From the Embers (The Born in Flames Trilogy)

  “Sayer is here,” I said to Astral in my mind.

  Fenn tracked my gaze. “Rory, no, we don’t have time.” He grabbed me by the arm, his jaw was set. Heat flushed through my body.

  “Gabe could be down there! Let GO!” I shouted back, yanking my arm free. His face turned bright red. But it didn’t matter. I had to know. I had to try.

  I turned from him and ran for the door as fast as my feet would take me, dodging people left and right. Fenn was by my side the moment I opened it, his body blocking the doorway.

  “This could be dangerous,” he let out in a low growl. His eyes were no longer blue, but a deep dark swirling mass of anger.

  I ground my teeth. “And we don’t have time to think so quit worrying and help me,” I said, moving him aside with my hips. I heard him huff, but his footsteps carried behind me.

  All I could think about was Gabe, Irisi, and Gwen.

  We opened the door to the cellar just as a portal sealed shut at the far end. “No!” I shouted, my wings carrying me forward. “We can trace the portal. We still have a chance to find them,” I said with sheer determination.

  “No!” Astral spoke abruptly in my mind.

  “Get out of my head,” I snapped, angry that he was stalking my thoughts.

  Fenn looked helpless as his eyes darted between the empty cells and the place where the portal had been. His lips pulled down into a grimace. With a heavy sigh, he braced my shoulders and said, “Rory, it could be a trap. We don’t know that any of them were kept here. This place is empty.” He didn’t sound like he believed what he was trying to feed me.

  I stared at him.

  He shifted under my gaze, letting go of my shoulders. “We have to stay focused,” he said stiffly. “We came here to bring this place down.”

  I still felt Astral in my mind, agreeing with Fenn and willing me to go along. “We are running out of time. We have to destroy it now before Zordon catches wind.”

  My shoulders slumped. They were right. I needed to stay focused. At the moment, Lev was more important. I exhaled loudly, stuck between doing the right thing and doing the dangerous thing.

  I am their only hope, I told myself, gritting my teeth.

  “Use your fire to enclose this area. We need to push the last of the men back into the Lyceum. Burn it down, Little Flame,” Astral reiterated.

  “Okay,” I said in my mind and then relayed the message to Fenn. He opened a portal back to Astral and reached for my hand. With regret, I took it.

  “Be careful,” he said as I leapt into the sky the moment my feet touched outside of the Lyceum.

  “Stand back,” I shouted to the Orient and Nymphs. They looked up at me, brows drawn together. “Retreat!” I shouted forcefully. Kaede must have received the message from Astral because he ran out yelling at his men to retreat.

  As they fell back, I let the flames pour from my mouth and hands, preventing what was left of Zordon’s army from chasing after them. The flames hit the ground and spread instantly, widening the circle under my command as I hovered above them.

  Once the circle reached both sides of the Lyceum, I pushed the growing flames inwards, engulfing everything in its path. Zordon’s soldiers tried to port out, but the heat from my flames burnt their portals. The soldiers ignited into flames as the fire rushed towards the Lyceum with deadly intent.

  Hatred stirred inside of me. Zordon’s taint. I wanted to destroy this place and everyone who followed it. I wanted death to come to those who threatened my family. I didn’t care about the outcome. I didn’t care who got hurt.

  “Rory!” I heard Lexi cry from somewhere inside the flames. But I couldn’t stop. The rush of power was too great. Too addicting. All that mattered was feeding the need to kill that swarmed the depths of my soul.

  An echo of Zordon’s laughter sounded in the back of my head, mixing with my own, drowning me in an uncontrollable madness I don’t think I wanted to come out of. But then pain speared through my heart. Fenn. He was scared for me. He was scared of me.

  I stopped, the flames swaying right before the entrance of the Lyceum. I had to do this. I had to end the last of Zordon’s army left on this island. I had to for my people. Fenn would understand. He’d have to.

  My lip curled as I sent a final wave of power out to the flames, watching them burst into the sky like a volcanic explosion. Flames fell from the sky, raining down on the Lyceum, destroying one part of Zordon’s reign. It felt good to watch it crumble into nothing as I hovered in the air, the last bit of my innocence disintegrating along with it.

  I am the Progeny. I am their only hope.

  Chapter 15

  The War Was Fought But Not Won

  OUR ARMY STAYED BEHIND AS the smoldering embers of the Lyceum burned out into the cloudy night. A few of Kaede’s men sorted through the places where my fire hadn’t touched, searching for the fallen. Limp bodies were rolled over, looked at, and then left to be thrown into the large pit that Kaede’s men were digging out for the dead. Kaede’s fallen were taken back to Orient Island to have a proper burial.

  Dagan and his Nymphs returned home.

  Back in my human form, I sat in front of the embers with my knees pulled up to my chin, watching the flickering light pop and sizzle as the rain continued to drizzle from the sky. My armor was coated in blood and soot, marking me like war paint.

  We pulled it off, I thought to myself, running my chin from knee to knee. I hugged myself a little tighter, letting the healing power of my amulet strengthen my sore muscles.

  Fenn came up behind me, ash and dirt smeared across his face and chest. Water dripped from the ends of his hair and fell on top of my soaking head. My eyes met his as he sluggishly blinked.

  “You blew everyone away today,” he said proudly, a hint of a lazy smile on his lips. “Any doubt they had, you knocked it right out of the park.”

  “I aim to please,” I said coolly. I was too tired to force a smile.

  He chuckled lightly. “Astral left with the crystal and is working on a way to release Lev,” he said as he sat down on the moist earth next to me. I let myself fall against him, using every bit of effort to push the matted hair from my face.

  Next to Fenn, I always felt safe. Whole. Unlike what I had felt when I was destroying the Lyceum.

  “Something broke inside of me today, Fenn.”

  “What do you mean?” He fiddled with his dagger, twirling it on the scorched earth with one leg bent and the other stretched out. I watched the orange hue reflect off the spinning dagger as the battle replayed itself in my mind.

  “I lost who I was in the midst of it all. I felt Zordon’s hatred. I wanted to kill.” I couldn’t look at him as I admitted this.

  “That will be over soon,” he said flatly. He stopped twirling the dagger and leaned forward to tuck it back into his leather boot. He slowly leaned back and pressed his hands against the ground to bear his weight.

  I wouldn’t let myself say what if. After winning this battle today, I believed that there was a chance. One that was in reach. I turned and rested my chin on his shoulder, waiting for him to turn his face towards me.

  A playful smile curved his lips as he kept his eyes focused on something in front of us.

  I kissed his damp cheek all the way down to his lips, taunting him to look at me. When he finally did, his eyes were clouded with doubts and fear. I pursed my lips and waited for his to find mine, refusing to answer his thoughts with words. Everything always made sense when we kissed. The world wasn’t so scary in those moments.

  Butterflies rose when he finally kissed me. He took his time, the rain falling around us, cleansing the earth. I kept my eyes squeezed tight. He was my ground, my rock. He was my reason.

  “I love you,” I whispered as he rested his head against my forehead. Water dripped b
etween the two of us, tasting of salt and dirt.

  “Love you more,” he replied, his eyes searching mine.

  “We still need to tell Lexi.”

  Fenn snorted. “If we can get her away from Astral. She has been up his butt since the battle ended. You still down with not telling Astral?”

  “Yeah,” I replied, knowing that Astral would never go for it.

  “I’ll figure out a way to tell her then,” he said, leaning his head against mine.

  “I’m surprised he didn’t show up today.”

  “Me too. Makes me wonder what he’s up to that’s so much more important than saving his home,” he bit off, pulling his head away from mine.

  “It’s just…in a way…it felt too easy, you know?”

  He nodded, kicking an ember in front of us. It disintegrated, the ash rising into the air in glittering swirls. A loud huff rushed out of him, his breath like smoke in the chilled air.

  “I can’t wait until we don’t have to deal with him anymore.”

  “Me either,” I agreed, looping my arm around his to pull him back closer to me.

  “Little Flame?” Astral called in my mind.

  “I’m here.”

  “You must leave the island now. Soothe foresaw someone coming.”

  “Him?”

  “Not sure. Meet back at the Orient.”

  “Okay.”

  “Rory,” Fenn said sharply. “Are you listening?”

  I looked over at him. “Sorry, Astral says we need to go now. Someone’s coming.” I stood up and opened a portal back to the Orient and pulled Fenn through with me.

  AFTER SHOWERING AND SHARING A plate full of pork and potatoes, Adam summoned us to the advisory room. I wanted out of my armor so I conjured a pair of comfortable zebra print pajama pants and a black spaghetti strap top that I used to wear in the other realm.

  Kaede and his advisors stared at me inquisitively when I walked in. I didn’t bother explaining. I was too tired to care. My belly was full of starch, and my mind was overused.

  “I know it’s late,” Kaede said as he motioned for us to sit. He sounded just as tired as we all looked and felt. He pressed his fingers against his temples, rubbing in circles. “I promise this will be brief.”

  Lexi gestured for us to sit near her. I carefully stepped around Soothe who rested against the wall, mouth open and drooling. He was zonked. After we sat, Masami walked over with a pot of steaming tea. I put my hand over the empty cup. “No, thank you.” She bowed and stepped back.

  “I called this meeting because I wanted to thank you all. Though it is not the ending we are hoping for, it is a momentous victory that will surely put a dent in Zordon’s plans. Pyre Island was his home and the central headquarters for all of his dirty dealings. And now it is nothing but ashes. Not to mention the fact that we now have Lev in our safety.”

  I leaned forward. “He’s out?”

  “Yes,” Kaede said, looking at me. “Astral was able to break the enchantment that Zordon created. He is briefing Lev now.”

  “That’s wonderful news!” Albert and Ghandus chimed in unison. Their cups rattled against the table when they jumped in excitement. “You don’t know how wonderful this is,” Albert said to me, grinning from ear to ear. “Lev will restore peace when you have beaten Zordon.”

  I rested my hand against my chest, cupping my neck and said, “I hope so.”

  “I know so,” Ghandus said with a wink.

  Kaede cleared his throat. “We have placed an enchantment around Pyre Island to keep Zordon’s men from crossing the barrier between realms since the rift is near the cave on that island. At least until Zordon finds out and changes it.

  “Also, while you were away to recruit the Nymphs, my spies returned with news. They told me that Zordon has been enlisting every Outlaw in the Swamp to help him with the army he is trying to raise.”

  “What?” I asked, my limbs going cold.

  “It has to do with the Necros,” Soothe said, wiping the drool from his mouth.

  “You know about it?” Kaede asked him.

  “Only what I just told you. I can’t see past that. Whatever they are making, it is for the final battle,” Soothe confirmed. He crossed his arms over his chest and fell back asleep.

  “We need to know what it is. Do you think it is the undead army—the one we have heard rumors about?” Fenn asked.

  “Believe me, we are trying to find out,” Kaede said. “Once Lev is ready to talk, we will meet with him and see if he has any ideas. He may know more about him than we do.”

  “Oh, he knows him all right,” Soothe said with a cracked eyelid.

  “None of this will change the fact that some got away. Some like Sayer,” I said quietly. I couldn’t let go of the fact that Gabe, Gwen, and Irisi may have been in my grasp.

  Kaede and Soothe exchanged glances. “Irisi is no longer being held captive,” Kaede said gently. His finger was tracing circles along the table.

  I sat up, remembering the spectol. “Is she here?”

  He sighed a little. “Yes.” Lexi and Fenn stiffened on either side of me. “We wanted to wait until after the battle to tell you. She was in very critical condition when she was found just outside of this Lyceum. She was attacked after she had been released from Zordon’s cell.” He paused, his face drooping in sadness, and said, “She was meant to be killed.”

  I jumped to my feet. “Is she okay now?” I had to see her, to thank her for helping me that day I had almost been caught. She was taken because of me, and she never uttered a word, not even to save her people.

  “That is why I asked you here tonight, Aurora,” Kaede said softly. “We need you to speak with her…to see if she knows anything about what is happening in the Swamp.”

  My stomach turned sour. “She was nearly killed.” I tried not to sound too disgusted when the words curled off my lips in a sneer.

  Kaede’s face hardened. “And we are at war, Progeny. She was held captive for a very long time. She knew of Gabe and Gwenevere. They were locked in the same cellar as she. She was also locked near Na’shir. They were kept in the Polar Lyceum. She may have heard something, but she won’t talk to anyone but you.”

  I swallowed hard. “Fine,” I said in a low voice.

  The paper doors slid open. Flowing white hair that contrasted against her dark, marked skin spun in the air when she turned to face me. Irisi. She smiled as her eyes fell on me, though the smile was full of sadness. Her once voluptuous body had become skin and bones. Enchanted shackles dangled from her frail hands and feet. A guard motioned her into the room.

  “You have her in chains!” I yelled out. Fenn tightly grabbed my hand.

  Kaede stood at once. “It is a precaution, Aurora. We do not know for sure if she was truly freed or if Zordon has sent her in.”

  “I told you, he let me go,” Irisi spat, looking over her slender nose at him. Her familiar accent was sharp and full of malice.

  Fenn was on his feet the second I was, following my every step. “Take her out of the chains,” I growled, moving to stand in front of Kaede. “She is telling the truth.” It was all I would say. They didn’t need to know what I had seen in the spectol, or that I had even seen anything. Not yet, at least.

  “You could be putting us all at risk.”

  “You will trust me on this. She risked her life for me. She was set free by Zordon. Let her go.”

  He hesitated, his eyes moving around the room, searching for an answer. Not receiving one, he sighed, signaling for the guards to remove them. The guards’ faces were emotionless as the chains fell from Irisi’s hands and feet.

  “The Progeny is safe and alive,” she said with certainty. “At least one thing has gone right.” Tears streamed down her thin cheeks as I walked over to her. Fenn
stayed right behind me, his hand on my waist.

  I wanted to hug her, but it felt weird. I barely knew her, but after what she went through to help me, I felt like I owed her at least that much.

  She knelt down before me.

  I knelt down with her. “Don’t,” I said awkwardly. “I owe you, Irisi. You could have handed me over to him, but you didn’t. You saved me. Thank you.”

  “He has my husband,” she cried, her head falling into her hands. I noticed rings of dried blood wrapped around her wrists, and I turned and gave Kaede a murderous look as my heart shattered into pieces.

  “We will save him,” I said, knowing that was a promise I might not be able to keep. Not if he was aiding Zordon.

  She looked up at me, desperation in her eyes. “You have to, Progeny. He is innocent. He only joined the other side to save my life. He doesn’t want to do what Zordon is asking him to do.”

  I looked over at Fenn, knowing that he would have done the same for me and knowing what we both saw inside the spectol. I reached for her hands and held them tightly. “We will save him,” I said again, this time with affirmation.

  I had to bring her hope. I had to give her what she gave me.

  Kaede cleared his throat again.

  I gritted my teeth and inhaled deeply to calm my voice before I spoke to her. “Irisi,” I started, knowing that I had to do this, “do you know what Zordon is trying to do in the Swamp?”

  She looked up at me now, sniffling as her innocent eyes searched mine. “The Swamp?”

  I nodded. “Did you overhear anything?”

  Her brow dipped in thought. “Well, yes, that is what he is using my Na’shir for.”

  I looked back at Kaede who nodded for me to continue.