Page 91 of The Heir

“So, in Embra there are dragons, right?”

“There were a few left,” he answered, and I could tell from his melody that he did not know what my reason was for asking.

“Do you–are your eyes dragon eyes?” I asked softly. My mother wrote of golden eyes in a specific fairy tale where an Embran prince searched for a true princess. He discovered one–one who had golden dragon eyes. Their union brought back the dragons that had been in hiding for five hundred years.

“Yes, they are,” he nodded.

“Dragon eyes are real–” I mumbled.

“It’s okay, Emma–” Shad began, moving some hair that was covering my eye behind my ear.

“This is so overwhelming, more and more information just keeps–” I shook my head; it was too much, too much information at once. We were silent for a time, both of us looking at the fire as it climbed up the largest log and burned it slowly, taking its time.

“I am scared, Shad,” I admitted, leaning on his shoulder.

“I know. But Emma, I will be with you.”

As I watched the fire burn and the flames dance around the logs and the sun make its final dip behind the trees and themountain in the distance, I could not help but feel so small in the scheme of things.

That fire seems more powerful than me.It has the ability to burn down this entire forest—animals, humans, plants, everything—burn them to a crisp, and all starting from just one small flame. I do not even compare to it.

Yes, you do.The comment bounced around my head.

You do not know that.

I know you, Emma; I know you are more powerful than any fire. You will conquer your enemies, and they will wish they had burned up instead of having to deal with you.

You are making me feel like some horrible warlord.

I heard a laugh; faint, but there.Not a warlord, but Emma, the Princess of Haleston. You do not know it yet, but many will fall at your feet, praising your name. You are the one who so many have been waiting for. You should not fear the corruption; it should fear you. You are the fire that will destroy the corrupt—the evil. You are the fire that will clean the land and make it new.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Iopened my eyes to a dark tent as Mary gently shook me awake. My stomach twisted into knots as I dressed in the silent morning, knowing that it could be the day we found Ryker. I hoped we would find him; wehadto find him. As I pulled on my socks and shoes at the door of the tent, my mind went through every single piece of information I could remember from the past day and a half. I didn't know how I would be able to remember it all, but I was trying. I was someone entirely different from who I thought I was. Still, with every day, I did become a little less surprised by my life.

You are not someone else entirely. You are always you, Emma. There is just more that you know, now.

How exactly do I keep you from reading my thoughts?

Again, your mind is all yours. I simply cannot help the fact that you talk to me with your soul.

I was talking to myself—in my head.

Really?

Yes, I mean, everyone talks to themselves.

Do they? Or are they really reaching out for that soul who makes theirs complete?

I thought about that for a moment. Was that possible? I heard a chuckle rumble within me from Shad.

Shad! Are you messing with me?

I believe it, but it’s okay if you don’t. Today is the day, Emma.

Yes, it is.

We packed up in silence; we were all too nervous and anxious for the day to begin to say much. The hike took three hours, and we arrived right at ten on the dot. Keil started setting up his tent, and Shad started a fire. I watched Mary look over a map for a while; then it came to me that I should've been helping. I took our tent from Mary’s bag and started to set it up. Keil walked into the middle of the camp and spoke, breaking the silence for the first time.