A Spark From Embers (Tears of Flame Book 1) by Kaylea Prime

Author:Kaylea Prime [Prime, Kaylea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storms & Starscapes Publishing
Published: 2024-02-03T00:00:00+00:00

As they descended from Skeletal Moon Lake down the other side of the Dharlomin mountains the next afternoon, Sadie experienced a few near-fatal tumbles as she tripped over her own feet, staring at the open valley of long grass below instead of the tangled web of roots and rocks beneath her boots. The largest forest Sadie had ever seen swallowed the valley after a few miles, endless rows of thickly woven trees stretching in all directions. A thin morning mist clung to some of the trees.

“That,” announced Tamlin, indicating the forest, “is Caris Nando.”

An arrow of excitement shot through Sadie, and she thought she might throw up.

She was finally here.

Sadie followed the others into the valley. She ran down the hill and leapt up onto the red rock wall. Running water babbled to her left beyond the outlying arm of the mountain. Cutting through the ground below, a small river with foamy white waters like thick frothy lace flowed past. Following the line of the river back up the mountain, she saw it originated from a thin cascading waterfall leaping down the jutting rocks. From here the clear waterfall gleamed with a burnished metallic red, the dark secrets of the roan mountains leaking blood tears from an open wound.

“Dharnení,” Tristan observed from beside her.

“Curses and ’cantations!” Sadie swore, clutching her heart. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop sneaking up on me like that?”

“I did not sneak, I merely followed you,” Tristan corrected. “Is it my fault if you didn’t notice?”

“Yes.”

“Ha!” Tristan laughed. “I think Airothane here would disagree, wouldn’t you?”

Sadie hadn’t noticed Airothane standing beside Tristan.

“Of course I would,” replied Airothane with a smug grin at Sadie. “It’s not Tristan’s fault you’re hard of hearing.”

Choosing to ignore Airothane, Sadie rounded on Tristan. “Oh, real mature Sir West, get the eleven-year-old to defend you. All the kid ever does is insult me and try to make me look stupid.”

“Your pathetic life isn’t worth insulting!” Airothane shouted hoarsely, and he stormed off to rejoin Haldin and Tamlin. Sadie could see them frowning at her, and Tristan shot her a disgusted look as he said, “Lighten up, Sadie, we were joking. Give Airothane a break.”

Guilt pinched her heart, and her cheeks burned in shame.

For the rest of the day Airothane remained silent and sulky, determinedly looking anywhere but at Sadie.

When they made camp outside the forest that evening, Sadie looked over at Airothane. He sat apart from everyone else, staring gloomily into the fire. Making up her mind, Sadie sat beside him.

“How’s it going?” she asked in a false cheery voice. Airothane didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at her. Picking up a stick, he speared it into the dirt and drew fierce circles with it. Sadie sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought.

“Look, Airothane, I think I owe you an explanation,” Sadie began awkwardly. “I haven’t been treating you well, and I’m sorry. Okay, I’ve been a total wench and hypocrite. I kept accusing you of being too young to know anything and yet I was the one acting like a child.

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