No Turning Back

The forest swallowed them whole.

Branches clawed at Kael’s cloak as he ran.

Roots rose from the darkness like traps.

Behind him, Lyra’s breathing came fast and controlled.

Ahead, Darian moved with the confidence of someone who had spent years preparing for this exact moment.

Kael hated that thought.

Preparing.

Planning.

Waiting.

Everyone seemed to have known this day might come.

Everyone except them.

A horn sounded somewhere behind the trees.

BWOOOOOM.

Lyra glanced back.

“How close?”

Darian didn’t slow.

“Too close.”

“That is not a distance!”

“It’s the one that matters.”

Kael nearly tripped over a root.

“Could everyone stop speaking in riddles for one night?”

Darian looked over his shoulder.

“No.”

Kael groaned.

Lyra would normally have laughed.

She didn’t.

That worried him more than the horn.

They kept running.

The old road barely deserved the name.

Two narrow tracks cut through moss and fallen leaves, almost entirely reclaimed by the forest.

Kael could see no sign that anyone had used it recently.

Which, he suspected, was the point.

Darian finally raised one hand.

“Stop.”

Kael nearly crashed into him.

“What?”

Darian crouched.

He touched the soil.

Lyra leaned over.

“Tracks?”

“Not ours.”

Kael drew his father’s short sword.

The faint red line along the blade caught the moonlight.

Darian noticed.

“You kept it.”

“It was my father’s.”

“Yes.”

Kael looked at him.

“You knew him.”

Darian stood.

“This is not the time.”

Kael’s jaw tightened.

“You say that a lot.”

“Because you keep choosing terrible times to ask important questions.”

Lyra whispered—

“Someone’s coming.”

Kael stopped.

He heard nothing.

Darian did.

His hand went to one dagger.

“Off the road.”

They disappeared into the brush.

Seconds later—

hoofbeats.

Three riders moved along the old path.

Ashen Order.

Gray cloaks.

Crossbows ready.

One hunter carried a metal instrument with a rotating needle.

Kael’s chest warmed.

The instrument reacted instantly.

The needle jerked toward the trees.

The rider frowned.

“Hold.”

Darian’s hand clamped over Kael’s wrist.

Kael stopped breathing.

The hunter raised the device.

The needle trembled.

Lyra slowly reached for an arrow.

Darian shook his head.

Not yet.

One horse suddenly snorted.

It backed away.

Then another did the same.

The lead hunter frowned.

“What’s wrong with them?”

The first horse turned its head toward Kael’s hiding place.

Its ears flattened.

For a terrifying moment, Kael thought it had found him.

Instead—

the animal panicked.

It reared.

The rider nearly fell.

“Control it!”

The other horses followed.

All three animals began fighting their reins.

The hunters cursed.

One finally shouted—

“Something’s wrong here. Move!”

The riders retreated down the road.

Only when the hoofbeats faded did Darian release Kael.

Lyra looked at him.

“They were scared of you.”

Kael’s stomach tightened.

“Again.”

Darian’s expression changed.

“What do you mean?”

Kael and Lyra exchanged a look.

“The wolves,” Lyra said.

“And the boar,” Kael added.

Darian went silent.

Kael noticed.

“You know what that means.”

“I know what it might mean.”

“What?”

Darian looked toward the road.

“That the signs are accelerating.”

Kael stared.

“What signs?”

Darian resumed walking.

Kael’s frustration exploded.

“You cannot keep doing that!”

Darian stopped.

Kael stepped closer.

“We left our home.”

His voice shook.

“My mother stayed behind.”

Darian’s face hardened.

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I know exactly what it costs to leave people behind.”

Kael fell silent.

For the first time, something in Darian’s voice sounded wounded.

Old.

Darian looked away.

“We move.”

This time, Kael followed without arguing.

But the questions followed him too.

They traveled until well past midnight.

Eventually, Darian led them beneath a rocky overhang hidden by hanging vines.

A narrow stream passed nearby.

“Here.”

Lyra looked around.

“This is where we sleep?”

“For a few hours.”

Kael dropped his pack.

His legs felt like they had been replaced with stone.

Lyra sat beside him.

“Best vacation ever.”

Kael glanced at her.

“There she is.”

“What?”

“I was wondering when you’d become annoying again.”

Lyra leaned against the rock.

“I’m coping.”

“Poorly.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Darian crouched near the entrance.

“No fire.”

Kael looked offended.

“What?”

“They can see smoke.”

Lyra smiled.

Kael stared at her.

“Don’t.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to.”

“You do love fire.”

“I am beginning to regret telling you things.”

“You should.”

Kael pulled his cloak tighter around himself.

The night was cold.

Or at least it should have been.

Lyra rubbed her arms.

Darian wrapped himself in a heavier cloak.

Kael barely noticed.

He looked at his hands.

Again.

Lyra saw.

“You’re warm.”

Kael glanced over.

“Apparently.”

“How warm?”

“I don’t know.”

Lyra placed the back of her hand against his wrist.

She immediately frowned.

“You’re really warm.”

Kael looked down at where she touched him.

“Fever?”

“No.”

Her hand remained there.

“More like…”

“What?”

Lyra searched for the words.

“A fireplace.”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

“You’re comparing me to furniture now?”

“Very useful furniture.”

“Wonderful.”

She smiled.

Then her expression softened.

“Can I?”

Kael hesitated.

“Can you what?”

Lyra shifted closer.

“It’s freezing.”

He understood.

“Oh.”

For once, Kael had no clever response.

Lyra wrapped part of her cloak around both of them and leaned against his shoulder.

Kael became painfully aware of everything.

The sound of her breathing.

The warmth of her hair against his neck.

The fact that his own heartbeat seemed much louder than necessary.

Lyra closed her eyes.

“This is better.”

Kael stared straight ahead.

“Good.”

Darian glanced at them.

Kael immediately looked elsewhere.

Darian said nothing.

Somehow, that was worse.

No one truly slept.

Kael drifted in and out.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw Larkspur.

His mother at the door.

The Ashen Order arriving.

The silver disk glowing red.

His broken sword.

The words—

Crimson blood.

At some point, he woke to find Lyra still asleep against him.

Darian was gone.

Kael immediately sat up.

Lyra woke.

“What?”

“Your father.”

She looked around.

“Dad?”

A shadow moved near the stream.

Darian returned carrying a small bundle.

Lyra exhaled.

“Don’t do that.”

“I was checking the trail.”

“Anything?”

“Not yet.”

Kael noticed the bundle.

“What is that?”

“Food.”

Darian opened it.

Hard bread.

Dried meat.

Two small apples.

Lyra stared.

“You had that the entire time?”

“Yes.”

“You let us think we had to ration yesterday’s bread?”

“You do have to ration it.”

Lyra looked betrayed.

Darian handed her an apple.

“You’ll survive.”

“Emotionally, I may not.”

Kael smiled despite himself.

For a moment—

it felt almost normal.

Then Darian handed Kael a piece of bread.

Kael took it.

“Did my mother know this route?”

Darian stopped.

Lyra lowered her apple.

Kael waited.

Finally, Darian nodded.

“Yes.”

“Was she supposed to follow?”

“Yes.”

Kael’s throat tightened.

“Then why isn’t she here?”

Darian did not answer immediately.

“She may still come.”

Kael stared at him.

“That is not what you believe.”

Darian’s eyes shifted.

Kael understood.

He stood.

“I’m going back.”

Lyra rose immediately.

“Kael.”

“No.”

Darian remained still.

Kael pointed toward the forest.

“She stayed so I could escape.”

“Yes.”

“And I just accepted that.”

“You survived.”

“I abandoned her.”

Darian’s expression changed.

“No.”

“It feels like I did.”

“That does not make it true.”

Kael looked furious.

“You don’t get to decide that.”

Darian stepped forward.

“Your mother knew what she was doing.”

“That makes it worse!”

Kael’s voice echoed against the rock.

Birds startled from somewhere above them.

Darian lowered his voice.

“She chose you.”

Kael stopped.

Darian continued.

“She chose your life over her safety.”

Kael looked away.

“That doesn’t mean I have to accept it.”

“No.”

“But if you go back now, you make her sacrifice meaningless.”

Kael’s hands clenched.

The heat inside him stirred.

Lyra stepped closer.

“Kael.”

He looked at her.

Her eyes were wet.

She was trying not to show it.

“Please don’t go.”

His anger weakened.

Lyra looked toward the dark trees.

“If you go back, I’m going with you.”

Kael stared.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Then don’t go.”

“That is unfair.”

“I know.”

Kael almost laughed.

Almost.

Instead, he looked down.

Lyra reached for his hand.

“You said we stay together.”

He closed his eyes.

“No matter what.”

“Exactly.”

Kael squeezed her hand.

Then slowly sat back down.

The road home disappeared from his thoughts.

Not completely.

But enough.

For now.

At sunrise, they moved again.

The deeper forest was different from the woods near Larkspur.

Older.

Darker.

The trees grew so thick that even daylight struggled to reach the ground.

Roots twisted through ancient stone.

Strange blue flowers grew beneath fallen logs.

At one point, Kael saw a deer with antlers covered in tiny white lights.

It watched them for several seconds.

Then disappeared.

Lyra whispered—

“Did you see that?”

“No.”

“You did.”

“I’m pretending I didn’t.”

“Why?”

“Because glowing deer mean we have officially gone too far from home.”

Lyra smiled.

“You wanted adventure.”

“I distinctly remember that being your idea.”

“You agreed.”

“I was manipulated.”

“Correct.”

Darian looked back.

“Quiet.”

Both stopped talking.

For approximately ten seconds.

Then Kael whispered—

“How far are we going?”

Darian sighed.

Lyra smiled.

Darian pointed northwest.

“There is a settlement called Grayhaven two days from here.”

“Village?” Kael asked.

“Small town.”

“Safe?”

“No.”

Lyra groaned.

Darian continued—

“But the Order has less influence there.”

“Why?”

“Because Grayhaven is built beside old neutral territory.”

Kael frowned.

“Neutral between who?”

Darian hesitated.

“Humans and several nonhuman clans.”

Lyra’s eyes brightened slightly.

“What kind?”

“Orcs. Beastfolk. Travelers from the eastern forests.”

Kael glanced at her.

“You’re excited.”

“I’m curious.”

“You said the same thing before climbing that tree.”

“That was different.”

“You fell.”

“You caught me.”

Kael looked forward.

“Unfortunately.”

Lyra smiled.

Darian shook his head.

“You two truly have no idea how much danger you are in.”

Kael looked at him.

“We are trying not to think about it.”

“That is obvious.”

By midday, they reached an abandoned shrine.

Half the roof had collapsed.

A weathered stone statue stood inside.

The figure depicted a warrior holding a spear toward the sky.

Kael stopped.

“What is this?”

Darian looked at the statue.

“Old war memorial.”

“To what?”

“A dragon conflict.”

Kael’s expression changed.

Lyra approached the base.

Most of the inscription had eroded away.

Only a few words remained.

…CRIMSON…

…BETRAYAL…

…SEVEN CLANS…

Lyra touched the stone.

“Seven clans.”

Kael remembered the prologue stories he had heard as a child.

“Dragon clans?”

Darian watched her carefully.

“Likely.”

Kael turned.

“You know more than you’re saying.”

“Yes.”

At least he admitted it.

Kael folded his arms.

“Why won’t you tell us?”

“Because some knowledge is dangerous.”

“That sounds like something people say when they want to control information.”

Darian’s expression hardened.

“Sometimes information gets people killed.”

Kael held his gaze.

“So does ignorance.”

Silence.

Lyra looked between them.

“Can we not start another argument in front of the creepy ruined statue?”

Kael looked at her.

“Creepy?”

“It has no face.”

Kael turned.

The statue’s head had indeed been broken away.

“That is slightly creepy.”

Lyra nodded.

“Thank you.”

Then she looked down.

Something rested beneath the moss near the statue.

A piece of metal.

She crouched.

“Lyra.”

“I’m just looking.”

“That sentence has historically gone badly for us.”

She pulled the object free.

A medallion.

Blackened by age.

At its center was a faded emblem.

A dragon wing surrounding a flame.

Kael’s chest became hot.

Immediately.

Lyra gasped.

Her fingers tightened around the medallion.

“Did you feel that?”

“Yes.”

Darian moved fast.

“Drop it.”

Lyra did.

The medallion struck the stone floor.

The warmth disappeared.

Kael stared.

“What is it?”

Darian looked deeply disturbed.

“I don’t know.”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

Lyra did too.

Darian sighed.

“I know the symbol.”

“That counts,” Kael said.

“What is it?”

Darian looked toward the ruined statue.

“An old Crimson mark.”

The words settled over them.

Kael looked at the medallion.

“Crimson as in…”

“Yes.”

Lyra stepped back.

“The bloodline?”

Darian nodded.

Kael stared at the metal.

“It reacted to us.”

No one answered.

That silence was answer enough.

Lyra whispered—

“So whatever this is…”

She looked toward Kael.

“…it really is connected to us.”

Kael suddenly wanted to leave.

“Can we go?”

Darian looked surprised.

“You don’t want to investigate?”

“No.”

Lyra studied him.

Kael looked at the medallion.

“I have had enough discoveries for one day.”

For once—

Lyra agreed.

They left the shrine behind.

None of them took the medallion.

Kael felt as if it watched them go anyway.

That afternoon, the weather changed.

Dark clouds gathered.

Wind moved through the trees.

Lyra looked upward.

“Rain.”

Darian nodded.

“Soon.”

“How soon?”

Thunder answered.

RUMBLE.

Kael looked at her.

“There you go.”

The storm arrived violently.

Rain poured through the forest.

Within minutes, all three were soaked.

All three except—

Kael looked at his sleeve.

Steam.

Thin white vapor rose from the fabric.

He stopped.

Lyra stared.

“What?”

Kael held out his arm.

The water across his cloak slowly evaporated.

Lyra blinked.

“That is new.”

Darian looked back.

His expression tightened.

“Keep moving.”

Lyra frowned.

“Dad.”

“Keep moving.”

Kael followed.

But now he understood something.

Darian was afraid every time a new ability appeared.

That meant there was more.

Much more.

They reached a cave before nightfall.

Small.

Dry.

Hidden behind thick vines.

Darian inspected it first.

“No tracks.”

Lyra entered.

“Luxury.”

Kael looked around.

Bare stone.

Dirt.

One dead insect.

“You have low standards.”

“I slept against you last night.”

Kael nearly choked.

Lyra paused.

Then realized how that sounded.

Her face turned red.

“For warmth!”

“I know!”

Darian quietly walked farther into the cave.

Kael suspected he was trying very hard not to laugh.

Lyra pointed at him.

“Not one word.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to.”

“I was.”

She shoved him.

This time, Darian allowed a very small fire.

Hidden deep inside the cave.

Kael sat closest to it.

Naturally.

Lyra watched.

“You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

“Staring.”

Kael looked into the flames.

“I was thinking.”

“Dangerous.”

“Very original.”

She sat beside him.

Darian had gone to check the cave entrance.

For once, they had privacy.

Lyra held out her hands toward the fire.

“Do you miss home?”

Kael laughed softly.

“We left yesterday.”

“That wasn’t an answer.”

He looked down.

“Yes.”

“Me too.”

Silence.

Kael watched the flames.

“I keep expecting to wake up.”

Lyra nodded.

“And hear Mara yelling at us.”

“Or Rowan complaining.”

“Or that chicken attacking you.”

Kael looked offended.

“That chicken is evil.”

Lyra smiled.

Then the smile disappeared.

“What if we never go back?”

Kael had been avoiding that thought.

He looked toward the cave entrance.

Rain fell outside.

Larkspur felt impossibly far away.

“I don’t know.”

Lyra lowered her hands.

“I didn’t say goodbye.”

Kael turned.

“To who?”

“Everyone.”

Her voice became quiet.

“My room.”

Kael almost smiled.

“You wanted to say goodbye to your room?”

“I liked my room.”

“That is fair.”

Lyra looked into the fire.

“I left books there.”

“Tragic.”

“My blue scarf.”

“You never wear it.”

“That is irrelevant.”

Kael smiled faintly.

Then—

“My mother.”

Lyra looked at him.

Kael stared at the flames.

“I didn’t say goodbye properly.”

“You said you were coming back.”

“That isn’t goodbye.”

“No.”

He swallowed.

“It felt like if I said goodbye…”

Lyra understood.

“…then it would be real.”

Kael nodded.

Lyra leaned slightly against him.

This time, neither joked.

Darian returned.

His expression told them something was wrong.

Kael stood.

“Hunters?”

“No.”

Lyra frowned.

“That somehow sounds worse.”

Darian crouched near the fire.

“Tracks.”

“What kind?” Kael asked.

“Large.”

Lyra reached for her bow.

“Wolf?”

“No.”

“Boar?”

“No.”

Kael sighed.

“You are doing the mysterious-answer thing again.”

Darian ignored him.

“The tracks circle the cave.”

Lyra froze.

“Circle?”

“Yes.”

“Whatever made them knows we’re here?”

“Possibly.”

Kael drew his father’s short sword.

The blade warmed.

Darian noticed.

“Put out the fire.”

Kael reluctantly kicked dirt across it.

Darkness filled the cave.

Rain continued outside.

Then—

a sound came from beyond the entrance.

Scrape.

Lyra nocked an arrow.

Another sound.

Scrape.

Closer.

Kael’s chest warmed.

Darian raised one dagger.

A shadow passed across the cave mouth.

Large.

Much larger than a wolf.

Lyra whispered—

“What is that?”

Two pale eyes opened in the rain.

Then four.

Then six.

Kael’s stomach dropped.

A creature stepped forward.

Its body resembled a massive feline covered in dark armored plates.

Six eyes lined its skull.

Two long tusks curved downward.

Its claws sank into the mud.

Lyra whispered—

“I officially miss the boar.”

Kael raised his sword.

“Agreed.”

The creature growled.

The cave trembled.

Darian stepped in front of them.

“Stay behind me.”

Kael stared.

“You know that never works.”

“Kael.”

The creature lunged.

Darian dodged.

Its claws struck stone.

Lyra fired.

The arrow bounced off the armored shoulder.

“Oh, that is unfair.”

Kael attacked.

His blade struck one plate.

Sparks erupted.

The creature whipped its tail.

Kael was thrown against the wall.

“Kael!”

“I’m fine!”

Lyra fired toward its eyes.

The creature jerked away.

Darian slashed across its leg.

Black blood appeared.

The beast screamed.

Kael pushed himself up.

Heat burned through his chest.

The creature turned toward Lyra.

Again.

Always toward Lyra.

Kael felt the old instinct return.

Protect.

Lyra backed away.

The monster charged.

Kael ran between them.

His sword came up.

The creature’s claw struck the blade.

Kael expected the weapon to break.

It didn’t.

The faint red line along its center suddenly glowed.

Crimson.

All three humans froze.

So did the monster.

Kael stared at the blade.

“What…”

Heat traveled through the handle.

Into his hand.

Not painful.

Familiar.

The monster stepped backward.

Its six eyes widened.

Kael looked at it.

For a second—

something inside him understood the creature’s fear.

He didn’t know how.

He didn’t know why.

But he knew.

It was not afraid of the sword.

It was afraid of him.

Kael’s eyes began to burn gold.

The beast lowered itself.

A deep growl formed in Kael’s throat.

Lyra whispered—

“Kael.”

He heard her.

Barely.

The creature turned.

It fled into the storm.

Silence returned.

Kael stared after it.

His sword slowly stopped glowing.

His eyes returned to normal.

Lyra lowered her bow.

Darian looked horrified.

Kael turned toward him.

“You know what that was.”

Darian did not answer.

“You know why it ran.”

Still nothing.

Kael stepped forward.

“Tell me.”

Darian looked at the sword.

Then at Kael.

“I know enough to say we cannot stay here.”

“That is not what I asked.”

“No.”

Lyra came beside Kael.

“Dad.”

Darian looked at both of them.

Then away.

“The Order will not be the only thing that notices you if these signs continue.”

Kael’s stomach tightened.

“What else?”

Darian looked into the storm.

“Creatures older than the Order.”

Lyra whispered—

“Dragons?”

Darian said nothing.

The silence was answer enough.

They left the cave before the storm ended.

Kael hated the idea.

But after hearing Darian’s warning—

the cave no longer felt safe.

They walked beneath the rain.

Deeper into the forest.

Farther from home.

Farther from everything familiar.

Eventually, they reached a high ridge.

The storm began to clear.

Below them stretched endless wilderness.

Forests.

Rivers.

Mountains.

And far in the distance—

a faint line of lights.

Grayhaven.

Lyra stood beside Kael.

“That’s it?”

Darian nodded.

“If we can reach it.”

Kael looked behind them.

Larkspur was no longer visible.

Not even the smoke from its chimneys.

Nothing.

For the first time—

there was no sign of home at all.

Lyra seemed to realize the same thing.

She stepped closer.

“We really left.”

Kael nodded.

Neither smiled.

Neither made a joke.

Darian walked ahead.

Kael remained beside Lyra.

She looked at him.

“Still together?”

Kael held out his hand.

Lyra took it.

“Still together.”

They started down the ridge.

Behind them lay everything they had known.

Ahead lay a world that wanted answers from them.

And somewhere between those two places—

Kael and Lyra would have to discover what they really were.

There was no turning back.