LOGINEmber Frost’s POVI didn’t stop to weigh the risks. None of that mattered. People came first; everything else could wait.Eira raised her hand and released a sharp burst of magic, scattering the shadows that had been creeping toward us with greedy intent. At the same moment, Elder Harriet and I rushed in, grabbing the nearest frozen figures before the creatures could react.I had no idea what kind of transformation spell Harriet had cast, but in the blink of an eye, she’d turned into a massive, fur-covered beast. Broad shoulders. Thick arms. The kind of strength that made carrying three grown men look effortless.“Looks like it’s my turn to step out properly,” she said, her voice deeper now. “Call me Lenny while I’m like this.”I blinked. Even her name had changed with her form. Strange, but there were too many things happening at once to dwell on it. I hoisted the two women nearest to me and ran deeper into the cave, my lungs burning as I pushed forward.And just like we’d suspected,
Ember Frost’s POVAfter a long moment, Eira let out a slow breath and straightened. “I’m really okay,” she said, steady but firm. “I know what my body can handle. The engraving is still strong. This is nothing more than a small prophecy; it won’t harm me.”As if to shut down any argument, she waved Elder Harriet over.“She’ll keep an eye on me the whole time,” Eira added. “If anything feels off, she’ll stop it immediately.”She was so certain that, in the end, I gave in.We told the others we needed the toilet and slipped away to a quiet corner of the cave. I stayed alert, watching our surroundings while Eira focused.Her bloodline wasn’t completely unknown, but after Seraphina’s rampage at the academy, my father had forced everyone involved to sign strict confidentiality agreements. Only a handful of people still knew the truth. Most of the warriors here had crossed paths with sorcerers before, and I couldn’t say whether old grudges are still held. Keeping this hidden felt like the s
Ember Frost’s POV“Humans rarely show true gratitude,” he said, his voice low and bitter. “They’ll praise their gods for every blessing and ignore the ones who actually help them. Too often, the kindness we offer comes back to us changed, met with indifference, resentment, or even cruelty for no reason at all.”He shook his head, eyes dark. “And if someone isn’t one of them? That’s a sin in their eyes. Creatures like us? They’d blame us for every misfortune that falls their way.”I couldn’t stay silent. These words felt too extreme. “You can’t judge all humans by the worst examples, Axel,” I said firmly. “Not every human is so ignorant or ungrateful. They still feel thanks; they still care. And even if we can’t always confront them directly, we can do good quietly. Must we watch them freeze to death in the wild and do nothing?”Axel’s lips curled in a sardonic sneer. “Nice speech. But who’s actually going to save them? You? Don’t fool yourself. If something happens to our so-called ‘n
Ember Frost’s POVI didn’t hesitate.“Oh? Is that so?” I said calmly, meeting his gaze head-on. “You sound deeply disappointed with what we have here, sir. A ‘leaking wooden shack,’ was it? Funny, I’d say this level of craftsmanship would leave most scholars arguing for days. Or what, even this isn’t good enough for you?” I tilted my head slightly. “Then I suppose you’ll just have to endure it. We came here for work, not a holiday retreat.”The young man’s face flushed an angry red. He stared at me as if he could burn holes through my skin with his eyes alone.“Enough,” Henry cut in. He stepped between us and shot the man with a warning look. “Axel, if you’ve got the energy to run your mouth, then you’ve got the energy to get back to work. Move.”Axel clenched his jaw but didn’t dare push further. With a frustrated hiss, he grabbed the rope beside him and stormed off.Henry turned back to me, his tone instantly softer. “I apologize, Miss Ember. Life out here is dull and rough. People
Ember Frost’s POVThere was only one problem with that theory.If this mysterious father truly existed, his strength had to rival Medina’s. Anything less, and Medina would have already sensed him. A simple concealment spell would be enough to erase his presence completely. So if he really was out there… why reveal himself now?Eira had clearly reached the same conclusion.“It feels like we’ve barely dealt with one disaster, and another is already lining up,” I said with a tired sigh. “I just hope this so-called father isn’t from some long-lived race. The Stormspire Mountains are already a mess. We don’t need another ancient threat crawling out of nowhere.”Eira squeezed my hand gently. After saying our goodbyes, I stepped aside and let Elder Harriet in to begin the examination.After seven days of recovery, my strength returned far faster than expected. I felt clear-headed and steady. I was even capable of resuming training, much to my own surprise.Orion didn’t like the idea at all.
Ember Frost’s POV“I’ve rarely had dreams since I was a child,” Dorothy said, her voice calm but thoughtful. “Later, I read my mother’s notes and realized why; it’s a side effect of the prophecy bloodline. Once a witch is tied to a prophecy, her dreams are no longer ordinary. They’re either glimpses of the past, old visions, or premonitions.”I listened intently, feeling the seriousness in her voice.“I have a strong feeling this one was real,” she continued. “From everything I saw… it points to Medina’s daughter.”I blinked in surprise. “Wait—you mean you dreamed through her entire life?”Eira shook her head, a small frown creasing her brow. “Not exactly her entire life. She didn’t die. She wasn’t consumed by the seal. At the very last moment… I think Medina’s soul pushed her out to save her.”I muttered to myself, piecing it together. “That explains why Elder Anna couldn’t locate the seal. With Medina’s power, tracking it would be impossible… and she had the Astral Eye working for h







