Everyone froze.
“You’re joking,” Riven said flatly.
“I don’t joke about sacred dragon grounds.”
“You went to Hatchling Isle?” Jax leaned forward. “They don’t let anyone near there.”
“She said I needed to feel the future,” I said softly, the memory still warm and strange. “To understand what my magic could do.”
Cordelle’s brows furrowed. “And?”
I hesitated. “When I reached out… not to touch, just to sense… the unborn dragons stirred. The eggsmoved. They reacted to me. Like theyknewI was there.”
Ferrula whistled under her breath. “Gods.”
“That’s not the worst of it,” I said. “Kaelith said if I hadn’t stopped, they might’ve hatched early. And if that had happened…”
“They would’ve died,” Cordelle finished, face gone pale.
I nodded.
“I didn’t mean to call them. But Kaelith…” I paused. “She’s scared. She said my magic has dark roots, ones that run deeper than she realized. That it could beusedto bind dragons, maybe even awaken bloodlines that were never meant to rise again.”
“You’re talking about the Blood Fae,” Riven said quietly.
I met her eyes. “She said I could be used to make themfertileagain.”
Naia’s spoon clattered to her plate.
“That’s dark magic,” Tae said, his voice quiet but firm. “Deep magic. Ancient.”
I nodded again. “It’s a part of me. And now… it’s awakened.”
The table fell silent.
Not in fear.
In solidarity.
And that silence meant more than any oath.
Because now theyknew.
We finished breakfast in silence after that—no more jokes, no more casual ribbing. Just the quiet scrape of utensils and the occasional rustle of leather as someone shifted. My words had shaken them, but they hadn’t pulled away.
Still, I felt… hollow.
Zander had been avoiding me since the meeting with Alahathrial. Kaelith hadn’t said a word since she left last night.
And I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was slipping out from under me.
We made our way to the Ascension Grounds in our usual formation with our boots crunching over gravel, and the wind tugging at our hair. The early light stretched long across theworn stone where we trained, banners lifting above the walls like they were trying to escape.
I drifted behind the others a little, my steps heavy.
Where did I even stand anymore?
When no one was looking, I reached beneath my armor and pulled my pendant free.
