The Thirteenth Ember - Chapter 16: Chapter 16
You are reading The Thirteenth Ember, Chapter 16: Chapter 16. Read more chapters of The Thirteenth Ember.
The sanctuary’s walls whispered when touched.
Kael ran his fingers across the etched names. Some were crossed out. Others glowed faintly lives long gone, yet somehow preserved in ember.
He stopped at one.
Lira Vey.
Age: 12.
Flameborn.
Cause: “Failure to contain fire.”
He swallowed.
Aeryn stood beside him, silent. She didn’t press. She didn’t have to. Her presence, steady and warm, was enough.
Behind them, Oryn struck flint against stone and lit a basin in the center of the room. Blue flame curled upward, licking the shadows away.
It’s time you know the whole truth,” he said, eyes fixed on the flame. “The Order didn’t just forge weapons. They twisted a prophecy. They tore it in half and hid the part they feared.”
Kael turned. “What prophecy?”
Oryn opened the worn leather tome and placed it on the altar. The page shimmered in the light.
“Thirteen shall rise from fire’s breath. One shall choose destruction.
But one shall choose life.
Only together shall the flame be whole.”*
Aeryn stepped forward, brow furrowed. “That… sounds like two people.”
“It is,” Oryn said. “The Order trained Kael to destroy. But they never expected the other half to survive.”
Kael looked at Aeryn.
His voice came quiet. “It’s you.”
Oryn nodded. “You’re not just a healer, Aeryn. You’re a Flameborn too. Your gifts were bound by your mother when you were a child. She suppressed the ember in you — because she knew what it meant.”
Aeryn stepped back. “No. I would’ve known.”
“No,” Kael said gently. “You wouldn’t. Not if they kept you from the ember’s call.”
Her hands trembled. The emberstone at her collar flickered — not in fear, but awakening.
Suddenly, her breath caught. Heat spread from her chest to her palms.
She lifted her hand — and fire, soft and silver, curled from her fingertips.
Alive.
Controlled.
Chosen.
Her eyes widened. “I feel it.”
“You were born with it,” Oryn said. “You were the other half of the prophecy. The one meant to temper the Thirteenth. To heal what he might destroy.”
Kael stepped forward. “You were never just a bystander.”
Aeryn looked at him, fire reflected in her eyes.
“And you were never just a weapon.”
The flame around them swirled once, then calmed.
Balanced.
Whole.
Oryn smiled for the first time. “The ember is waking — in both of you. And that means the Order will come.”
Kael turned toward the darkness beyond the sanctuary door.
“Then let them.”
Kael ran his fingers across the etched names. Some were crossed out. Others glowed faintly lives long gone, yet somehow preserved in ember.
He stopped at one.
Lira Vey.
Age: 12.
Flameborn.
Cause: “Failure to contain fire.”
He swallowed.
Aeryn stood beside him, silent. She didn’t press. She didn’t have to. Her presence, steady and warm, was enough.
Behind them, Oryn struck flint against stone and lit a basin in the center of the room. Blue flame curled upward, licking the shadows away.
It’s time you know the whole truth,” he said, eyes fixed on the flame. “The Order didn’t just forge weapons. They twisted a prophecy. They tore it in half and hid the part they feared.”
Kael turned. “What prophecy?”
Oryn opened the worn leather tome and placed it on the altar. The page shimmered in the light.
“Thirteen shall rise from fire’s breath. One shall choose destruction.
But one shall choose life.
Only together shall the flame be whole.”*
Aeryn stepped forward, brow furrowed. “That… sounds like two people.”
“It is,” Oryn said. “The Order trained Kael to destroy. But they never expected the other half to survive.”
Kael looked at Aeryn.
His voice came quiet. “It’s you.”
Oryn nodded. “You’re not just a healer, Aeryn. You’re a Flameborn too. Your gifts were bound by your mother when you were a child. She suppressed the ember in you — because she knew what it meant.”
Aeryn stepped back. “No. I would’ve known.”
“No,” Kael said gently. “You wouldn’t. Not if they kept you from the ember’s call.”
Her hands trembled. The emberstone at her collar flickered — not in fear, but awakening.
Suddenly, her breath caught. Heat spread from her chest to her palms.
She lifted her hand — and fire, soft and silver, curled from her fingertips.
Alive.
Controlled.
Chosen.
Her eyes widened. “I feel it.”
“You were born with it,” Oryn said. “You were the other half of the prophecy. The one meant to temper the Thirteenth. To heal what he might destroy.”
Kael stepped forward. “You were never just a bystander.”
Aeryn looked at him, fire reflected in her eyes.
“And you were never just a weapon.”
The flame around them swirled once, then calmed.
Balanced.
Whole.
Oryn smiled for the first time. “The ember is waking — in both of you. And that means the Order will come.”
Kael turned toward the darkness beyond the sanctuary door.
“Then let them.”
End of The Thirteenth Ember Chapter 16. Continue reading Chapter 17 or return to The Thirteenth Ember book page.