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In the heart of a crumbling empire where sorcerers rule through fear and fire, Kael, a stoic enforcer bound to the crown, is known for his ruthless efficiency. He’s a weapon, not a man—until he’s sent to eliminate a traitor and meets Riven, a reckless, silver-tongued rebel who dares to smile in the face of death.

But Riven isn't what he seems. He carries a magic thought extinct—one that burns brightest when fueled by love. And Kael, despite every command, every warning, every scar, begins to fall.

Their bond is forbidden. Dangerous. World-ending.

When Riven is captured and sentenced to die, Kael is ordered to strike the final blow.
But he kneels instead.
And the world begins to burn.

Ashfall

Chapter Fourteen: Something Wakes

Power doesn't break things. It reveals what was already cracking.

The wardstone ruptured before dawn.

Just a sickening hum, like a breath held too long… then the silence ripped open.

He was on his feet before he even registered the cold.

Across the encampment, mage fires sputtered into chaos. The warding stones had turned black, charred from the inside. Riven bolted upright beside him, eyes wide, sweat plastering hair to his temples.

"The shard," he rasped. "It's gone."

Kael cursed, yanking on his sword belt.

The Mage Council's tent had collapsed in on itself, flames licking the ruined canvas. Olivia was crouched by the entrance, coughing blood, her arm broken and twisted unnaturally. One of the junior mages tried to hold a shield up, but the magic around them crackled — unstable, burned through.

"Someone broke the seal," Olivia wheezed. "From the inside."

There, at the center of the ruin, was the obsidian shard.

His name was Ivar—young, quiet, too clever by half. He'd argued with the council the day before about keeping the shard intact.

"We need to understand it," he'd said. "Not fear it."

Kael ordered the camp locked down. Patrols doubled. No one in or out.

Riven didn't speak until they returned to the tent.

"She's closer. Watching. Waiting. And it's not just the shard anymore. It's something… beneath it. Something older."

"There's a name she whispers when I dream. Emvarak."

Kael frowned. "That's ancient dialect. I've heard it before in the old texts."

"It means 'godflame.'" Riven swallowed. "Or the one who burns what cannot die."

Later, after sunset, Kael summoned Olivia.

"I need you to tell me the truth," he said. "Can we destroy the shard?"

She shook her head. "Not anymore. Something's protecting it. Ivar didn't just break the seal—he fed it. Blood magic."

She hesitated. "We might have to cut it out of Riven."

"Try that and I will burn the entire council to ash."

"I'm not suggesting it," she snapped. "I'm warning you. If this keeps going, he won't survive. Or we won't."

Kael's voice dropped. "Then find a way."

"Or you'll see what happens when I stop holding back."

Kael sat beside him, their shoulders brushing.

"I heard what Olivia said," Riven said finally.

"I don't need to," Kael said. "I just need to stand with you."

14. Something Wakes