Heartstone - Chapter 26: Chapter 26
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Morning broke with a silver chill that clung to the forest like breath to glass. Frost lined the tree branches, and the hooves of Marah’s horses crunched against frozen leaves as they cut through the thicket.
The group rode in silence, alert, eyes scanning the forest.
Then—movement.
Figures appeared from between the trees, ghost-like in the mist, surrounding them with blades drawn and arrows notched. It was a perfect trap—no sound, no warning, just the quiet press of danger.
Marah reached slowly for her sword, but before anything could happen, a voice rang through the cold:
“Hold!”
The soldiers froze. One by one, the surrounding men stepped aside as a tall, broad-shouldered man emerged from the mist, wrapped in a dark fur cloak. His face was scarred but calm, and his eyes burned with recognition as they locked with Marah’s.
“Denak,” Marah breathed.
She dismounted at once, her lips pulling into a rare smile as the man walked toward her.
They met halfway, arms clasped in warrior salute before embracing like long-lost kin.
“Long time, Marah,” Denak said with a rough laugh. “What brings you this deep into the woods with warriors?”
Marah’s smile faded. “War is coming, Denak. The kind not seen in a hundred winters. The sky machines have awakened. And the burns again.”
Denak’s jaw tightened. He turned his gaze to Avera, who sat still on her horse, calm and watchful.
"Who is she?"
“She’s the one,” Marah muttered. “Daughter of Light.”
The wind stirred Avera’s cloak, lifting its edge like a whisper of warning. Her eyes didn’t waver, though the shadows of the forest pressed close around them.
Denak scoffed, low and bitter. “That’s a myth.”
“No.” Marah’s voice held the weight of old truths. “It’s a prophecy.”
Avera spoke at last, her voice quiet but clear. “I didn’t ask for this.”
Denak walked a step closer.
She looked at him—really looked—and something in her gaze made him flinch, though he’d never admit it.
“The Light chooses,” she said simply. “Not me. Not you.”
A silence fell, thick and uneasy. Even the birds had gone still.
Marah nodded. “We need the clans. We ride to gather the villages.”
Denak straightened. “Then you’ll have my blades. Come. Warm yourselves first. And then… we march.”
The group rode in silence, alert, eyes scanning the forest.
Then—movement.
Figures appeared from between the trees, ghost-like in the mist, surrounding them with blades drawn and arrows notched. It was a perfect trap—no sound, no warning, just the quiet press of danger.
Marah reached slowly for her sword, but before anything could happen, a voice rang through the cold:
“Hold!”
The soldiers froze. One by one, the surrounding men stepped aside as a tall, broad-shouldered man emerged from the mist, wrapped in a dark fur cloak. His face was scarred but calm, and his eyes burned with recognition as they locked with Marah’s.
“Denak,” Marah breathed.
She dismounted at once, her lips pulling into a rare smile as the man walked toward her.
They met halfway, arms clasped in warrior salute before embracing like long-lost kin.
“Long time, Marah,” Denak said with a rough laugh. “What brings you this deep into the woods with warriors?”
Marah’s smile faded. “War is coming, Denak. The kind not seen in a hundred winters. The sky machines have awakened. And the burns again.”
Denak’s jaw tightened. He turned his gaze to Avera, who sat still on her horse, calm and watchful.
"Who is she?"
“She’s the one,” Marah muttered. “Daughter of Light.”
The wind stirred Avera’s cloak, lifting its edge like a whisper of warning. Her eyes didn’t waver, though the shadows of the forest pressed close around them.
Denak scoffed, low and bitter. “That’s a myth.”
“No.” Marah’s voice held the weight of old truths. “It’s a prophecy.”
Avera spoke at last, her voice quiet but clear. “I didn’t ask for this.”
Denak walked a step closer.
She looked at him—really looked—and something in her gaze made him flinch, though he’d never admit it.
“The Light chooses,” she said simply. “Not me. Not you.”
A silence fell, thick and uneasy. Even the birds had gone still.
Marah nodded. “We need the clans. We ride to gather the villages.”
Denak straightened. “Then you’ll have my blades. Come. Warm yourselves first. And then… we march.”
End of Heartstone Chapter 26. Continue reading Chapter 27 or return to Heartstone book page.