I glanced at Rath, and he nodded.
“I've already tried to kill the Corrupter once,” I said. “I'll gladly try again. That's not what my hesitation is about.”
“Then what is it?” Rath asked.
“I . . . I can't be the one. That's just not who I am. I'm not special. I'm just a guy who happens to have a bit of magic.”
The Emperor chuckled. “Oh, is that what you are, Ember?”
“You told me you believed you were destined for greatness,” Rath said.
“I said my mother believed that, but I only hoped. I wanted my life to have meaning, for there to be a reason for my magic. But as much as she believed that, I still couldn't save her. Or my father.”
The Emperor sobered. “I'm so sorry about your parents. How did they die?”
“A Ladrin attack,” I whispered. “One of their cleansings.”
“Damn it all!” the Emperor cursed as he looked at his Wraith Lords. “I thought we'd stopped those?”
“There's only so much we can do, Sire,” Nex said. “Unless we catch them in the act, we can't prove that they're guilty. And we've been stretched thin as it is, countering the Corrupter's attacks.”
“I don't blame the Wraith Lords,” I said. “It's my fault my parents died. I was gone that day. Out fishing. Fucking fishing!” I snarled and shook my head. “I was so pleased with myself because I figured out a way to use Water Magic to drive the fish to me.” I slumped to add, “I never did eat those fish. I dropped them when I heard the screams. My mother's screams.”
“Fuck,” Rath whispered and lifted his arm, the one still behind me, to grasp my shoulder and pull me in against his side. “I'm so sorry, Ember.”
“I think the Goddess kept you away that day,” the Emperor said. “Untrained, you may have died. All of your potential wasted. But she saved you so that you could save Lord Ratharin today, and he could bring you to me. We will train you, Ember. You will never feel powerless again.” He reached over and laid a hand on my shoulder. “You will avenge your parents against the true evil behind their murders—the Corrupter. You will help us save the entire world.”
“You don't have to convince me, Your Imperial Majesty.” I squared my shoulders and said, “If you want me, I'm in.”
Chapter Six
From nobody to a Goddess-chosen hero in a few hours. My mind reeled as Rath led me away from the King's study. Nex was talking again, but I wasn't listening. I kept hearing the Emperor say those fateful words; it's you. Was it truly me? Was I the man the Goddess had foretold? I had to be. I was a human with magic. There weren't exactly a lot of us running around. As in, I was it. And yet, I didn't feel special. My whole life had changed. I should feel something, right? I finally had a purpose, the destiny my mother foretold.
“Ember?” Rath's voice summoned me back from my thoughts.
“Huh?” I looked around the hallway we were in, the wealth just background now, and then at him.
“I said, we'll be taking you to the Wraith Citadel now.”
“Yeah. All right.”
“Nex, meet us outside,” Rath said.
“What?” Nex looked from Rath to me. “Oh. Sure.” He grinned knowingly and left.
As he walked away, Rath grabbed my hand and pulled me into a room. He took a quick look around, shut the door, then took my face in his hands. My heart raced, thinking he might kiss me, hoping he would. But he only stared at me, his gaze searching my eyes, then sliding over my face.
“Are you all right?” Rath finally asked as he lowered his hands. “You look a little strange.”
I made a sharp, shocked laugh. “Am I all right? Sure. I'm great! I'm the only man who can save the entire world, something predicted by the Goddess herself, and the Emperor is counting on me to do . . . I don't know what. Yup, I'm just fantastic.”
Rath nodded. “It's a lot to put on your shoulders.”
“I meant what I said; I'm all in. I want to do this. I just . . .”
“You don't believe in yourself?”
I shrugged. “I've been hiding who I am for so long that it's hard to make a complete turnaround and not only reveal my magic but also have confidence in what I can do. I just need some time. I'll be fine.”
