Embers In The North

Night fell.

Outside, the wind howled through the rocky crags, a mournful sonata to the snowstorm. Reyna’s Ember burned brightly beside her and in a ring around them; casting dancing shadows on the walls and providing just enough warmth to stave off the bitter cold.

Wrapped in her sleeping bag, Reyna tossed and turned, ensnared in the clutches of a relentless nightmare. The visions were vivid and cruel. Images of raging fires, blood-soaked snow, and anguished cries tormented her restless mind.

Her breaths quickened as the nightmarish visions played out with cruel clarity. Just when it seemed the flames would consume her entirely, a voice pierced through the darkness.

“Reyna,” it called, a voice steady and familiar, driving the horror away.

With a gasp, Reyna snapped awake, her eyes wide and out of focus for a breathless moment. Beads of sweat clung to her skin, and she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

“Reyna, it’s alright,” came the voice again.

Turning her head, Reyna’s gaze met Roth’s. His hand on her shoulder provided a reassuring anchor, grounding her. For a moment, she wanted to lean into him and breathe him in.

What was that dream? She’d endured her fair share of unsettling nightmares, but none had ever felt so vivid, so suffocating. The involvement of all three Alphas, herself, and another Alpha figure left her heart pounding in her chest. It couldn’t be real; there were no other territories, no additional Alphas.

“It was just a dream,” Roth murmured, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of foreboding that clung to her.

The vividness of the dream, the involvement of all three Alphas, and the presence of that mysterious fourth figure left her with a sense of impending doom. She didn’t want to meet whatever or whoever that was. Roth’s gentle hand caressed her cheek, drawing her back to the present.

“Are you alright?” he asked, concern etched on his brows.

“Yes,” she replied with a weak smile, her fingers absentmindedly brushing her brow. It wasn’t the lingering heat in the cave that bothered her, but the watchful eyes of the others. “Is there something wrong?”

“Your Ember flared as you tossed, Reyna,” Decker chimed in. “Must have been quite a dream.”

Reyna nodded, her mind still racing with the unsettling images. She knew she needed to put the dream aside for now and focus on the journey. She looked around the cave, startled to find that it was already nightfall, and they were still inside when they should have been on their way.

“We need to continue,” she said, rising to her feet. She threw her cloak over her shoulder and began rolling up her sleeping bag to tuck it into her satchel.

“We will continue once the storm passes,” Roth replied, rising to stand beside her.

His gaze lingered on her face with a discerning squint, as if trying to read her thoughts. She quickly glanced around the cave and noticed that they had all shed their cloaks and gloves. It was uncomfortably hot inside.

“Do you need me to extinguish the Ember?” she asked.

“By Odin’s grace, no,” Quinn answered, rising to his feet. “It’s a welcome reprieve, Luna.”

“Is it too hot for you?” Roth inquired, smiling.

“It is,” Seth replied on her behalf. “But she could always step outside and come back in, as I did.” He settled onto his sleeping bag, leaning against the cave wall just outside the ring of Ember. “By the way, the path through Giehl Mountain is blocked. Unless you can move it out of the way, we have to turn around and go through Woburn.”

Exhaling a sigh of exhaustion, she collected herself. There was no point in dwelling on her dream or her inexplicable fatigue. The nightmare had left her with a lingering belief that they would never reach the conclave, turning this odyssey into a futile quest. Or could it be that Odin knew of Seth’s intentions and was manipulating events to hinder them from leading him there?

“I cannot,” Reyna replied quietly. “We’ll have to go through Woburn.”

If something were to happen on the path through Woburn, it would confirm her suspicions. Seth would have no choice but to turn back. Of course, he wouldn’t agree willingly, so she needed to come up with a plan… or perhaps uncover the true extent of his agenda.

“Are you all right, Reyna?” Decker rose and walked over to her. “Did stopping the storm earlier hurt you more than you’re letting on?”

“I am well. No need to treat me like a bloody, weak female just because I had a bad dream.” She walked away from him and stepped out of the cave.

The cold air rushed against her face, juxtaposing the stifling warmth inside the cave. She inhaled deeply before summoning Ator.

“Thank you for earlier,” Reyna murmured as she stroked her Shadowbeast. Ator responded with a low growl, their eyes closing in a moment of shared connection.

Pulling back, Reyna peered into the darkness using her all-seeing ability but found nothing unusual in the storm. However, a towering mound of snow blocked their path through Giehl Mountain.

Seating herself in the snow, she welcomed the howling wind, finding solace in its icy embrace. Ator cocooned around her, offering support and comfort. Reyna leaned back, her fingers gently stroking the beast’s fur as her thoughts wandered.

Roth’s reaction to the almost-kiss with Decker was surprisingly absent. It left her perplexed, unsure of what it meant. The solstics was nearing its end, and perhaps this strange attraction would fade with them. But Roth’s behavior also puzzled her. If he truly desired her as his mate, all he had to do was mark her; there was no undoing that bond.

When Seth stepped out of the cave, she glanced at him but chose to remain silent.

“What has the fearsome Icehelm Prime worried?” he asked. “Don’t try to deny it, you reek of it.”

“We’re not friends, Seth, nor do I wish to be cordial with you,” Reyna stated firmly, her eyes fixed on him as he approached and sat in front of her. Ator growled, and she gently soothed her Shadowbeast.

“Could this have something to do with Bandos and your Fleet?” he inquired. “You surprise me, Reyna. Truly, you do. A Prime should know that anything goes in war.”

“War against your own kin? I’m not upset about anything else except that a Thorin Alpha led several Icehelm Fleets to besiege the exalted citadel! Not to mention turning the Frostcall council against their Warmaster. You’ve committed unspeakable acts, bringing shame to the Thorin name,” she hissed, her tone filled with disgust and contempt. “You brought Roth and Decker here. You incited war in our territory as if we haven’t had enough of it. You have brought shame upon us all.”

“I can’t help but notice, you don’t harbour the same bitterness towards the Maynord for thrusting war upon Frostcall. You seem rather lenient in letting him revel in gains he has no rightful claim to, despite being the true villain here.”

“His ancestors are,” Reyna growled. “Not him. I’ve berated him for the transgressions of his fathers, but he’s never treaded the same dark path. I can’t say the same about you.”

“Nor should you. You have no inkling of the horrors my ancestors endured, witnessing their entire lineage and pack slaughtered! You can’t fathom what it’s like to live in seclusion, with berserkers like a forsaken outcast hiding a name long forgotten.” He spat out the words through clenched teeth. “But how could you? You’re Mimir’s favoured Moltenroar.”

Reyna arched an eyebrow at him but refrained from saying more, determined not to be further entangled in their argument.

“Leave me be, Seth.” She sighed. “I won’t entertain that excuse again. It doesn’t justify your actions towards me or your hidden agenda at the conclave.”

“How have I treated you?”

“You attempted to force my compliance earlier, Seth.”

“And you sent me flying across my Fleet. I’d say the embarrassment evens the score, Reyna,” he countered.

“You never admit to being wrong, do you?”

He scoffed. “It depends on the situation. Let’s agree to disagree, Reyna. Mistakes were made, and near-disastrous consequences were averted. There’s no need to dwell on it.”

“Fine, you win. Now, please, leave me alone.”

“I will,” he agreed, “but only after you tell me about your dream. What was it?”

“It’s none of your business!” Reyna retorted.

He persisted. “I know it might be hard to believe, but I’m genuinely trying to help,” he said. “I think your dreams could hold some significance, especially since you’re Luna.”

“Are you concerned that I might have gleaned something about your plan? Is your interest genuine, or are you afraid I’ve unraveled your agenda?”

“I’m not entirely certain,” he admitted, a note of uncertainty in his voice. “But I’m genuinely curious about what you might know.”

“You could save us all a lot of trouble if you just told me why you’re so adamant about reaching the conclave,” Reyna suggested.

He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. You’ll have to trust me.”

Reyna couldn’t help but chuckle. She laughed for a while as Seth watched her, his expression stoic. She couldn’t quite place the look in his eyes, but she sensed his curiosity about her laughter. As the wind tousled his silver locks, she regarded him with a smirk.

“I don’t trust you, Seth. It would be the most reckless decision I could make,” Reyna said. “You haven’t given me any reason to.”

Seth’s dark eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, they seemed to search for something within her.

“Very well, Reyna,” he finally said. “You’re right to be cautious. But mark my words, there’s more at stake here than you realize.”

“I already suspected as much, I just don’t know what. Do you blame Odin for the fate that befell the Thorin line?” she wondered.

“Wouldn’t you? Where was he when the Maynords infiltrated the North? He turned the Thorin name into a mockery, sending Five Females to do us in!” Seth’s voice dripped with bitterness.

Reyna listened to Seth’s bitter words. His anger directed at the gods was evident in every syllable. It left her unsettled, wondering about the depths of his pain and the dark path he seemed intent on taking.

“The day I can make Odin answer for his tyranny and his reign of terror over Aupheadia will be one of sweet triumph. You will all finally see the deceit that lies within the gods!”

With that, he rose and strode back into the cave, leaving Reyna sitting outside, the cold wind swirling around her. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the strange conversation. She couldn’t make sense of his fervent desire to punish Odin. It all seemed like a futile quest, one that would only bring more suffering to Aupheadia.

Reyna turned back to Ator, and stroked its fur. Her thoughts were filled with the mysterious dream and the puzzling fourth Alpha. There were still so many unanswered questions, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were all hurtling toward something much larger than them.

“Can we talk?” Roth’s voice echoed from the entrance of the cave.

Reyna sat up, concern etched on her face. “Not out here. You’ll freeze,” she reminded him.

He hesitated for a moment, then tightened his cloak around him. He stepped out into the biting cold, taking measured steps through the snow.

As Roth reached Reyna, she took his hand and pulled him down to sit on the snowy ground. She sent Ator back into the shadows, then, with a flick of her fingers, created a protective barrier against the wind and snow. A gentle blaze sprang to life around them, casting a warm glow in the small ice cave.

“I must admit, your abilities are quite remarkable—every one of them,” Roth said, as he removed his cloak.

His words brought a small smile to her face, the compliment not lost on her.

“I’m glad you appreciate them,” she replied.

Roth reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. His touch sent a shiver down her spine, but it was a pleasant one. They sat in silence for a moment, the crackling of the fire the only sound between them.

“Reyna,” Roth finally spoke. “There’s something I need to discuss with you. Something important.”

Reyna looked at Roth. “Is this about Seth?”

“In a way,” he replied, a hint of uncertainty in his tone. “The conclave holds… well, there’s something there, something only Alphas and their Luna are privy to. Something we could never divulge to anyone else. I thought, since we’re on our way there, I might be allowed to share this secret.”

“No, Roth. If you’re bound by an oath, you shouldn’t break it. We’re on our way there anyway, and I’ll find out in due time. We wouldn’t want to risk Odin’s wrath for a small transgression,” Reyna said, a small chuckle escaping her lips.

“That would indeed be a first for Odin,” Roth mused quietly.

“What do you mean?”

“When have you known Odin to concern himself with the affairs of the wolves? This fray for Alpha has spanned generations, and it still continues. Do you truly believe Odin couldn’t resolve it with a mere thought? By all the gods, Reyna, the Allfather fails us,” Roth said.

Her eyes widened as she looked at him. His words shook her, and she reflected on his beliefs, which echoed Seth’s outburst. Did Decker share these feelings about the gods?

“You feel differently about me now, knowing this?” Roth asked.

Reyna let out a heavy sigh. “No, but knowing you maintain traditions while carrying this burden of disbelief troubles me.”

“I’m bound by Aupheadia’s traditions. To lead, I must adhere to these beliefs, even if I find them questionable.” He pushed up the sleeves of his tunic. “It’s disheartening to accept that I’m nought but a pawn in a celestial game of chess.”

“Everyone’s a pawn in someone else’s plot, Roth. Destiny is a fickle thing, and sometimes it baffles the gods too. Aren’t I proof that the gods intend for this fray to end?”

“Are you? Think about it.” Roth rose, draping his cloak on the snow-covered ground before sitting back down. “Why didn’t your mother live long enough to know you were Luna and send you to the conclave? Why and how have you mysteriously lost all the wise women who should have guided and nurtured you, and only had Bandos?”

Reyna couldn’t deny the logic in his argument; it was difficult to refute.

“They intend to revel in this. I assure you, Reyna, that even as a hybrid, things aren’t any easier or simpler to fix. The burden of this fray now falls on you, and I know you feel the weight of it and question your desires for Decker. You may not care for Seth yet, but give it time. It’s a long and winding road, and we don’t know where this path leads.”

“Why are you telling me this? There has to be a reason.” She folded her arms over her chest, and she pulled away from him.

Roth swallowed, his throat constricting. She watched him closely, trying to figure out his intentions.

“I know something the others don’t because I am the Alpha of the Wild Lands,” Roth confessed, his hands folding into fists. “Once we reach the conclave, something terrible will happen, and Aupheadia will fall. But you must do your best to reach Mimir’s well before it disappears.”

It knocked the wind out of her. “Mimir’s well?” she whispered, shocked.

Roth nodded solemnly. “Yes, it is the only way you can save the wolves from what's coming.”