All Chapters of Whispers Of Ember Hallow: The Luna's Awakening : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

SERAPHINA POV The morning air was crisp with the first light of dawn when I was led to the palace’s training grounds. The grandeur of the palace had already left an impression on me, but the sight of the training area was no less imposing. Vast and meticulously maintained, it bore the marks of countless hours of rigorous drills, the ground worn from the feet of many warriors. My heart beat with anticipation and an undercurrent of unease. I had trained before, under the guidance of Captain Kael, but the palace was different. Here, the stakes were higher, the expectations loftier. Every movement was observed, every flaw noted. I steeled myself, determined to meet these expectations. As I approached the center of the grounds, a group of trainees caught my eye. Their gazes met mine with a mix

SERAPHINA POV The afternoon air was thick with tension, whispers of an impending battle spreading like wildfire across the palace grounds. I had caught word of it whilst deep in my thoughts, my mind swirling with ways to persuade Prince Rion to grant me access to the royal archives. While I had already been granted access to the archives by the Prince, his written permission was still required for me to enter. This formality, though seemingly redundant given my purpose for being in the palace, was a necessary step. But as the clang of swords echoed from the training grounds and the boots of soldiers prepared for war thundered in my ears, my thoughts were unceremoniously shattered. I could not idly wait while the soldiers prepared for battle, nor could I shake the desire to stand among them, for the field beckoned me. I donned my armor—a simple leather garb, not as adorn

RION POV I lay in my bed, restless and contemplative as the early hours of the morn pressed heavily upon me. Upon departing the training ground, I attempted to attain rest, but sleep remained elusive, seemingly beyond my grasp. My thoughts turned to Seraphina, the night’s training having stirred emotions within me, and to the soldiers who had ventured forth to battle while I remained confined by the constraints of my station. The thought of being left behind while my people engaged in battle filled me with an abhorrence that permeated my very essence. However, I possessed no agency in this matter. My father, the King, would never countenance my participation in the conflict. Despite my repeated pleas and entreaties since the war's commencement, my efforts proved futile, akin to attempting to reason with an unyielding force. He remained unmoved. His justifications centered around the notion that he could not risk sending his sole heir into the crucible of war, along with a pl

ARIC POV The infirmary’s doors creaked behind me as I stepped out into the cool air, the sharp bite of the morning doing little to ease the discomfort at my side. I was cleared from the infirmary this morning. My stay was an unpleasant one, characterized by a sense of "death and suffering," which I found deeply distasteful. I had hoped to leave yesterday, but unfortunately, I was required to remain overnight. My injury still pained me, though not enough to justify any further confinement.I pressed my hand to my ribs, the bandages beneath my tunic a reminder of the recent battle, and how I had once again escaped the claws of death, and my thoughts began to wander to something far more irksome: Seraphina.How that woman managed to worm her way into the lives of the people I respected most was beyond me. Rion’s softening demeanor around her, Kaelen’s protective presence whenever she was near—it grated

SERAPHINA POV My eyes fell upon an especially ancient tome, its cover decorated with intricate patterns of gold and silver filigree.I had been drawn to it earlier but had set it aside in favor of more promising leads. Now, with most of the other sources yielding little more than fragments of disconnected information, I reached for it once again. The tome was heavier than it looked, its weight symbolic of the knowledge within.Opening the book with care, I found the pages filled with strange symbols and glyphs—none of which were familiar to me. Some of the script was faded, lost to time, but the remaining text was clear enough to be read. It was written in a language I barely recognized, an ancient tongue that had long since fallen into disuse.Yet there were words I could piece together, and as my eyes scanned the page, my heart began to race.There, in the center of the page, was an image that sent a chill down my spine—a symbol. It was one of the markings I had seen before, e