All Chapters of FROM RUIN TO RULE: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

~ SYLARI ~I didn't sleep.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father's face. Saw Riko's cruel smile and Daren's lazy cruelty. Saw the training pit where they had beaten me bloody, the corridors where they had dragged me by my hair, the room where they had done things I still couldn't think about without my hands shaking.By the time the first gray light of dawn crept through my window, I was already dressed and armed. The blade Kaelith had given me sat heavy on my thigh, and I had added a short knife to my belt just in case. Not that steel would do much against three thousand soldiers, but it made me feel better to have something sharp within reach.The hunger stirred in my chest, responding to my anxiety. It had been restless all night, pacing behind my ribs like a caged animal that sensed a storm coming.Easy. Not yet. We wait for the right moment.I made my way to the eastern wall, where Lirael was already positioned with her archers. The sun was starting to rise, painting the s

~ SYLARI ~Night fell without another assault.From the wall, I watched my father's army settle into their camp at the edge of the valley. Fires dotted the darkness like scattered stars, and the distant sound of voices carried on the wind. They were regrouping, licking their wounds, trying to figure out what had happened at the gates.I wondered what my father was telling them. Probably some lie about fae magic, some explanation that didn't involve admitting his worthless daughter had just sent three thousand soldiers running with nothing but a thought."You should rest."I turned to find Eron standing a few feet away, his eyes reflecting the torchlight. He had been hovering near me ever since the gates, not crowding me but present and watching."I'm not tired.""Liar."He was right. My whole body ached with a bone-deep exhaustion that had nothing to do with physical exertion. Using the power had taken something out of me, some reserve I hadn't known I was drawing on. But I couldn't m

~ SYLARI ~The walls were chaotic when I arrived.Soldiers ran in every direction, archers taking positions, and oil being hauled up from the lower levels. Torches blazed along the battlements, casting everything in flickering orange light that made the shadows dance and jump.I found Lirael near the eastern gate, shouting orders at a group of soldiers who looked barely old enough to hold their weapons. She turned when she heard me approach, her expression grim."They're not waiting for dawn," she said. "Started moving about twenty minutes ago. Full mobilization.""How long until they reach the walls?""An hour. Maybe less if they push hard."I looked out at the valley. The distant fires had become a river of torches, flowing toward us across the dark landscape. Thousands of them, more than I could count, moving with the terrible purpose of an army that had been embarrassed once and was determined not to let it happen again.My father was done playing games.Kaelith appeared beside me

~ SYLARI ~The light faded slowly.When my vision cleared, I was standing in a circle of scorched earth. The grass around me had turned to ash, the soil blackened and cracked, as if something had burned it from the inside out. Bodies lay scattered at the edges, some moving weakly, others completely still.My father was on his knees about ten feet away.His armor was blackened, and parts of it melted to his skin. His face was burned on one side, the flesh raw and blistered. But his eyes were still open, still fixed on me with an expression I had never seen before.He looked broken.I tried to take a step toward him and my legs gave out. I hit the ground hard, my hands sinking into the warm ash, my whole body shaking with exhaustion. The power had taken everything out of me, more than I had meant to give, more than I had known I had."Sylari." Eron's voice, close now. His hands found my shoulders, steadying me. "Can you hear me?""I hear you." The words came out slurred, my tongue thick

~ SYLARI ~I have an aunt.The words didn't feel real coming out of my mouth. I read the letter again, slower this time, letting each sentence sink in.My mother had a twin sister. A woman named Seraphine who had been hidden at birth, raised in secret, trained in abilities I didn't even know I possessed. She had been alive this whole time, watching from the shadows, waiting for the right moment to reach out.And now she wanted to meet me."You weren't going to tell me," I said, looking up at Eron and Kaelith. "If I hadn't walked in, you would have hidden this from me.""We were discussing how to tell you," Kaelith said."That's not the same thing."Eron stepped forward. "The letter raises questions, Sylari. Seraphine has been in hiding for decades. She could have reached out at any point, could have found you years ago if she wanted to. Instead, she waited until now, until the seal is weakened and you're vulnerable.""Maybe she didn't know where I was. Maybe she was protecting herself