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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 Twenty: The Quiet After

"You don't have to be fire, Kael. Not with me. You can be the ash, too—the pieces left behind. I'll still hold them."

Ash fell like snow over scorched ground, soft and slow, covering the corpses and the broken stone. The godflame cult was gone—dissolved in the wake of their Herald's defeat. But the silence they left behind was not peace.

Kael sat on the cracked earth, the hilt of his sword buried in the dirt, its blade blackened and steaming. The fire that once surrounded him had gone quiet—slumbering deep beneath the surface. He felt… hollow. Not empty. Just too full of everything to feel anything at all.

Riven crouched beside him, the back of his fingers brushing Kael's cheek. "Hey," he said gently. "Still breathing?"

"No," Kael murmured. "We did."

Riven helped him to his feet. Kael leaned on him more than he meant to, but Riven didn't complain. He just wrapped an arm around his waist and held him there like it was the most natural thing in the world.

They walked through what remained of the battleground in silence—past shattered trees and smoldering bodies, past the smell of blood and burnt flesh. Every step was a reminder: they had survived. But survival always came with a cost.

The others were waiting at the edge of the camp, wounded, exhausted, but alive. A few nodded in their direction. One of the younger rebels—Liah—ran up and threw her arms around Riven before stopping short of Kael, uncertain.

Kael blinked at her, then gave a small nod.

Liah stepped back. "We thought you were both…"

They were given a tent. Small. Quiet. Out of the way.

Kael collapsed onto the thin bedroll inside without a word. Riven watched him for a moment before sitting beside him. The firelight from outside danced against the canvas, shadows flickering across Kael's tired face.

"I thought I lost you," Riven said softly.

Kael's eyes closed. "I almost lost myself."

"I wanted to. When the fire started to twist—when the Herald took me—I felt it happening. Like I was being pulled under."

"And what stopped it?" Riven whispered.

Kael opened his eyes. Looked at him.

The words hit deeper than Kael probably realized.

Riven turned to face him fully, one leg tucked beneath him. His fingers fidgeted in his lap, uncertain for once. "You scared the hell out of me."

"I scare myself," Kael said, voice rasping.

Riven exhaled. "Then don't do it alone anymore."

He reached out, slow, cautious, until his hand rested against Kael's chest—just above his heart. "Let me in. Let me help carry it."

Kael stared at him. His eyes were dark and shining, filled with something raw.

Instead, he reached up and cupped Riven's jaw, pulling him down until their foreheads touched.

"I don't know how to be soft," Kael whispered.

"You don't have to be," Riven said. "Just don't shut me out."

Kael moved first—uncertain, hesitant—and Riven met him halfway. Their lips brushed, then pressed fully, and something in Kael shuddered—like a door being unlocked after years behind it.

When they pulled back, Kael's fingers were tangled in Riven's shirt, knuckles white. Riven didn't move. He just let him hold on.

They stayed like that for a long time.

Later, when the fire outside dimmed and the camp grew quiet, Riven lay beside Kael on the bedroll, his head resting on the warrior's shoulder. Kael's arm was slung around him, protective even in sleep.

"Tomorrow," Riven said softly, "we figure out what's next."

Kael didn't respond—but his grip tightened just a little.

And in the silence that followed, Riven smiled.

20. The Quiet After