Embers In The North

Reyna folded her arms across her chest. “Why does this revelation shock you?” she asked Decker.

“Did you know about this?” Decker turned to Roth, seeking answers.

“I had my suspicions,” Roth responded backhandedly, lowering himself to sit with a satisfied sigh, absorbing the welcome warmth of the fire.

“And you did nothing! You should have escorted her to the conclave immediately,” Decker scolded. “Have you forgotten everything you learned?”

“Now you conveniently remember them?” Roth fired back.

As they clashed in words, Reyna watched them, curiosity about their shared history with the Elders blooming within her.

“What’s the issue?” She directed her question at Decker, knowing Roth might not answer. “Does being a hybrid hold some special meaning?”

“It heralds the destruction of Aupheadia,” Decker revealed. “The only way to prevent it was for you to have been with the Elders since your first shift!”

“The Elders are en route, so we may—”

“They never leave the conclave,” Roth interjected. “Only an Alpha can summon them, and even then it would jeopardize the very foundation of our kingdom. Their duty is to maintain neutrality at all times, which means they cannot be drawn into conflicts or combat.”

Hanging her hands on her waist, she contemplated their words. As much as she wanted to voice her thoughts, she knew labelling Elders as useless would only infuriate Roth and Decker. Turning away, she peered into the distance, behind the massive ice boulder, where her all-seeing ability had drawn her attention.

“What else can you do?” Decker’s inquiry brought her gaze back to him.

Her eyes swept over his face, noting the stark differences between Roth’s. The hood of his cloak was down, revealing his mane of crimson hair pulled into a neat bun. His skin was notably paler than Roth’s, and a slight, well-kept stubble adorned his finely sculpted face. With thin lips, deep-set eyes beneath expressive brows, and a straight, refined nose, his appearance was striking. Decker was enviably attractive, unlike anyone she’d ever met.

“What is your Greenpeak ability?” Decker pressed.

Now Roth’s gaze was locked on her with equal intensity like he, too, desperately wanted to know her other abilities. But she couldn’t give him her attention for long; an unsettling feeling sent a chill down her spine.

“Someone’s following us,” she said. “An Icehelm.”

Roth was on his feet before she finished speaking. He and Decker quickly huddled, drawing their swords as they pressed their backs against each other. Reyna dismissed her Ember and approached them. The closeness between the two men struck her; they were like brothers and about the same height. Watching them, her heart swelled with envy - they were so close, it made her wish she had a sibling.

“I sense nothing,” Roth stated, facing her.

“Do you see them?” Decker asked before returning his sword to its sheath on his belt and adjusting the heavy cloak around his shoulders.

Reyna walked away from them - away from Decker, as her heart pounded from an unnatural reaction to him.

“Give me a minute,” Reyna said. She needed a few moments to process her feelings and clear her head.

“Reyna?” Roth called.

As she laughed under her breath, she said, “Now you remember my name.”

“What?” Roth asked as he followed her.

Reyna stopped in her tracks and turned around. “Roth, I just need a moment. Back off.”

Like always, he didn’t. Roth strode towards her, casting a shadow that loomed over her. She couldn’t help but wonder how tall he was. Tilting her head to meet his gaze caused a mild strain in her neck. She noticed he had not touched her this time.

“What’s the matter with you?” Roth asked. “I’m making an effort to be civil, especially after you made it clear you didn’t… want this connection. I assumed you got that,” he added, his tone rising slightly.

As she met his gaze, the memory of their kiss rushed back—the warmth, the taste. It was as if she was transported back to that moment, the same charged energy pulling them together. She fought back the urge to close the gap and kiss him once more.

“You’re right,” she agreed, forcing herself to break the connection. “At least you’ve learned to keep your hands to yourself.”

He gave her a knowing smile, and she knew her resolve was weakening. Common sense told her to turn and leave, but instead, she stood there, drawn in by his gaze. Roth was undeniably charming; those captivating mismatched eyes, a smile that made her heart flutter.

Without meaning to, she drew closer and closer until Roth’s hand came up to cup her cheek.

A surge of emotions hit her like a sudden gust of wind. It wasn’t Roth’s desire for her or Decker’s growing frustration. It was another presence. Reyna swiftly turned away from Roth, drawn to the approaching surge of… not aggression, but something else.

“Reyna?” Roth’s voice trailed after her as she started towards the ice boulder.

She swallowed, a realization settling in. Only those of the Alpha lineage had this effect on her. Whoever was watching was an Icehelm… there was no way.

“There’s someone there,” she whispered. “I know you’re there, whoever you are!” she called, halting halfway.

An Icehelm Alpha? The thought nearly made her scoff. The Thorin line had been long-lost, wiped out by the Maynords. If a Thorin was here, it could only mean two terrible things: they were responsible for luring Roth here, and they likely had an army of Berserkers at their disposal.

“You really shouldn’t go calling out to potential danger,” Decker chided, his voice tinged with exasperation as he and Roth caught up to her. “Get to the cave, Reyna. This isn’t the time for this or secret rendezvous.”

Roth’s hand wrapped gently around her arm, urging her backwards. “We need to move. There are more pressing matters.”

“If he’s who I think he is, he’ll follow us,” she murmured, trying to extricate herself from Roth’s hold.

Both men turned to her, their expressions serious. “You know who it is?” Roth’s gaze bore into hers as he asked.

“Nothing concrete,” Reyna admitted with a shrug.

“Come out!” Roth’s command echoed through the path, his hand still firmly on her upper right arm.

“Tell them they will die tonight,” the Icehelm said, stepping forward from behind the boulder. His Icehelm dialect was so thick and fluent that Reyna suspected he had never left the north.

“What did he say?” Roth turned to her, his brows furrowed.

A shiver shot down her spine as her gaze swept over the Icehelm standing before them. There was no doubt about it; he was an Icehelm. If she hadn’t suspected he was a descendant of the Thorin line before, she certainly did when he pushed his hood back, revealing his bright shoulder-length white hair that fell loosely. She quickly swallowed the gasp that rose in her throat.

“He said you will die tonight,” Reyna translated for Roth, then continued to stare at the stranger.

“You’re the Moltenroar Luna,” he stated, his dark eyes roaming over her.

Reyna shook her head, trying to clear it. Here she was, standing in the midst of three Alphas from each territory. The chances of a hybrid Luna and three Alphas converging in the same place were remarkably slim.

Frustration bubbled up inside her as Decker’s statement about her heralding the doom of Aupheadia struck her now. How had the Thorin bloodline survived, and why would a Luna rise now? The stranger’s clear knowledge of her identity only confirmed the existence of a traitor within the Frostcall council. But what was he doing here? Had he followed them from the citadel?

“Why are you here?” Reyna asked him.

“You think I’d let these cocks make off with the first Luna to rise in over a century?” He adjusted his white cloak, matching his hair. “Or escape the north, for that matter.”

“What is he saying?” Decker growled, irritated by the Icehelm’s continued use of his native Frostcall tongue.

In clear English, the stranger addressed the trio, “Taking the Luna was a grave mistake. Her scent was like a beacon to you, Highthaw trash.”

The remark, or perhaps the slight, drew a chuckle from Decker.

“Who are you?” Roth demanded, releasing Reyna’s arm.

“That is not your concern.” The stranger’s dark gaze settled on Roth, carrying a lethal intensity. “You should leave while you still can,” he added, a sinister smile playing on his lips. “I’ve always relished a good hunt, Maynord.”

Reyna observed Decker and Roth, both scanning their surroundings carefully. She’d do the same, checking for any signs that the Thorin might not be alone. It struck her that, without her abilities, she’d be in the dark about many things here. One thing was certain—the Thorin came for her.

The notion of him tracking them through her scent seemed preposterous. She had taken great care to mask it since leaving the citadel. The fact that he managed to follow it all the way here without her noticing was astounding. Maybe he had found a way to mask his scent, or his speed was so unmatched that she couldn’t pick up on it in time. Another possibility was that his scent was exceptionally faint, eluding her senses. She studied him more intently, trying to discern the musky, woody fragrance that clung to him.

“Finally gathered the courage to reveal yourself,” Decker sneered with disdain. “And without your Berserker Fleet, no less. Quite brave of you, Thorin.”

Reyna snapped her attention to Decker, his piercing blue eyes locking with hers.

“He’s the berserker Thorin,” Decker explained as if reading her thoughts. “The silver hair of the Thorin line is unmistakable.”

Roth nodded in agreement. “It’s hard to miss,” he agreed. “The young Thorin who survived the massacre and found refuge with the Berserkers. He hungers for Maynord blood. Is this why you’re laying siege to Egranox?”

Roth took a step forward, closing the distance between them. A Berserker Thorin? Did these two arselings know a Thorin had survived and kept it a secret? If that was true, the Berserkers were now his, making him a Berserker Alpha. It was unheard of, and it meant his Fangs were likely on their way. He was alone for now, probably following her scent as he claimed, biding his time until his Fleet arrived. Yet, Roth and Decker, despite knowing all this, didn’t appear perturbed or concerned.

Reyna’s wolf growled within her, a warning echoing in her mind as Roth pressed forward towards the Thorin, undoubtedly trying to bait them into a confrontation.

“What is wrong with you?” she snarled as she stepped forward.

Roth came to a screeching stop, turning to face her as she lowered to the ground. With a swift punch into the ground, an ice barrier shot up, weaving itself into a protective dome around the three of them and the entrance to the cave before the Thorin could react. Reyna winced, nursing her fist with a sigh.

“We shouldn't linger. We need to get through the tunnel before they breach the ice,” she urged, walking towards the tunnelling cave.

As they made their way in, Roth’s voice broke the silence with suspicion. “You tripped Morris that day in Silver Oak, didn’t you?”

“You were just going to stand there and let him force me down?” Reyna shot back, wheeling around to face them at the cave’s mouth.

Decker raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two. “She bested one of your Omegas?”

“Reyna, you disrespected me and my Omegas; he was doing his duty,” Roth countered.

She shook her head, pivoting back towards the tunnel. “Keep up, unless you’re more interested in your pointless pissing contest with Decker and the Thorin.”

“It’s Warmaster or nothing, don’t call me by name,” Decker muttered in a growl.

Roth walked past her, further into the cave, leaving her with Decker whose arched brow awaited her reaction.

Shifting her weight between her legs, she regarded him, still puzzled by the unease he stirred within her. It was a sensation she wasn’t accustomed to, and it unsettled her. She’d spent years perfecting the art of concealing her emotions, yet Decker unravelled her composure with ease.

She didn’t like it one bit.

“Hardly the pressing issue here, but since you brought it up, what are you going to do about it, Decker?” she demanded.

Moving closer, his Snowdrop flower scent drowned her, filling the space around them. The erratic beat of her heart was drowned out by the steady rhythm of Roth’s footsteps. She held Decker’s gaze, drawn into the depths of his captivating blue eyes. But even they were eclipsed by the fiery sweep of his hair. Decker’s gaze traced her features, lingering on her lips for a heartbeat too long before finding its way back to her eyes.

“Don’t start what you can’t finish, beautiful,” Decker whispered into her ear, his left arm gently cradling her waist as he turned her around. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. We will deal with this later.”

With a suspicious squint at him, she started after Roth, curious about why he rushed ahead. He did seem to be going the right way. As they ventured further into the cavern, their footsteps echoed off the ancient walls. The air grew colder, carrying the scent of ice.

They pressed on in silence, and Decker strode alongside her. As they moved deeper into the cave’s heart, the walls closed in, and she noticed when he peeled off his gloves to rub his palms together.

“You didn’t get the chance to tell me about your Greenpeak ability,” Decker remarked.

“I never claimed to possess one,” she said, scrutinizing him. “What’s the story behind Thorin?”

He met her gaze. “It’s not much of a tale. The youngest Thorin survived the carnage. I guess it is expected when you send a bunch of females to assassinate a bloodline.” He smiled a cold, calculating smile. “But I suppose it was Odin’s will, or it wouldn’t have happened. Now, the only thing left is to finish the job.”

“You’re not so different from Roth,” she observed.

He slowed to a halt. “You know little about me, so I’ll let that be. There won’t be a second time.” Then he continued past her. “Unlike Roth, I don’t harm females and children.”

Reyna stood still for a heartbeat before rolling her eyes at Decker’s words. It didn’t occur to him that he’d spewed such crass rubbish about the Frostcall Alpha line to an Icehelm. But there was no time to linger on it; Roth and Decker were already forging ahead.

With a resigned exhale, she picked up her pace to catch up with them. The cave’s path had grown treacherous, with jagged rocks and uneven ground. The walls bore a thick layer of frost, giving the air a biting chill. Their footsteps rung, filling the narrow passageway with a haunting symphony.

Their breaths hung in the cold air, visible puffs of white. Reyna wondered if they ought to take a moment to warm up.

Roth, who had been leading the way, suddenly turned to face her. “Reyna, do you sense that?” he asked.

She closed her eyes for a moment, extending her senses to the surroundings. There was something off, a strange energy pulsating through the cave.

“Something’s awry,” she murmured, her eyes sweeping the surroundings.

Decker nodded, his earlier gruffness giving way as he slipped his gloves back on. “Agreed. It’s coming from down there.” He pointed towards one of the honeycomb-like passages ahead.

She stole a quick glance at him, wondering if he was aware that was the only way out.

“Can you sense what it is?” Roth asked. “Is your ability attuned to it?”

She took a moment, letting her ability navigate the icy labyrinth’s pathways before zeroing in on the sole exit. After a beat, her eyes snapped open and she looked between their faces.

“We’re trapped.”