From the Embers (The Born in Flames Trilogy) (10 page)

She turned and ushered Zane towards the tree, and then lifted his hand up into the air and out towards the bark. “Touch,” she instructed with an easy smile.

When he did, the tree creaked and groaned, swaying with movement while Zane looked over his shoulder back at us. The introduction was quick—a second later the Nymph told Zane he was permitted in.

We each took our turn, pressing our palm against the bark of the tree and waiting for the restless creaking to stop, signifying our earned admittance.

The Nymph enchantingly giggled and then resumed her skipping while guiding us through the dark castle. My feet sprung from step-to-step underneath the damp moss floors that blended with the gray stone walls. The intricate ceilings reached up into the black clouds swarming outside. Candlelit sconces illuminated the many small unusual trees that oddly lined the hallways. It felt like the trees were watching me.

The music careened through the castle and pushed me to break from my purpose of meeting the Liege so that I could explore instead. I couldn’t help myself. My steps slowed to a stop in front of one of the trees.

Two small round eyes flittered open. I jumped back as laughter trickled from down the hallway where my friends were. All of these trees…they were Nymphs. The tree’s slender frame slowly took the shape of a small girl, using its branch-like hand to cover her mouth in laughter. Then, as if it had never even happened, she resumed her stance and transformed back into a solid tree.

“Amazing,” I remarked to myself, waiting only a second more to see if she would come out again. She didn’t, so I jogged ahead to catch up with my friends.

“Just through here.” The Nymph pointed. I craned my neck as far as it would go, following her finger. I knew that whatever she was pointing to would be as splendid as she was.

Zane’s hand reached out, halting me in my steps. “Wait here,” he said with his back to the door. Fenn and Lexi were already following after the Nymph, not hearing his hushed words.

“But I—”

“I need you to follow my lead, okay? Keep your eyes on me.”

“Okay,” I rushed out, hoping that it would put him at ease so I could get into the next room. Against his words, I took a step forward.

He hesitated, and then his hand lightly pushed against my stomach, preventing me from moving. My breath caught as I looked down at his palm resting on my stomach, almost clenching against it. My eyes found his. The yearning in his eyes was almost too painful to look at. It jerked me straight back into reality.

“Zane,” I said, placing my trembling hand over his.

With much determination, he dropped his hand and then turned to walk past me into the room.

I took a second to breathe. What was going on with him? Why wasn’t he pulled like everyone else by the Nymph’s power? And why did he try to stop me but then give up?

“Aurora?” Fenn said, poking his head around the corner. He was still grinning like a madman, reaching his fingers towards me. The sight of his face ignited a furnace of embarrassment inside of me. I took his hand, letting him guide me towards the room.

We laughed all the way up until I met the green eyes of a what looked to be a child sitting high on a throne made of tree roots.

“Aurora,” the child said, not sounding anything like a child, “at last we meet.”

Chapter 8

The Agreement

“MY LIEGE.” I SLIGHTLY BOWED.

The child Liege laughed and stood. He was wearing baggy cloth pants that were tethered together by a string. Swirling vines of green and gold were painted on his chest, catching the light that shone through the windows. A crown made of branches and flowers perched on the top of his curly, wild golden hair. He couldn’t be more than fifteen years old.

“Please,” he said regally, as he stepped down from his throne, “call me Dagan.” This time he bowed his head in my direction, his hand resting across his painted chest.

Our Nymph guide giggled as she watched him. Dagan looked over at her in mid-bow and winked.

“This here is Naidia.” Dagan waved his arm out in introduction when he stood back up. He walked over to her and pecked her sweetly on the cheek, his hand expertly placed on the small of her back, guiding her towards us.

Her hand flew up to her mouth in an effort to stifle her giggling.

Dagan’s smile was rich and full of admiration when he looked at her. “She is Queen of the Nymphs here on Nymph Island,” he finished, stopping directly in front of me. His eyes never left her face. For some reason it made me want to look at Fenn.

“She is lovely,” I said to him, glancing away from Fenn and towards her out of the corner of my eye. “Forgive me for asking, but you both look so young.” I couldn’t help myself. I knew that Nymphs had a reputation for ethereal beauty and young looks, but I didn’t expect this.

Dagan let out a charming laugh, his blue-rimmed hazel eyes twinkling with something deeper than appreciation. Something more like arrogance.

“I get that a lot,” he said with a regal hand. “Especially with all of the new visitors coming in and out lately. I must say, we are what you might call hermits when it comes to exploring outside of our home.”

Naidia turned bashfully away from us, tucking her face into Dagan’s bare shoulder.

“As far as my age is concerned, I was a Liege here long before Zordon ever even existed. I knew the Liege before him, Lev. We were very close friends. Such a shame what happened to him.”

I looked up at him, my mind racing. He knew Lev.

“I don’t believe he deserted them,” I said.

Dagan looked surprised. “You know, everyone was so quick to believe that he had abandoned them…that Zordon was the prime fit, but I never doubted Lev for a minute. It’s just a shame that the truth will never be known.”

Unless I could do something about it
, I thought to myself. Though what, I had no idea.

“Anyhow, Naidia became my wife shortly after I arrived on this island and claimed leadership. There’s something in a Nymph’s magic that allows us all to stay young at heart and in looks as long as we never leave.”

“More like something in the water,” Lexi murmured under her breath.

Dagan glanced over at Lexi while continuing his story. “I fell in love with Naidia’s kind and have stayed ever since. Nymphs have such a fantastic view on life. Much more fun than living with a bunch of Mages,” he said, looking over at Zane, “though we have and still do house quite a few stragglers.”

“Forgive me,” I said clumsily. “I have read about it, I just couldn’t help but ask.”

He held his hand up. “Any and all questions are welcome here. We are a peaceful lot, and the air does tend to make you feel at ease. I can’t remember the last time I had a bad day.”

Zane nudged my side. We were wasting time.

“What about my grandparents?” The question came out before I even had time to think about it. I was supposed to ask about the war first.

“Oh yes, they are here and well,” he replied, not offering anything more.

“Can I see them?”

“Of course you can,” he said, chuckling, “but first, let us give you a proper Nymph’s welcoming.” He clapped his hands three times.

Three girls skipped into the room carrying wicker baskets filled with flowers, twigs, and paint. There was one girl for each of us. Naidia stood before me, arranging wild flowers and twigs throughout my hair. She rubbed a red stain from crushed berries on my lips and pinched my cheeks. When she stood back to exam me, an accomplished smile brightened her face.

“You look wonderful,” she said, putting the last flower into my hair. She pulled me to the wall behind the throne where a huge mirror hung and told me to look.

My eyes popped underneath the colorful flowers that decorated my long red hair. My lips looked supple and ready for Fenn’s.

He walked up behind me, his eyes filled with burning desire and love. He looked gorgeous. They had rubbed bronzer on his face and body, highlighting his sharp features. Small twigs and a few flowers sat playfully in his messy hair.

His strong hands found my shoulders as he pressed his lips to my cheek and then my neck.

“I can’t think about anything but being with you right now,” he whispered huskily into my ear.

I bit my lip.

“Are you ready, young Progeny?” Dagan asked. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes when Fenn and I emerged from behind the throne.

Lexi was standing over by Naidia, enthralled by her own appearance in the mirror. Soft, white baby’s breath tucked into her unruly hair enhanced the red stain on her lips.

“You look lovely,” I called out to her.

She spun around. “This is crazy,” she said, gleaming.

I caught Zane staring from the corner of the room, still hiding under his hood. He wasn’t given a Nymph welcome. Or maybe he hadn’t accepted the Nymph welcome. He noticed me looking at him and huffed, walking past us and up to Dagan.

“Can we go now?” he barked, arms folded tightly across his chest.

A flash of disgust crossed Dagan’s face but was almost instantly replaced by a hearty, if forced, smile. “Of course,” he answered, turning away from Zane. He leaned into Naidia and whispered something. She nodded and then turned to the three girls in the room, whispering something else to them. They quickly left the room, casting odd looks in Zane’s direction.

“Come,” Dagan said, gesturing for us to follow him and Naidia.

We were directed down another hall hidden behind a bookshelf. More of the trees lined the hallway, their golden leaves floating in the air and seeming to sway to the merry music that played in the distance. 

The slight hum of the earth was buzzing behind the music, filling me with its power. We rounded a corner and then stopped short. The floor sloped down into the earth, taking us deep into the confines of a cave. Dagan reached for a torch that hung against the wall and continued the descent towards my kin.

I shifted back into my dragon form, flames already around me, haloing my body in warmth. The flowers and branches fell to the floor, along with my regret for ruining their welcome.

“They are staying down in this cave,” Dagan said, holding his torch up. “It was used long ago as a means of escape should anything ever happen to us. There is a small exit that leads out into the forest.” He looked back at me over his shoulder. “Luckily we haven’t had to use it until now.”

I smiled, anxious to see my grandparents. The hallway widened the farther we went until at last I could see a grand opening straight ahead. The sounds of water dripping trickled down around us as our feet pressed into the moist earth.

“Little Flame,” I heard my grandfather’s deep voice call. My heart threatened to leap right out of my throat. I pushed forward, pulling Fenn with me.

And then Dagan disappeared.

“What the—” Lexi said, stopping right where Dagan had disappeared.

Naidia giggled and then skipped forward, weaving around Lexi to stand before us. “It is an enchantment set to keep intruders away,” her small voice explained.

I couldn’t help but be enthralled by her, obsessed with the movement of her lips.

“Watch.” She demonstrated by sticking her hand into the air. It disappeared, but not her body. She looked at us. “Those who are welcome may pass through. Those who are not continue forward, never finding their way out.”

“Like the enchantment in the Obsidian Chasm,” I remarked.

“Your grandparents are the ones who put this enchantment up for us long ago.” She winked and then disappeared, leaving the four of us alone with only my flames flickering off the cavern walls for light.

“I suppose they want us to follow,” I finally said, wishing that euphoric feeling I had earlier would come back. It vanished right along with her.

“I have no problems with that,” Fenn said, rushing after the Nymphs and Dagan. He disappeared without a second glance.

“Seriously?” I shook my head.

“That’s what their magic will do to you,” Lexi said.

“He’s her protector,” Zane pointed out.

He was right. He willingly left me here, without thinking. He would never have done that before. We had to keep a distance from them or else we might never get off this island to finish what we set out to do.

“It’s not a big deal. We are safe here,” Lexi said with an eye roll. “Just stay away from their tricks. By the way, why aren’t you going all ga-ga right now?” she asked Zane, hands on her hips.

He looked caught. “What? I am,” he said, and then walked past us and disappeared.

“Way to dodge a question.” She looked at me. “Fenn would snap out of it if you were in danger. Your tie to each other ensures that.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” I said bitterly, feeling jealous for the first time.

She huffed. “Oh, get over it. He’s head over heels for you. I want to know what brother Zane is hiding. Come on.”

We stepped through, nearly falling on the other side. My wings fluttered out, softening my landing on the plush grass. It was almost like being back in the Obsidian Chasm, only on a smaller scale.

“Welcome,” Dagan said, spinning with outstretched arms underneath the light of millions of tiny rainbows. The Draconta magic. It seemed to follow them wherever they inhabited.

Movement caught the corner of my eye, and I spun just in time to see my grandparents descending a wide stone stairway from the other end of the cave.

“You’re here!” I shouted, heading straight for them. I don’t know why, but I was relieved to see them. Everything about this island had suddenly set me on edge.

“Of course we are, Little Flame,” Darian chuckled, the earth shaking from his steps.

“We are glad you could finally make it,” Naveena said, nudging me with her nose. Her eyes glistened under the light.

A few other dragons, what was left of the Imperials, descended down the same stairway. I counted a total of seven. My smile dwindled into a frown.

“Th-this is all that remains?” A sudden coldness struck me to the core. It couldn’t be.

“Sadly, yes,” Darian said, his head dipping down. His brown eyes disappeared behind his lids.

His admittance felt like he had dumped a cold bucket of water over me. My fingers curled into fists by my side as the last remaining bit of ease and pleasure from the air left my body. I felt smoke rising up from my lungs and out of my nose.

What was I doing? Why was I wasting so much time?

“…the human Draconta, the ones who haven’t gone rogue and joined Zordon, have taken to the Orient,” Darian continued, his words forcing me back to reality. “We came here not only because the Nymphs are in allegiance with the Draconta but also because their island is large enough to house us.”

“And we gladly do so,” Dagan spoke from across the cave, his arms folded across his bronze-painted chest.

“You mean that?” I asked, tilting my head in his direction.

Everyone quieted and all eyes fell on Dagan.

Confusion curled his brow. For a long second, he looked at me, as if trying to pluck the true meaning from my words. Then his magnetic smile returned along with a small bout of laughter that echoed throughout the cave.

“Of course I do, Progeny. Why do you ask?” The question returned was spoken without laughter as his eyes pierced through me.

I left my grandparents side, walked past Fenn and Zane, and stopped directly in front of Dagan, my face pulled tight. No more jokes, no more laughter. It was time for business.

“We are going to attack Pyre Island.”

I waited, watching his face closely, but he never gave anything away. He was an expert at keeping his cool.

“Kaede’s words?” he asked, his tone a perfected deliverance of coolness.

I nodded curtly. “We came here in hopes that we could form an army strong enough to take down Zordon’s headquarters on Pyre Island.” I turned to my grandparents and added, “And of course so I can be with you once again.”

“And he sent you rather than coming himself? This is a matter best left between Lieges, don’t you agree?” he asked with a curved brow.

My stomach fluttered. “He has placed full confidence in my ability to lead us into the New Dawn,” I said, keeping my voice even and my face devoid of emotion. “In the meantime, he is busy trying to keep what is left of our realm intact. He is a brave leader, one that we should all be grateful for.”