The Thirteenth Ember - Chapter 9: Chapter 9
You are reading The Thirteenth Ember, Chapter 9: Chapter 9. Read more chapters of The Thirteenth Ember.
Aeryn didn’t sleep.
She sat at the edge of the room, back pressed against the cold stone wall, watching Kael twist in fever-drenched dreams. His skin burned beneath the damp cloths she kept changing. Sweat pooled at his temples. He muttered words in a language she didn’t recognize — harsh, broken things scraped from memory.
She wanted to wake him. Wanted to shake the truth out of him.
But something in her gut told her not to.
Because part of him was already awake.
Just… not here.
When the fever finally broke just before dawn, Kael opened his eyes slowly. Not wild — but not soft either. Just aware. Too aware.
“You were calling out in your sleep,” she saidgently.
He blinked. “What did I say?”
“You spoke a name.” She hesitated. “Vaelith.”
Kael flinched — not visibly, but she saw it in his eyes.
“That’s not a name,” he murmured. “It’s a command.”
She swallowed. “A command for what?”
Kael sat up, grimacing. He reached for the pouch at his side, but Aeryn’s hand stopped him.
“No more hiding,” she said.
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he unwrapped the emberglass.
It pulsed again — not red this time, but a pale orange, like the last light before night.
Kael exhaled. “I was born in the Ember Vault.”Aeryn’s breath caught.
“Not by blood,” he continued. “By design. I was chosen. Trained. Conditioned. There were thirteen of us — children bound to the ember shards. One for each flame of the ancient pyre.”
Her mind reeled. “I thought those were myths.”
He shook his head. “They erased us. One by one. Burned the records. Silenced the witnesses. I survived because… I broke away.”
“You mean you ran.”
“No,” he said quietly. “I destroyed the vault.”
Aeryn took a step back.
“You think I’m dangerous?” Kael asked. “I was made to be.”
Before she could respond, the sound of steel rang from downstairs. A crash. Then a scream.
They were no longer alone.
Kael rose unsteadily. “They found us.”
Aeryn grabbed her satchel, heart hammering.
Kael’s hand tightened around the emberglass. “They’re not here for me.”
She froze. “What do you mean?”
“They’re here for you.”
The door shattered inward.
She sat at the edge of the room, back pressed against the cold stone wall, watching Kael twist in fever-drenched dreams. His skin burned beneath the damp cloths she kept changing. Sweat pooled at his temples. He muttered words in a language she didn’t recognize — harsh, broken things scraped from memory.
She wanted to wake him. Wanted to shake the truth out of him.
But something in her gut told her not to.
Because part of him was already awake.
Just… not here.
When the fever finally broke just before dawn, Kael opened his eyes slowly. Not wild — but not soft either. Just aware. Too aware.
“You were calling out in your sleep,” she saidgently.
He blinked. “What did I say?”
“You spoke a name.” She hesitated. “Vaelith.”
Kael flinched — not visibly, but she saw it in his eyes.
“That’s not a name,” he murmured. “It’s a command.”
She swallowed. “A command for what?”
Kael sat up, grimacing. He reached for the pouch at his side, but Aeryn’s hand stopped him.
“No more hiding,” she said.
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he unwrapped the emberglass.
It pulsed again — not red this time, but a pale orange, like the last light before night.
Kael exhaled. “I was born in the Ember Vault.”Aeryn’s breath caught.
“Not by blood,” he continued. “By design. I was chosen. Trained. Conditioned. There were thirteen of us — children bound to the ember shards. One for each flame of the ancient pyre.”
Her mind reeled. “I thought those were myths.”
He shook his head. “They erased us. One by one. Burned the records. Silenced the witnesses. I survived because… I broke away.”
“You mean you ran.”
“No,” he said quietly. “I destroyed the vault.”
Aeryn took a step back.
“You think I’m dangerous?” Kael asked. “I was made to be.”
Before she could respond, the sound of steel rang from downstairs. A crash. Then a scream.
They were no longer alone.
Kael rose unsteadily. “They found us.”
Aeryn grabbed her satchel, heart hammering.
Kael’s hand tightened around the emberglass. “They’re not here for me.”
She froze. “What do you mean?”
“They’re here for you.”
The door shattered inward.
End of The Thirteenth Ember Chapter 9. Continue reading Chapter 10 or return to The Thirteenth Ember book page.