It shreds the silence, a cry of fury and heartbreak that vibrates through my ribs. I don’t look back. I can’t.
“Hold on!” I shout.
Behind us, the sky darkens as enormous wings unfold from the castle spire, casting shadows that swallow the moonlight. The dragon descends through the mist, his bellow echoing off the cliffs.
“Go, Ashwing!” Mariel cries, and the mare surges ahead. Moonbeam streaks after her in a blur of white that stands out starkly against the night.
Brimstone’s muscles bunch beneath me as we plunge into the forest, our only hope of cover, our only hope of losing the dragon—Keiren—long enough to reach safety. Branches whip at our faces; the wind smells of sap and ash.
Then the heat hits in a sudden, searing wave. Fire blooms across the treetops, orange tongues devouring leaves. Vivian screams behind me as Brimstone rears, his eyes wild.
“Hold on!” I yell, clutching the reins.
The stallion bolts. Flames leap around us, trees collapsing in our wake.
Ashwing whinnies somewhere to our left. “Mariel!” I shout, but smoke chokes the word.
The roar comes again—closer now. Lower. The ground trembles. Brimstone veers, hooves sliding, throwing me sideways. Pain explodes through my shoulder as I hit the earth.
Vivian tumbles free. I hear her faintly calling my name before the forest floor itself groans and splits. Roots twist, soil gives way—and I fall.
Darkness swallows me whole.
I wake to the smell of herbs and smoke. My body is a single ache. The cave walls shimmer with dim firelight.
A woman sits by the coals, stirring something in a small iron pot. Silver threads wind through her black hair; her eyes glint green, sharp as cut glass.
“You’re awake,” she says, voice roughened by time. “Good. I wasn’t sure you’d make it.”
My lips crack when I speak. “Who are you?”
She passes me a wooden cup. “Drink first.”
The water is cool, tasting faintly of mint and metal.
“My name is Evelen.” The name lands heavy, like the echo of a story I’ve half-forgotten. “You’re lucky I found you before he did.”
“The dragon?” I manage.
A slight nod. “And his shadows. They hunt whatever tries to escape him.” Her gaze drifts to the vigil braid at my wrist. “Especially the ones he doesn’t want to lose.”
I swallow hard. “How do you know that?”
Her mouth tightens. “Because I was his bride once, too.”
Silence fills the cave.
“You escaped,” I whisper. “How?”
“Not escaped. Survived.” She looks to the fire. “The curse bound us both—him to the flame, me to the hollow left behind. Time moves strangely for those caught in its wake.”
“You’re part of it,” I realize. “Tied to the curse.”
Evelen nods, a sad curve to her mouth. “And to Talia. She was my friend. The only one who ever came close to breaking it. We were both offered to the king the same year. It was his love for her that saved my life. When she won, when they were wed, she pleaded for him to spare my life.”
Her eyes lift to mine.
“You carry her fire. But strength alone won’t save you tomorrow. You’ll need heart—and the right key. The dragon grows desperate. The final Trial will be held within the mountain. The curse tightens with every Bloodmoon. He willtest you with what you love—and what you think you know.” Her gaze pins me to the ground. “Remember this: What is most precious to him is not always what it seems.”
