouched beside her, his silver eyes steady. "And what do you see?"
"War," she said simply. "Blood. Death. The end of everything we've fought for if we fail."
Cassian was silent for a moment before he spoke. "The crown can give you power, Elena. But it can't give you the answers. That's something you'll have to find on your own."
Elena looked at him, her brow furrowed. "Why do you care so much about what happens to me?"
Cassian didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice was low. "Because I've seen what happens to people who try to wield power like this. And because I don't want to lose you to it."
The words caught her off guard. For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
"I won't let it control me," she said finally. "I can't."
Cassian nodded, though his expression remained cautious. "Just remember—power is only as strong as the one who wields it."
The storm came without warning.
It began with a low rumble of thunder, distant but growing louder. The wind picked up, carrying the scent of rain and something darker—something electric.
Elena stood, her hand instinctively going to her sword. "What is that?"
Cassian's expression darkened. "It's not a natural storm."
The first raindrops fell, cold and heavy, as the thunder grew louder. Lightning split the sky, illuminating the forest in a flash of white light. And then, through the downpour, came the sound of hoofbeats.
"They've found us!" Maren shouted, her bow already drawn.
Elena turned to the group, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Get to cover! Hold the line!"
The forest erupted into chaos as Lucian's soldiers charged into the clearing. Their armor gleamed in the lightning's glow, their swords cutting through the rain.
Elena raised the crown, its magic surging through her veins. The air around her seemed to shift, crackling with energy.
"Now," she whispered.
The crown's power exploded outward, a shockwave of light and force that sent the first wave of soldiers crashing to the ground. The magic pulsed through the clearing, twisting the air itself into a weapon.
Elena felt the crown's pull, its magic demanding more, pushing her to unleash everything. But she held back, her grip on the power firm.
"Don't let it take you," Cassian shouted, cutting down a soldier who had broken through the line.
Elena gritted her teeth, focusing the magic into a barrier that surrounded her group. The soldiers' attacks struck the barrier harmlessly, their weapons bouncing off as though hitting solid stone.
"Fall back!" one of the soldiers shouted, panic in his voice.
Within moments, the clearing was silent again, the soldiers retreating into the storm.
Elena lowered the crown, her body trembling as the magic faded. The barrier dissolved, leaving only the rain and the sound of her own ragged breathing.
Cassian approached, his sword still in hand. "Are you all right?"
Elena nodded, though her hands were shaking. "It worked. We won."
"For now," Cassian said grimly. "But they'll be back. And next time, they'll bring more."
Elena looked at the crown in her hands, its dark surface gleaming faintly in the storm's light.
"Then we'll be ready," she said softly.
Cassian didn't reply. He simply looked at her, his expression unreadable, as the storm raged around them.