The cold wind howled through the trees as Valira and Caelan moved deeper into the frozen wilderness, leaving the charred remains of the forest behind them. The air felt heavier, thick with the weight of what had just happened. Valira’s body still trembled with the aftershocks of the power she had unleashed. The balance of fire and ice inside her had become more fragile, slipping through her grasp with every step she took.
Caelan kept a steady pace beside her, his expression grim but focused. He hadn’t spoken much since they fled from the hunters, but Valira could feel the tension radiating from him. They had barely escaped the Ash Court’s grasp, and Valira had almost lost control of her powers again—only this time, the damage had been far worse.
“I’m sorry,” Valira whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind. Her throat was tight with guilt. She hadn’t meant for things to get so out of hand, but the fire inside her had become too strong, too wild.
Caelan glanced at her, his jaw tight. “You don’t have to apologize.”
Valira’s heart sank. “Yes, I do. I put both of us in danger. If you hadn’t been there…”
Caelan shook his head, his voice firm. “You can’t control what’s inside you, not yet. But you will. I’m not leaving you to face this alone.”
His words, though meant to comfort, felt heavy. Valira wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that one day she could truly balance the fire and ice without losing herself. But after what had just happened, doubt gnawed at her. How many more times would she lose control? How much more destruction would follow in her wake?
The fire inside her still simmered, waiting for the next chance to erupt, while the ice remained faint, a distant presence she could barely touch. And now, with the Ash Court hunting her and the threat of war looming over both kingdoms, the stakes had never been higher.
They walked in silence for what felt like hours, the sky darkening as the sun began to set behind the mountains. The cold was growing sharper, biting at Valira’s skin, but she barely noticed. Her thoughts were consumed with the memories of the day, of the fire she had unleashed, of the hunters she had nearly destroyed.
As they neared the edge of a frozen river, Caelan finally spoke. “We need to find shelter for the night. We can’t keep moving in this cold.”
Valira nodded, her body aching with exhaustion. She hadn’t realized how drained she was until now, her limbs heavy from the weight of the day’s events. The forest had thinned, leaving them exposed to the elements, and the temperature had dropped significantly.
“There,” Caelan said, pointing toward a rocky outcropping at the base of a hill. “We can make camp there.”
They moved quickly, their footsteps crunching in the snow as they made their way to the shelter. The outcropping provided some protection from the wind, and Caelan set to work gathering wood for a fire.
Valira sat down, her breath visible in the cold air as she wrapped her cloak tightly around her shoulders. Her mind was still spinning, her heart heavy with uncertainty. She had come so far, and yet the road ahead felt even more uncertain than before.
“What do we do next?” she asked quietly, watching as Caelan lit the fire.
“We keep moving,” Caelan replied, his voice steady. “We need to get farther from the Ash Court before they send more hunters.”
Valira’s stomach twisted at the thought. The Ash Court wasn’t going to stop. They wanted her power, and they wouldn’t rest until they had it.
But it wasn’t just the Ash Court that worried her. The Snow Court had its own reasons for wanting her dead, and sooner or later, they would come for her too.
She was caught between two forces, both determined to use her or destroy her, and all the while, the power inside her continued to grow, threatening to tear her apart.
* * *
The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows over the rocky outcropping where they had settled for the night. Valira sat close to the flames, the warmth chasing away the biting cold of the night air, but the tension inside her was far from eased. The heat from the fire made her uneasy, a constant reminder of the power simmering just beneath her skin.
Across from her, Caelan sat silently, sharpening his blade in rhythmic strokes, the faint sound of metal against stone filling the quiet between them. His face was etched with concentration, but Valira knew the same thoughts weighed on him as they did on her—what would happen next? How long could they run before the Ash Court caught up again?
“You’ve been quiet,” Caelan said after a long stretch of silence, not looking up from his work. His tone was neutral, but Valira could hear the concern laced within it.
Valira bit her lip, her eyes fixed on the flickering flames. “I’ve been thinking,” she said softly. “About what Alyssia said. About the power... and the war.”
Caelan finally looked up, his gaze steady but unreadable. “What about it?”
Valira hesitated, unsure how to put her thoughts into words. “What if she was right?” she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. “What if this power is meant to be used? What if I’m supposed to... rule?”
Caelan’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, he didn’t respond. The silence stretched between them, heavy with tension.
“You’re not like them, Valira,” he said finally, his voice low but firm. “Alyssia wants to use you for her own gain. The Ash Court doesn’t care about you. They care about what you can do.”
Valira frowned, her chest tightening. “But what if I could stop the war? What if I could use this power to end all of it?”
“And at what cost?” Caelan countered, his gaze hard. “The fire and ice inside you—those powers have torn kingdoms apart. Your mother tried to unite them, and it destroyed her. You saw what happened today when you lost control. Do you really think you can wield that kind of power without consequences?”
Valira’s heart ached at his words, the truth of them sinking deep into her bones. He was right. She had seen firsthand how dangerous her powers were. Every time she used them, she risked losing herself, losing control. But the idea of sitting back, of running while the courts fought over her, felt unbearable.
“I don’t want to run forever,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “I don’t want to be hunted like some weapon.”
Caelan’s expression softened, and he set his sword aside, leaning forward slightly. “I know. But we’re not running forever. We’re looking for answers, for a way to control this. That’s different.”
Valira shook her head, the frustration building inside her. “But what if there isn’t a way? What if I’m just delaying the inevitable?”
Caelan’s gaze didn’t waver. “Then we’ll face that when it comes. But we’re not giving up. Not yet.”
Valira’s breath caught in her throat as she met his gaze. He had stood by her this whole time, even when she had nearly destroyed everything with her powers. He hadn’t left her, hadn’t let her fall. And now, as the war loomed over them, he was still here, still willing to fight for her.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Caelan nodded once, his eyes still locked on hers. “We’re in this together, Valira. We’ll figure it out. But right now, you need to rest.”
Valira nodded, though the fire and ice inside her felt far from calm. She knew sleep wouldn’t come easily, not with the weight of what lay ahead pressing down on her.
As the night deepened and the fire burned low, Valira settled back, her mind still spinning with thoughts of the future. She had the power to change everything, but at what cost?
* * *
The morning came slowly, the pale light of dawn creeping through the trees as Valira stirred from a fitful sleep. The fire had long since burned down to embers, leaving only the faint warmth of the ashes behind. Caelan was already awake, standing at the edge of their makeshift camp, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of movement.
Valira sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her body ached with exhaustion, but her mind was sharper than it had been the night before. The fear that had gripped her so tightly seemed to have eased, replaced by a flicker of something else—hope.
“We should keep moving,” Caelan said quietly, glancing over at her. “The farther we get from the Ash Court, the better.”
Valira nodded, clasping the front of her cloak as she stood. The cold air bit at her skin, but she welcomed it, using the chill to steady the fire still simmering inside her. She could feel the balance slipping again, but for now, she had control.
As they packed up their camp and prepared to head deeper into the wilderness, Valira’s thoughts drifted back to the conversation they’d had the night before. Caelan had been right—there was no easy answer, no clear path forward. But that didn’t mean she was powerless.
“I’ve been thinking,” Valira said as they started walking, her voice hesitant. “Maybe there’s someone who can help us. Someone who knows more about... this.”
Caelan glanced at her, his brow furrowed. “Who?”
Valira bit her lip, uncertain if she should say it. “My mother’s old advisor. I don’t know if he’s still alive, but he might know more about her experiments. About how she tried to unite the courts.”
Caelan’s eyes darkened. “You think he’d be willing to help?”
Valira shrugged, though her heart was racing. “I don’t know. But it’s worth a try, isn’t it?”
Caelan was quiet for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. “It’s a risk. If he’s still loyal to the courts, he could betray us.”
“I know,” Valira said softly. “But we’re running out of options. If we don’t figure this out soon, the courts will catch up to us, and we’ll be right back where we started.”
Caelan nodded slowly, his expression grim. “Then we find him.”
Valira’s heart leapt with a mix of fear and excitement. This could be their chance to get some answers, to understand what her mother had been trying to do. But it was also a gamble, one that could lead them straight into the hands of their enemies.
As they continued through the forest, the path ahead felt more uncertain than ever, but for the first time in days, Valira felt a flicker of hope. There was a way forward, and she wasn’t facing it alone.
* * *
The sun had risen higher by the time they reached the outskirts of the small village nestled at the edge of the forest. The air was still cold, but the village was alive with activity—smoke rising from chimneys, people moving about with purpose. It was a quiet, isolated place, far from the reach of the courts, and for a moment, Valira felt a sense of relief.
“This is where he lives?” Caelan asked, his voice low as they approached the village.
Valira nodded. “At least, this is where he lived the last time I heard about him. It’s been years, but if anyone knows about my mother’s experiments, it’s him.”
Caelan’s hand hovered near his sword, his eyes scanning the village with caution. “Let’s hope he’s still on our side.”
They made their way through the village, keeping to the shadows as they approached a small, weathered cottage at the edge of town. Valira’s heart pounded in her chest as they neared the door. She hadn’t seen her mother’s advisor since she was a child, but the memories of him were clear—a man of wisdom, but also of secrets. If anyone could help her understand the power inside her, it was him.
Valira hesitated at the door, her hand hovering over the handle. Caelan stood beside her, his expression tense.
“You don’t have to do this alone,” he said quietly.
Valira nodded, taking a deep breath before knocking.
For a long moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, the door creaked open, revealing a tall, thin man with graying hair and sharp, intelligent eyes. He looked at Valira, his gaze narrowing as if trying to place her.
“You,” he said at last, his voice rough. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
Valira swallowed hard. “We need your help.”
The man’s eyes flicked to Caelan, then back to Valira. “I’m not sure I can offer the kind of help you’re looking for.”
Valira stepped forward, her heart racing. “You knew my mother. You knew what she was trying to do. Please, I need to understand what’s happening to me.”
The man’s expression softened slightly, but there was still wariness in his gaze. “I can tell you some things. But be warned, child—there are some secrets that are better left buried.”
* * *
Valira and Caelan stepped inside the small, dimly lit cottage, the smell of old books and herbs filling the air. The man, whose name was Alaric, motioned for them to sit at a worn wooden table. His eyes lingered on Valira, as though seeing her brought back memories he’d long tried to forget.
“You want to know about your mother,” Alaric said, his voice low as he settled into a chair across from them. “You want to know about the power she tried to wield.”
Valira nodded, her hands trembling slightly. “Yes. I need to understand what she was trying to do. And... how to control it.”
Alaric’s expression darkened, and he leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. “Your mother was a brilliant woman, but she was also reckless. She believed she could unite fire and ice, bring balance to the two elements. But what she didn’t understand was the cost.”
Valira’s heart raced. “What cost?”
Alaric’s gaze shifted to the small fire burning in the hearth, the flames casting flickering shadows over his face. “The magic your mother was playing with—it wasn’t natural. Fire and ice are opposing forces, always in conflict. She thought she could control them, bind them together, but in the end, they consumed her.”
Valira’s stomach twisted. She had known her mother’s experiments had gone wrong, but hearing it spoken aloud made the reality of it all sink in.
“Is there a way to control it?” Valira asked, her voice trembling. “Is there a way to stop it from... consuming me?”
Alaric’s eyes met hers, and for a moment, there was only silence.
“There might be,” he said finally, his voice heavy with warning. “But it will come at a price. One that you might not be willing to pay.”
Valira’s breath caught in her throat. “What do you mean?”
Alaric’s expression grew darker still. “The balance you seek—the power you wish to control—it requires a sacrifice. Your mother was willing to make that sacrifice, but in the end, she couldn’t.”
Valira’s heart pounded in her chest. “What kind of sacrifice?”
Alaric’s gaze hardened. “The kind that changes you forever.”
The room seemed to close in around her, the weight of Alaric’s words pressing down on her chest. Valira had come here seeking answers, but the truth was more terrifying than she had imagined.
Caelan leaned forward, his voice low. “What kind of sacrifice are we talking about?”
Alaric’s eyes flicked to Caelan, his expression unreadable. “You’ll find out soon enough.”