The Raven Flame [The Crown Saga III] (First Draft)

Swaying Contours

Alia peered at me, finding my eyes curiously fixed on her. Her lips curled wryly. "I thought you said you weren't interested in his past."

Electricity skittered across my skin, sparking life back to my senses. I fluttered my eyes, clearing my throat as I fumbled to my feet. "I-I'm not," I stuttered, dusting off my pants as if it would make a difference. "I'm not. I just considered it rude to interrupt you."

Alia blurted a resounding snort as she rolled her eyes. "As if that has ever bothered you before. You know, despite my prior assumptions of you, I was actually a little happy to see Calix take such an interest in you. It has been a while since I've seen him do that to anyone but his father. Of course, that was before I knew what a jerk he'd been to you."

Now, it was my time to snort. "You sound like Eos." I believe she said something similar to me during the second trial, then again right after our suggested engagement when I confronted her.

I didn't waste time waiting for Alia's response as I turned to approach the exit. The dusk was rapidly fading, leaving space for the rising sun to soon paint the new morning with the golden colors of dawn. Pangea would be waiting for me.

Without a second thought, I jumped from the edge. I held my breath, feeling the tips of my fingers tingle as I summoned a breeze to surround me. Once I was inches from hitting the ground, I released the power. The air cushion absorbed the forces of my fall, leaving me to land unscathed on my feet.

The descent was never the problem, but I was stuck down here without Piper or my Storm Blades.

I began running toward the clearing between two massive pillars, where Pangea would be waiting for me—at least according to Apollo's announcement when he delivered our dinner last night.

After so long, we were finally here.

Dragons soared through the air above us, bathing in the first glimpses of dawn pouring in from the cracks above; a fallen star, blazing in the form of an eternal flame that I had yet to see; and answers to every important question my heart desired.

I inhaled the air, savoring the fresh morning mist dancing in the breeze. Freedom was just beyond reach. One more mission and I was free. I could feel how the shackles around my ankles were steadily crumbling, the load weighing on my shoulders—

A shadow shifted in my peripheral vision, drawing my attention.

Soft streaks and faded colors of black and blue rippled across muscled contours, the delicate fins swaying with each slow transition as if the fish were alive.

Caiden swayed from one side to the other as if guided by the gentle flow of an indecisive creek. His arms moved in perfect harmony with his body, never off balance.

He was shirtless and barefoot, his scrappy torn pants hanging low on his chiseled waist. The ends of his messy hair clung to his damp neck, drenched and dark in the dim light.

A rush of heat shot through my body, scorching the connections between my nerves. My feet stumbled, and I went down.

I still hadn't recovered entirely from everything yesterday. My brain couldn't send the signals to my muscles fast enough to keep up with the cruel forces of gravity.

My palms took the brunt of the impact, but it wasn't enough to save the rest of me. My chin dug into the ground, the collision sending a wave of pain thundering through my skull.

The collision wasn't enough to bring my body to a full stop. My neck gave under the stress, pressing my chin back. The earth first scraped relentlessly against my nose before my head twisted, and I surfed the last five feet on my chin.