Mag-log inThe next day dragged on slower than Elaina had ever experienced.Every passing hour felt like a weight pressing harder against her chest, she was barely keeping herself together. No one spoke much during this time, there was nothing left to plan and nothing left to argue.They could only wait and prepare.By the time the sun began to go below the horizon and dusk settled in, they knew it was time.Drake stood up and he turned to Elaina and Giselle, saying decisively “We should move now.”Elaina rose immediately, her heart already racing. Giselle followed shortly after, her calm presence the only steady thing in the storm brewing inside Elaina.Without another word, Drake stepped back slightly and willed himself to shift.It was swift and powerful, his body expanded and transformed to his dragon form. Scales replaced his skin and his wings tore out from his back, and within seconds, the dragon stood before them in his massive and breathtaking form.Elaina had seen it before yet it neve
Elaina sat close to the fire, her hands stretched slightly toward its warmth, though her thoughts were far from comfort.While Drake stood up, walking a few steps away and fixing his gaze on the distant silhouette of the tower. So many thoughts ran through his mind at the same time and the most frequent was the battle tomorrow that was ahead of them. He had told Elaina that she thought of things too much but he neverstopped thinking as well, just better at masking it.After a while, he turned and walked back toward them and settled beside Elaina again.“We need a plan and I have an idea on how to get past the dragon guards,” he said.Giselle nodded with her usual look of indifference, “Let's hear it”Drake leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees as he glanced back to the tower. “The entrance will be heavily guarded, that much we already know. We will move in together but I’ll take the lead so I can deal with the dragons guarding the tower… while you both go ahead”Elaina turn
The journey to Vaerik's tower had stretched on for days and by the third day they were very close to their destination. Drake sat at the front with the reins firm in his grip and his gaze fixed ahead with unwavering focus. The tension in his shoulders had not gone unnoticed by Elaina, but she chose not to mention it. She understood him well enough to know that he carried the weight of everything on his own, even when he didn’t have to.On the wagon, Elaina sat across from Giselle, her fingers restlessly played with the hem of her shirt as she slid in and out of her thoughts. She was undoubtedly anxious about the battle ahead and was struggling to remain calm and cool-headed. She had to repeat in her head that worrying won't change a thing... If only it would cooperate.The silence between the two women lingered for a while before Elaina finally spoke.“Can you see it?” she asked quietly, a hint of desperation in her tone.Giselle looked up from what looked like a silent meditation an
Elaina stood still for a moment after Giselle’s words settled into the room, her heart beating loudly against her chest.The Starfire; blood and fire of two dragons bound by love.Her fingers curled slightly at her sides as she tried to process it all. It sounded simple when spoken, yet she knew nothing about wielding fire. She had barely begun to understand what it meant to carry dragon blood, let alone command it.“I… don’t have fire,” she finally admitted quietly, her voice softer than she intended.The room fell into a brief silence as her words lingered.Drake stepped forward almost immediately, he could feel her emotions and knew she needed his help “She has the blood as a half breed and we share that bond. That should be enough right?.” he said in a half question, half statement tone.Giselle’s gaze shifted between them, studying them with an intensity that made Elaina feel as though she was being seen beyond flesh and bone.“The bond is strong, that much is certain.” the seer
The warmth of the meal still lingered in the room when the door opened and a woman stepped in.She was neither old nor young and her presence carried a strange balance between both. Her eyes were the first thing Elaina noticed… it was calm, knowing, and unsettlingly deep, as though they had seen far more than they should.The Chief rose immediately and greeted “Giselle, good so see you again.”The woman inclined her head slightly and replied “Likewise, Chief Logan.”Her gaze moved past him to Drake and Elaina, and a small, almost amused smile tugged at her lips. “So it is you.” she commented.Elaina frowned slightly, exchanging a quick glance with Drake before asking. “You… know us?”Giselle’s eyes lingered on her a moment longer before she spoke. “Not by name, but by sight… yes.” she replied calmly. The Chief gestured toward them and introduced. “They are the ones I told you about in the letter, they saved my life. She's Elaina and he's Drake”Giselle’s expression nodded as her eyes
Three days passed by quickly and the group mostly spent their time in the cabin. They knew Vaerik was probably searching for the chief frantically after hearing about his dead assassins so they thought it was best to lay low for a few days. Meanwhile, Ryker moved swiftly behind the scenes, securing what they needed without drawing attention to their movements. True to his word, that evening a wagon was waiting for them at the town’s outskirts. It was plain enough to avoid suspicion and yet sturdy enough to endure the long journey to the cradle of flames. They had left the cabin at dusk when people were retiring to their houses and located the wagon with Ryker's help. Their work there was done temporarily, the next step was meeting the seer at the chief's hometown. Hopefully when they returned to the main capital again, it would be to directly fight Vaerik for the throne.Drake stepped forward after loading up their little belongings and he said genuinely “You have done more than eno
The others had not yet recovered from the first shock when Elaina cleared her throat. She had to think calmly and approach the matter as hand professionally.Her patience had limits and the same applied to her mercy too. The cloaked woman who had dared to call herself the heir was waiting calmly f
The visions did not stop when Elaina tore Charlotte’s hand away, instead they deepened.Her body remained standing in that same position but her mind was no longer hers.She felt like she was sinking, like she was falling backward into moments she had lived but never truly seen.The first image cle
Elaina and the others had reached Havenwood at dawn.A day and a half of relentless travel had carved exhaustion into everyone’s face. But they couldn't afford to waste any more time so they gathered the warriors that had been waiting for their return and began their journey to the capital.They to
The storm thickened with every passing second.Lightning spiraled downward but never struck the ground, it fed the staff instead. The air felt charged, heavy and impossible to breathe without tasting metal.Elaina felt it clearly now. The energy Xavier was drawing into the staff, it was not foreign







