Chapter 64: The Road to Ashen

The cold wind bit into Serena’s cheeks as the horses galloped through the dense thickets lining the southern woods. The capital was far behind now—its judgmental eyes, whispered threats, and looming court politics replaced by the eerie silence of the wilderness.

Theron rode beside her, dark cloak billowing, his focus razor-sharp. The commander had barely said a word since they left the castle at dawn. Not that Serena minded. Silence, for once, felt like a shield.

Still, she knew what he wasn’t saying.

“You don’t trust this temple idea, do you?” she asked, glancing sideways at him.

Theron didn’t look at her. “I trust you.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

His jaw flexed. “I think chasing after lost magic with nothing but legends and vague maps is reckless. But I also think you’ve been left with no better option.”

She smirked slightly. “That almost sounded like support.”

“I said I trust you, didn’t I?”

They continued in silence, the rhythm of hooves beating like a distant war drum.

By midday, they arrived at the outer ridge of the Ashen Mountains. From below, the peaks looked like jagged claws scraping the sky. Mist curled around them, thick and impenetrable, and the narrow path ahead wound like a serpent through rocky outcroppings and dead pine.

Serena dismounted and stared up at the looming trail.

“Looks welcoming.”

Theron dismounted too, tying the horses near a cluster of withered bushes. “This is where the map ends. From here, we climb.”

She glanced at him. “You don’t look thrilled.”

“I’ve scaled worse,” he muttered, hoisting a pack over his shoulder. “But none with a girl glowing like a moonstone beside me.”

Serena chuckled. “You’re not still sore I beat you in hand-to-hand last week, are you?”

Theron gave her a look. “That wasn’t a fair fight. You cheated.”

“I used my instincts.”

“You used my attraction against me.”

She arched a brow. “So you admit you're attracted?”

He paused for half a breath. “Only a fool wouldn’t be.”

Serena’s heart stuttered, but she turned away, pretending to adjust the strap on her satchel. It wasn’t like she hadn’t noticed the tension. The way Theron’s eyes lingered a second too long. The way his fingers brushed hers when they passed a water flask. But her heart still belonged to Elias. Didn’t it?

Still, Elias hadn’t come.

And Theron was here. Always.

They climbed for hours, their boots crunching over frost and gravel, lungs burning from the thinning air. By late afternoon, the mist grew thicker—like a living thing wrapping around their limbs and whispering secrets in their ears.

“This mist… it’s unnatural,” Serena said, stopping to catch her breath. “It feels... aware.”

Theron scanned the swirling gray. “Magic. Old and dangerous. We’re close.”

“How can you tell?”

He pointed toward a stone marker ahead. The rune etched into it shimmered faintly with silver. Serena approached, her fingers brushing the ancient carving. The moment her skin made contact, a pulse echoed in her chest.

Like a heartbeat.

Then, the earth rumbled.

The path ahead began to shift—stones grinding, vines recoiling, and trees creaking as if bowing to an unseen force. Before them, a hidden staircase emerged, carved directly into the mountainside.

Serena stared in awe. “We found it.”

“No,” Theron said. “It found you.”

They descended the stairs slowly. The deeper they went, the darker it grew, until even the mist above vanished. The air became heavy—thick with age and power.

At the bottom, a cavern opened up like a great mouth. Walls etched with glowing runes stretched high above, and at the center of the chamber stood an altar made of black stone.

Serena’s feet moved of their own accord. She approached the altar, fingers tingling, the same hum in her chest now louder—faster.

Behind her, Theron stood guard, one hand on his sword, the other near the torchlight.

She reached out.

The moment her fingers touched the stone, a rush of wind burst through the cavern. Light exploded from the runes on the walls. Her vision blurred, and a sharp voice echoed in her mind.

"Blood awakens. Moon chosen. Destiny binds."

Serena stumbled back, gasping. Her hands were glowing again—bright silver light crackling between her fingers like lightning.

“Serena!” Theron was at her side instantly, grabbing her shoulders. “What happened?”

“I—I saw something,” she whispered. “A vision. My mother. The Goddess. And blood… so much blood.”

Before she could say more, the ground trembled again, and a section of the wall slid open to reveal a new corridor. On the floor, a single silver emblem lay waiting—an exact match of the birthmark on Serena’s back.

Theron looked at her. “What now?”

Serena’s eyes shone. “Now we go deeper.”

But neither of them noticed the shadows slithering along the ceiling. Watching. Listening.

The temple had awakened… and they weren’t alone anymore.