From the Embers (The Born in Flames Trilogy)

by Candace Knoebel

  I ducked my head down, fighting back the heavy guilt that plunged like a rock in my stomach. Astral pulled out the three spectols and spread them out in front of him on the table.

  Kaede let out a long breath, reaching for one of the spectols. He rubbed the symbols of The Fates on the outside, the light from the magic awakening reflecting off of his face.

  He motioned Masami over for more tea. After taking a long sip, he closed his eyes for a moment, as if reliving a memory. When he opened them again, his gaze was far off and filled with pain.

  “I never did like Zordon, but when he called on me before all of this happened, I went to visit him out of curiosity. To see what he had to propose. When I discovered his intention to destroy not just our realm, but our mirroring realm as well, I did my best to remain cordial and supportive while rallying against him with the Draconta. I was able to leave men in his court for a long while under the assumption that I was on his side. They intercepted this box when trying to take his Oraculus. It was on its way to Saeth in the Hall of Knowledge. Though they were successful in retrieving this box, they were unable to secure his Oraculus.”

  He looked at me, his gaze burning through me. “My men were slaughtered before they had the chance to make it home. Only one made it back, but he died shortly after from fatal wounds we could not heal.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said, breaking away from his gaze. I blinked back the stinging behind my eyes, using Fenn’s reassuring hand squeeze to steady my emotions.

  “These spectols are from Saeth to Zordon,” Astral said as he reached for one and flicked it open. I was grateful for the subject change. “But this one is enchanted and is still in use.” His face grew grim, his tone darkening. “Go get the others.”

  Fenn got up and slid the door open just enough to tell the guard to summon Zane, Adam, Soothe, and Lexi.

  “What’s going on?” Soothe asked the moment he stepped through the portal from his room. Zane, Adam, and Lexi came through the sliding doors, looking freshly woken.

  “Did you guide her towards these?” Astral asked in a low voice, holding up the spectols in his palm.

  “I most certainly did,” he said. “This is the Progeny’s journey and you know secrets have never been my forte.” He looked over at me and smirked, and then turned back to Astral. “It’s not like what’s inside of those spectols is news to you anyway.”

  The sudden shock I felt quickly changed into rage. My grip tightened against Fenn’s hand. I faintly remembered Zordon telling me that Astral wasn’t telling me everything. I clearly remember figuring that out after I died and found Astral in the Hall of Knowledge. After I was stabbed in the back while trying to do the right thing by stopping Zordon from obtaining the Stone.

  I thought that maybe Astral would have learned that being honest was the better route, no matter what the truth meant. I thought he realized by now that mistakes happened when information was withheld. I guess I thought wrong.

  I made sure he heard my every thought.

  “Little Flame,” he said as his head turned toward me.

  “Don’t,” I warned, trying to use Fenn’s hand as my grip on controlling my temper. Steam wisped out from my nose in white puffy curls. “Open the spectol, Astral. The one with the message from Saeth. You have kept things from me for far too long. I want to know what it says.” My voice came out in a quiver.

  Astral watched me for a moment. I wished that I could read his mind. I wished that I could pluck his brain full of deep, dark secrets that he felt I shouldn’t know.

  His eyes widened at that thought.

  “Little Flame,” he said in my mind, his voice tender. At the same time, he looked at Lexi and said out loud, “Alexis, I’ll need your magic so the others can hear.”

  She promptly nodded, her hands already glowing white. He slowly turned the dial on the spectol, waiting for the world to shift around us. We were back in the Hall, Saeth standing before us in a pristine white robe. With Lexi’s magic, his screeching had turned into a shrill, demented voice.

  Everyone else disappeared as Saeth’s words seemed to circle around me, engulfing me in evil.

  “I have done everything in my power to infiltrate my sister’s records, but she has them hidden somewhere I cannot touch. I fear we will never find a solution to undo the bind between you and the Progeny. It is crucial that you follow my instructions now more than ever. Do not stray from the plan.”

  He glanced over his shoulder and then back into the spectol, his hands folded neatly in front of him.

  “If we succeed, you will be returned to the Hall as a Fate. As you have wished. I will continue to question my sister in the meantime. I know she knows the way. In due time, she will reach out to the Progeny. That will be our moment.”

  He paused for a second, fiddling with his fingers. His eyes fell to his hands.

  “I know that you have felt I abandoned you, but you must understand, my son, this was all a part of your lesson. When you successfully kill Searamin and obtain the Stone, only then will you be a rightful Fate. Only then will you bring Gidius’ magic back to me.”

  His demeanor suddenly shifted. He dropped his hands to his sides and stared back into the spectol.

  “As to your question about the Progeny’s appearances, it is happening because she has her Oraculus. Once you obtain yours, she will no longer be able to do so. If I could give it to you, I would, but my brothers are watching me. Stay strong, my son.”

  The spectol closed. Astral refused to look at me. Without hesitation, he grabbed the other spectol, and turned the dial. Saeth appeared before me again.

  “My attempts at breaking down Iliana have yet again failed. She refuses to speak.” His words were rushed this time, distraught. His head turned to the left and then back towards the spectol. “Arcadia believes the only way to break the bond tying you to Aurora is for one of you to spill your own blood. But if that were to happen, you would both die.” His fists clenched at his sides. “He believes this is what Iliana intended all along—for you both to die at the same time,” he spat.

  He stopped talking, his body seeming to vibrate in rage. He shook his head and paced a couple of steps, and then stopped, looking back at the spectol. “Whatever you do, do not let what I just said leak. I fear the Progeny will attempt it should she ever hear that this is the way.”

  And then he disappeared.

  Even though the spectol was now closed and we were back in the safe haven of the Orient Lyceum, the world was shifting uncontrollably beneath me. It broke away, piece by piece, leaving me falling without a hope to latch on to.

  It all made sense now. Like Fenn, I didn’t want to think about Zordon, about being bound to him. But there was nowhere else to hide. No more time for me to waste avoiding the inevitable truth. Not when it was thrown in my face.

  I vacantly glanced around at everyone who sat in silence, trying to absorb the information that had just been delivered. My eyes caught Astral’s.

  “He had his father on his side the whole time, helping him, telling him things, pushing him in the right direction while I was shielded from it all. You wanted me to remain ignorant. For what?” My thoughts were bitter and directed towards Astral.

  “Aurora—”

  “We are physically bound, Astral. That much he already knew from his father and I learned when Eve stabbed me in the back. And you knew this whole time, didn’t you? You knew it would come to this. That night in the Hall, I was told there was another way by both you and Iliana, but there isn’t, is there? Only an act of suicide. Of sacrifice?”

  I was so upset, I didn’t know if my words were still in my mind or spilling from my mouth. “It would be so easy to end this. A simple slit of my wrists. A knife to the heart. This could all be over. Everyone could pick up the pieces, try and have a normal life. No more suffering, no more
talk of war. Everyone would be safe from Zordon’s wrath.”

  My chest was heaving up and down, my thoughts reaching for the worst. Astral stood up and sent his pillow flying through the paper window. Harsh light spilled into the room, dust flittering around us.

  “I refuse to believe that this is the only way. I refuse to believe you must die. That is why I haven’t told you everything, because I don’t want you to give in so easily. To give up.” His head hung, his words growing quiet. “That’s why I sent you to the other side. Why I prayed you wouldn’t return.”

  The room grew silent.

  I was a boiling mess of conflicted emotions. I wanted to hide myself away and cry until there was nothing left of me. Until this was all over. But I knew that wasn’t possible. That wasn’t the answer.

  I tried to swallow, but couldn’t because of the lump in my throat. It grew in size with every new emotion passing through me. Bitterness bubbled up from the darkness in my soul, pulling and tugging on my sanity. It gave me just enough strength to shut out all of the rest.

  I settled my gaze on Astral and said, “Even if I chose to take my own life, it has never been for you to decide. It has never been for anyone but myself to decide, Fates be damned.”

  His large chest heaved up and down under his robe, his eyes brightly glowing.

  My lips trembled. “Don’t you get it? As much as you want to, you can’t prevent this. None of you can,” I added, looking around the room.

  “Bull shit,” Fenn yelled, yanking his hand from mine. “Rory, you promised me we would be in this together. Killing yourself? What kind of a choice is that? How selfish can you be?” The hurt in his voice sent a guilty pang through my gut.

  I desperately reached for his hand. “And I still mean it, Fenn. We will try everything. I swear. Saeth said that Iliana knows more about it. We just have to wait for her to tell me.” I took a deep breath, shutting my eyes, and finished, “But if it comes down to it…and she was lying about there being another way…then I will do whatever I have to do to end Zordon. Selfish or not, it will be my choice, and I will make it if it means protecting the ones I love.”

  “She may never be able to reach you, Aurora,” Lexi said evenly from the other end of the room. Everyone turned to look at her. “She is locked up with the other brothers, including Saeth. She may not be able to contact you from her prison.”

  Astral slammed his fists onto the table, sending a clean break through the middle. “We will not discuss this anymore. There is another way. We will find it.”

  “These are facts we have to consider,” Lexi said diplomatically. “Iliana is the only one who knows the other way. If she can’t contact Aurora—”

  “I don’t want to hear another word!” Astral shouted, spittle forming at the sides of his mouth.

  “If you would only just liste—”

  I stood up, ignoring Fenn’s attempts to pull me back down to his side, ready to end this. “This is my destiny, Astral,” I said as firm as I could muster. “It’s time for you to back off.”

  If words could slap, then he was struck hard.

  “If you aren’t going to share what you know, then you cannot be a part of this. There is no time for secrets. There is no time for trying to protect me. Too many people are dying and I will not hide behind your skirts any longer. I am the Progeny. It’s time you start seeing me as that.”

  I had to say it, to get it off my chest. Someone was going to die; no amount of denial would change that. I just hoped I could find a way to undo the bond so it didn’t have to be the both of us.

  Astral stormed out of the room. After snatching up the enchanted spectol, I excused myself and ran after him.

  “Astral!” I called down the hall, shoving the spectol into my pocket. Fenn came up behind me, resting a supportive hand on my back. At least he was trying to understand. “Astral!” I called again, this time my voice full of anger.

  He finally stopped but did not turn around or come towards me. I ran to him and stood facing his back. “You cannot die,” he said, more as a plea than a statement. “You are under my protection.” He slowly turned around to face me, a giant glowing tear now falling down his face. “You are like a daughter to me.”

  I took his large hand in mine and said, “I will try to find a way.”

  “What do you think I have spent all this time doing? Why do you think I sent you to Alister after I was put into the Inferno? To help guide you in the right direction. It’s impossible. Without Iliana’s guidance, you cannot break the bond.” The defeat in his voice sliced through me.

  “We must have missed something. We will go back…tomorrow…maybe you missed something,” Fenn said fiercely, his grip holding tightly around the hem of my shirt.

  Astral snorted. “Go ahead and try. Zordon has Iliana and Na’shir. If he convinces Na’shir to join him…well…”

  My eyes dropped to my feet. “I don’t understand. If Iliana knows how we can undo this, then why hasn’t she told us? Why would she let us go through this?” I asked, feeling sick.

  Astral leveled his gaze. “There are rules, Aurora. Rules that even The Fates cannot escape. Why do you think they sit back and let such things happen?”

  “What do you mean?” Fenn asked.

  “Every time they meddle, they lose a little of their power. They cannot interfere in the decisions of mortals. Every time Iliana helped Aurora, she grew weaker.”

  But Saeth and Zordon? It took me a second to put it together. “Zordon isn’t a mortal. Saeth did what Gidius did not. He created an immortal, someone he could interfere with. Someone he could use to end the age of The Fates, leaving him as the only god. Zordon was intended to be a pawn…just like me…only he figured it out and took out his revenge on his father instead.”

  Astral slouched over even further.

  “Just give us a day. If we don’t find a solution, we’ll work on another plan. Okay?” Fenn used his most persuasive voice.

  Astral nodded blindly, slumping off toward his room. He didn’t try to fight us or help us.

  “This is getting worse by the second,” I said as soon as he was gone. “What do we need a day for when there really isn’t anything to plan? There is no way we can go to the Hall, not with Zordon in charge. The only answer lies with Iliana…and she can’t be summoned.”

  “We have to stay positive, Rory. I’m sure Iliana will help. I know she will.”

  “Aurora,” Kaede called from the door of the advisory room. Had he been listening that whole time? As we walked back down the hall to him, he stepped aside to let us through. “I may have a solution for you in the meantime…if you are up for it,” he said as we quietly found a seat near Zane and Lexi.

  “At this point, I’m up for anything that will send us in the right direction.” I decided not to mention how lost I felt.

  “In two days time, we are going ahead with the attack on Pyre Island. The only thing is,” he paused, “we need more allies. We need you to go to your grandparents at the Nymph Lyceum and ensure that the Nymphs will join us. The more we have in this battle, the better our chances, and I believe that if they see you, you will instill the same hope we now feel.”

  He watched me closely, waiting for my reaction.

  “Of course,” I agreed, wondering if he really meant what he said after everything I heard him say this morning.

  “I have something to add,” Soothe said from his lazy perch against the wall. He leaned in and set his tea down, then flashed a fake grin in Kaede’s direction.

  Kaede rolled his eyes and shook his head.

  “Enlighten me,” I said sarcastically.

  His face turned serious. “While you are there, you will need to speak with their Seer.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  He shook his head and made a clicking noise
with his tongue, advising me to go no further. I huffed.

  “Then it is settled. You will leave at dusk,” Kaede informed, standing to signal the end of the meeting.

  “At dusk,” I said with a nod, and then walked past him and out of the room. There was one person I needed to see before dusk came.

  Chapter 6

  Clearing the Air

  I WAS HALFWAY DOWN THE steps of the Lyceum when Fenn called out, “Rory, wait up.” We stood underneath rolling dark gray clouds because there was no sun—just a constant reminder that Zordon was still out there and in charge.

  I stopped and waited for him amidst the Mages who were in the sand gardens, weaving and raking circular patterns that symbolized the elements. They were having trouble keeping the patterns with the hounding winds.

  “Where you headed?”

  “I have to speak to my father,” I said when he caught up. I continued through the garden, pulling my hair up into a ponytail to keep it from blowing in my face. “I need to know that he will be okay before I leave here.”

  “You want me to go with you?”

  I smiled, fully aware of how lucky I was to have him. “No.”

  He stopped walking. “I’ll wait inside then,” he said, kissing my forehead. He turned and headed back up the stairs.

  I made my way past the fountain and statues to where Myrdinn was staying in the Pavilion on the other side of the island. Secluded from everyone.