A Shadow In The Ember Series Novels & Stories

Like a heartbeat that wasn’t mine. “She sees through the veil,” Ember continued. “She’s speaking to the other side.” I blinked. “What does that mean?” Link stepped behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist protectively. Logan stood near the edge of the circle, watching the trees. Always watching. “It means she’s reaching beyond what even Logan touched,” Ember whispered. “Fire can burn. But shadow? Shadow remembers.” Link I wanted to burn the entire forest down just to give her light. This darkness—it wasn’t natural. It moved like it had intention. Like it breathed.

I finally said as I was passed into Javi’s arms. “I’m so fucking sorry baby, I’m so--” “Shh,” I cut him off. The darkness came again. I was in the dark again, like the time I saw Noora years ago. But there was nothing, just darkness. I tried yelling for someone, but there was nothing. What the hell did this mean? I thought about what Noora said in the first dream, and it all made sense. The prize was the bomb, I knew that now, and I never took my eyes off it, and maybe I was meant to see it through.

There were cords which ran from the tangled image, stretching from it one way upward and the other down into the depths of the library's hidden chambers. 'What is he doing?' She watched him as he took a breath and slowly exhaled. As he did, there came a faint glow from beneath his palm. He removed his hand from the patterned wall, and she saw the shimmering light like liquid gold as it began to fill the carvings of a careful craftsman. The light flowed from the center of the pattern, making its way through the channels to the outside of the detailed stonework and out through the cords, carried by them in either direction. There was a strange warmth to this beautiful light, and it was as a ri

Ember immediately starts speaking Japanese as she seemed to understand these men better than me. *Ember* I stop tickling Damian as the shadows around us start to move. My body tenses up as I see katanas in their hands. Binx darts behind me. "Nope nope nope I ain't attacking them. I'm too young to die!" "I feel the love." I whisper.

Behind her stood a shadowed figure, its features hidden, but its presence sharp and cold. You were warned, the figure said, its voice like a blade. The woman’s shoulders shook. The fire in her eyes dimmed. Then the vision dissolved, leaving only heat and the sound of her own breath. ⸻ Rowan stumbled back, gripping her cloak. “Why are you showing me this?” Ember drifted closer, his warmth steady but somehow sorrowful. So you will not repeat it. Her voice shook. “Repeat what?” The flame pulsed once… then dimmed until only a faint ember remained. The molten ring cooled, its glow fading to black stone.

The shadows flickering around the arrow seemed to stretch toward me, curling like tendrils hungry for skin. And then I heard her voice. Ember. She softly brushed my mind then said something absurd, “Touch it.” My steps faltered. “What?” I whispered in disbelief. “Touch it,” she urged again, firmer this time. “it is his. He has sent a message and as long as those shadows still move like they are alive then he would be able to see and hear all that goes on in here.” My throat dried. My gaze flicked to the nobles behind me, still muttering nervously, their voices were too loud as they talked about the prophecy amongst themselves. If Ember was right… Veyran was listening. Right now.

‎ ‎The garden began to quiet. ‎ ‎Not in peace. ‎ ‎In absence. ‎ ‎The warmth faded. ‎ ‎The scent dulled. ‎ ‎The light dimmed. ‎ ‎The Fade was winning. ‎ ‎Then a child came. ‎ ‎A girl named Ember—descendant of every line, her light flickering but stubborn. ‎ ‎She was twelve, small for her age, her hair silver with streaks of red, her eyes the color of storm clouds before rain. ‎ ‎She came alone.

And the shadow knew it too. “Rowan,” Ember’s voice whispered from the edge of the porch, startling me. She knelt by the frost-covered ground, inspecting marks that hadn’t been there before small scratches on the snow, shallow, deliberate, unnatural. “It’s closer.” I exhaled slowly. “I know.”

I plead, and she looks into my eyes, searching for any hesitation, but when she doesn’t, she drops my hands and moves away. “Fine, I’ll tell you.” My excitement is swiftly wiped away by her next words. “The shadow god is an abomination. He was never supposed to be born. He’s the product of an unholy ritual, an anomaly.”

"All this assumes you even make it through the journey." I frowned at her. "What do you mean?" "The place you're going is called Ember Hallow. People have sought answers there, but only a handful have returned. Those who do are often changed, not themselves anymore. Some go mad, others are forever silent. Ember Hallow isn't for the faint of heart. The answers you find might break you, or they might make you. " She shrugged. "You can't know." "I see," I said, turning back to the men and offering them a smile. "And that's what you guys were arguing about, yes?" I asked, the smile still on my face.