Page 1 of Emergence of Fire
PROLOGUE
TWYLA
Arcadia 30 years ago
The stench of blood is heavy in the air. The fresh metallic smell invades my nostrils and turns my stomach as I flee as fast as I can without being seen. The cheers fade in the distance the further my feet carry me away from the chaos. I stick to the shadows, hiding myself from those who might alert the Black Barons to my presence. The alliance between our Realms has crumbled into dust with the death of their queen.
The queen was killed by her own trusted council, they were no longer content with matriarchal rule of their society, they committed the ultimate act of treason. The visions of swords sticking in and out of her body as they continue to stab and mock her brings tears to my eyes as I huddle against the wall. The little bundle wrapped in my arms is asleep and oblivious to the death of her mother. Safe, for now. I am the last act of diplomacy between the Druids and the Dragons. Queen Thana sought help from my leader before the Barons closed off the portal to our Realm. My only task is to make sure I protect the future of Arcadia. I hold the future of an entire Realm in my hands and I’m determined to follow the Queen's last request. I try and fail to hold back a sob; I can’t believe only an hour ago she was alive and well in my presence.
“She must be hidden where magic doesn’t naturally exist. With the loss of her fathers by the hands of the Barons, you’re my only hope, Twyla.” She gently places the baby in my hands, her hands tremble as she pulls away. Wiping away a stray tear from her eyes, she strokes the baby’s cheek one more time before she steps back and straightens the long white dress she is wearing. Her long, black braids fall down her back with gold ribbons entwined between each one. She’s beautiful and statuesque with ebony skin, and dark brown eyes that still grieve the loss of her mates. She runs her hands down her hour-glass figure and nods her head to herself. Clearly shaken with handing over her only child, Thana quickly recovers and composes herself, looking as regal as she can while she gets ready to face her council. She knows what she is about to walk into. That’s why I am here.
“My Queen, Earth is the only place where she will be safe. She will never Emerge and her Dragon will lay dormant. Are you sure this is the best course of action? We could protect her in Celestia.” I am in no position to question a queen, but to be cut off from everything that would make you complete would be devastating.
“She won’t know the difference. She won’t know anything is missing. She’ll be mortal.” She sounds so resigned and broken while she continues to prepare for the vote that will determine her fate. My heart breaks for her. I wipe my own tears away as she continues to speak. “Besides, they would find her in Celestia and bring war to your door. I owe Maddox a great debt for sending you at the last minute, I couldn’t possibly put any more in his lap.”
I nod my head in understanding, King Maddox, the leader of the Druids, is already preparing for retaliation once the Barons find out I am here. I passed through Celestia’s portal willingly, knowing it would be for the last time. For my father, my King, I will always do what’s best for my realm, and if that means hiding on Earth for the rest of my life to protect a child, then I will.
I watch as Thana walks over to a platform in the middle of the room and slowly climbs the steps approaching the waist high column that holds her crown. Her fingers brush over the delicate black tiara, the black alloy fashioned in the shape of Dragon wings with giant red rubies, sapphires, and emeralds inlaid at each peak. Placing the crown on her head she turns to face me, standing proud. The rare Red Dragon looks out through her, golden reptilian eyes stare back at me until she blinks, replacing them with her chocolate ones.
A loud knock has us both looking toward the door, we look back at each other and our eyes lock, no words are spoken. I wrap a cloak of light around Cordelia and myself, making us invisible. I can only hope the sleeping baby in my arms will stay asleep until I can get us out of here.
Stepping down off the platform she says, “Enter.” Moments later a tall man with blond hair and bright green eyes kneels before her. “Rise, Thaddeus. You don’t need to kneel before me, my friend.” She reaches down and pulls him to his feet. The tears in his eyes as he looks her over lets me know that this is someone she trusts. Someone who doesn’t want their way of life to change. This is a man who serves his queen, who loves her.
“Thana, if I could get you out of here, I would.” His voice is weak, almost a whisper as he looks down at the ground, his shoulders slump forward. “I promised your mates it wouldn’t come to this, that they didn’t die in vain, Thana. I made a promise! I told them that if it came to it, I would get you and Cordelia out of Arcadia.” He grabs her hand, and she stares back at him, lost in her own thoughts.
“This is the only way. I am their Queen. This is a democracy and it always has been. Even with me as this Realm's ruler, it has always been so.” She smiles softly at him, but I can see the tick in her jaw as she holds back her true feelings. “If the males of this Realm want change, then they must vote and make it so. If they believe the Black Barons’ rhetoric that males are superior, then that lets me know how far Arcadia has fallen. In just a short period of time the Barons’ poison has leaked into the hearts of the few males on my council. I will not stop this from happening, no matter how much I disagree!” She stands taller with her convictions and walks away from him.
“But they will destroy Arcadia!” Thaddeus yells, before continuing in a softer voice. “This will throw our world into chaos, there will be no balance and Arcadia will die. The Red Dragon,you, you hold us all together.” He whispers with his hand on his heart. It almost seems rehearsed; he is so passionate about what he’s saying. What do I know about this man?
“Well, my friend, I can only hope there are enough of us in the room who believe exactly the same way you do. I gave a direct order to all the women on the council and my Regents to return home for their safety. I can’t risk anything happening to them if the vote doesn’t go as expected.” She motions for him to walk ahead of her, and he instantly composes himself and heads for the door. He turns and holds out his hand to her but she hesitates. “One moment, let me get my cape, wait outside for me.” She smiles. Thaddeus nods his head and leaves.
“Go now, Twyla. Get my daughter out of here. I know you will guard her with your life. Arcadia will not be the same after this night.” She looks over to where I was standing before but I keep my cloak in place. “On my life, I will do as you ask.” I whisper to her. She nods, grabs her cloak, and walks out the door.
The pounding of feet against marble shakes me from my memories of earlier and I pick up the pace as I make my way out of the palace.
“There was a Bandrui here to see the queen earlier. Find her! That is where the baby will be, and I want them both found. If they make it to the portals, then we will lose her forever.”
I look up, and standing right in front of me is the number one betrayer himself, Thaddeus. All pretense and softness he showed the queen before has vanished; I can see him for the literal backstabber he is. I know I shouldn’t have followed them both into the council chambers, but I felt I owed it to the child in my arms to tell her what befell her mother. I knew when the majority of the men in the room voted against her and the rules that have always governed their society, I needed to flee. As a woman, I was no longer deemed equal. A millennia's worth of peace, shattered in an instant.
I’d watched as they all formed a line, and for a moment, I’d thought they would pay her one last sign of respect. I’d watched in horror as those who voted with the queen were murdered before her eyes, and I’d seen the first knife which stabbed her in the back. The one person in the room who I’d thought would protect her above all others, struck first. Thaddeus. Council member after council member stabbed her multiple times. Her cries became gurgles. Her dress, now dark-red as the blood flowed down her body. Her Dragon had tried to surface to defend her, her scales rippled just below her skin, but she had been too weak to shift.
I’d faded into the shadows and ran when I saw her fall to the ground, lifeless. I should have left when she told me to, now I am running for both our lives. Thaddeus called me Bandrui, an archaic name for a female Druid, and I wonder how he knew I’d arrived. He must have had spies on the queen, watching her every move. I wonder if he was behind the accident that killed her mates? Did he do it himself or give the order to have someone else do it? Is Thaddeus the ringleader of the Black Barons? He did all of this behind her back. All these questions go through my head as I try to process what I just witnessed.
The streets of Saphir, Arcadia’s capital city, are a hive of activity and I take advantage of the disorder as I make my way to the portals on the outskirts of the city. News of the queen's death at the hands of the Barons is spreading fast. Female Dragons are fleeing the city in droves with their children, to seek refuge in the other three major regions of the Realm. Riots and protests are breaking out as those who are brave enough to disagree push toward the palace. I pull my magic back, not wanting to drain my power. The portals out of Arcadia are a long trek through the forest. I need to reserve my strength just in case it comes down to a fight. I weave through the crowds, blending in with the baby clutched tightly to my chest, as I try to make my way out of the city.
Suddenly, I am surrounded by the beating of wings as a huge black Dragon combs the skies in search for me. I run as fast as I can, my sandals slipping on the dew kissed grass, the dress I am wearing sticks to my body from the humidity in the air. I don’t dare look up or turn around as I finally reach the clearing where the four portals stand. The bright blue shimmer of Celestia beckons me home but I know I can’t cross the threshold. I have only one destination and I know once I cross into Earth’s Realm there will be no turning back.
“Find her before she reaches the portals!” I hear someone shout behind me. A Dragon preparing to land in the clearing is circling overhead, clearly planning to block my escape. It is now or never as a huge body starts to descend to the ground. I quickly slide underneath his shadow and jump into the portal with the future queen screaming in my arms.
CHAPTERONE
CORDELIA
Present Day
Ican tell by the dark foreboding skies overhead I am dreaming. I have dreamed the same dream every night for weeks now. Smoke rolls around my bare feet like fog, only it’s thick and heavy. You would think that it would be hard for me to see but after weeks of the same dream, my feet carry me forward. I don’t need to see. I know exactly where I am going. The glassy obsidian mountains climb high on either side of me like a massive, shiny, volcanic tunnel leading me toward my destination. I don’t flinch at the roars and indistinct screams I hear around me as I continue to make my way forward. They used to frighten me, but now it’s just a part of the norm in this nightmarescape.
I don’t rush to the end. Every night I try to focus on the details of the things around me so when I wake I can write them down. I read somewhere it’s important when lucidly dreaming to put what you see down on paper. It helps me to try to understand the strange situation I find myself in every night. I blame it on all the fantasy novels I’ve read. That has to be it, right? My brain is processing all the crazy shit I’ve read over the years. Why the same dream? At the exact same moment? It's beyond my knowledge.
