Chapter 54

Ember

We leave the palace before first light. The group is small, just Prince Kaine, me, the Captain, and four other guards. Enough to move quickly and not draw too much attention.

The unrest near the southern border is growing. Every day the reports come in with new sightings, more damage, more uncertainty. What was once distant rumor is now an encroaching reality.

I keep my attention on the mission. Our pace is steady, the travel quiet. Prince Kaine says little.

He reviews reports each night, marking maps in silence. When he does speak, it’s to ask for updates or to give orders. His tone is calm, but I can feel the tension radiating off of him. He has to do well here.

The Captain, on the other hand, talks constantly. He recites numbers, shares unnecessary stories, names every patrol commander he’s ever worked with. It’s obvious he wants to seem involved.

No one tells him to stop, but no one encourages him either. I nod when necessary, but I don’t speak more than I have to. His words bounce around camp like noise without meaning.

I don’t think he notices that no one’s listening. More than once, I catch Kaine narrowing his eyes, but he says nothing.

One night, the Captain leans back and mutters something about how southern rogues used to be more predictable. He implies that these attacks are a result of relaxed leadership and stares directly at me when he says it.

I say nothing, not because I agree, but because responding would give him exactly what he wants. Kaine doesn’t react either, and his silence feels deliberate.

The first few days pass without incident. We stop at two outer posts, gathering what information we can. Local scouts report strange movement. The rogue attacks are fast, aimed at disrupting supply routes.

The attackers vanish before patrols arrive, leaving behind only damage and confusion. The rogue wolves are quick, and their true motive is unknown.

Prince Kaine studies the attack sites carefully. He doesn’t say it aloud, but I can see what he’s thinking. This isn’t random.

These aren’t wild rogues acting without direction. It feels coordinated, too clean. His jaw tightens more each time we return to camp without answers.

By the third day, a scout arrives with news. Tracks were spotted near the edge of the forest two miles south of the last post. They were recent, perfect for an ambush.

The Captain suggests sending a small unit ahead. He says it would be reckless to move everyone in at once. He recommends a quiet investigation in the night.

He says someone needs to assess the terrain and report back. Then he names me to lead it.

Prince Kaine doesn’t answer immediately. He locks eyes with me and for a moment, I think he’ll say no. Then he nods.

“Fine. Ember, take two others and leave an hour before sunrise. Confirm the location of the tracks and assess risk.”

“Yes, Prince Kaine,” I say.

I check my weapons, and make sure I have everything I need in case of an attack. The air is colder tonight. My bag is packed and ready. Everything is ready for the mission ahead.

Almost everything.

The charm Bianca gave me stays tucked in my bag. I sigh, ignoring Nara’s grumbling as I place it around my neck. Maybe it really will help.

Nara doesn’t trust it, but Bianca is my sister. Maybe she is looking out for me, in her own way.

"You need to get rid of that thing."

It’s harmless.

"You don’t know that."

It hasn’t done anything.

"Not yet."

I press my fingers to the pendant. The metal is cool against my skin. I tell myself again that it’s just a charm. I tuck it under my collar and stand.

The trees are quiet as we move. There are three of us and we do our best not to disturb the ground as we continue forward. We follow the forest’s edge in silence.

The moon is bright overhead, its light broken by branches. It’s peaceful, for a while. The wind moves through the leaves.

One of the guards, Anthony, gestures that we’re near the last reported location. We slow our pace.

It comes over me slowly. My steps become less certain. My thoughts drift. I forget what I was looking for.

The trees blur slightly at the edges. I blink and try to center myself, but the blur doesn’t fade. My body feels slightly out of sync with itself. It’s like being under water, or in a dream, every movement feels just a bit too slow.

Nara says something, but her voice is faint, like she’s far away.

"Focus, Ember. Something's wrong."

I blink again and shake my head, but it doesn’t clear.

The tracks are ahead. I kneel beside them, trying to focus, but the lines don’t make sense. My vision sways, and for a second, I think I see something, eyes in the dark.

By the time I realize what it is, it’s already moving. The rogue bursts from the trees. There’s a snarl, a flash of claws. Anthony shouts, and I hear the other guard, George draw his blade.

I try to move but my timing is wrong. My foot catches. My balance slips.

The rogue crashes into me from the side. Pain shoots through my ribs as I hit the ground. My shoulder scrapes the forest floor, and I hear George calling my name.

Then there’s another voice, louder, harsher. “Get back!”

Prince Kaine is here.

I don’t know how he got to us so fast, but he’s already in motion, intercepting the rogue with a low growl. The air around him charged with power as he moves. He forces the rogue back, driving him back.

The rogue snarls but flees into the trees. Kaine drops to my side, eyes scanning for injury. He pulls me into a sitting position, and then pulls back to see the wound on my side.

“The cut is shallow,” he says, frowning. “but you may have a broken rib.”

I nod. My breathing uneven. My limbs feel heavy. Everything around me feels like it’s moving too fast, even though I’m not moving at all.

He looks at me again, more carefully this time. “What happened?”

I start to answer, but I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t tired. I wasn’t distracted. I just...lost control.

His eyes fall to the chain at my neck. I move to tuck it back under my collar, but it’s too late. He’s seen it.

He doesn’t ask about it, but I see the question in his eyes.

By the fire, I sit quietly while Prince Kaine tends to the wound. His presence is grounding. I hate to admit it, but the bond is helping.

Anthony and George are posted nearby, keeping watch. The rogue hasn’t returned, but that could change at any moment.

I hold my arms close, my jaw tight. The fire’s warmth does little to settle the chill in my chest.

The charm is still around my neck.

"You need to get rid of it," Nara says again. "That wasn’t you back there."

I stay silent, but I’m starting to agree.