Ashes of the crown

POV: Ariya 🔥🌙👑

She felt it before she saw her — that strange pulse in the mark near her collarbone. A cold flicker beneath the skin, like snow sliding down her spine.

Something… royal had entered the woods.

Ariya paused mid-step, her flameblade still flickering at her fingertips. Kael and Jax were arguing over which trail led to the village, and Lyra was sketching runes in her journal.

But Ariya turned her head slowly, scanning the trees.

There. A glint of silver. A breath of magic that didn't belong to this forest.

"You three go ahead," she said, voice calm. "I'll catch up."

Kael frowned immediately. "Why?"

"Just a feeling."

"Ariya—"

"Kael. Trust me."

And to her quiet delight, he did.

She followed the shimmer of energy through the trees, stepping into a clearing of moonlight.

There, standing against a tree like she'd been waiting her whole life for this moment, was a stranger cloaked in starlight — eyes like polished ice, smile like a secret.

"Took you long enough," the girl said.

"Who are you?" Ariya asked, already summoning flame to her hands.

"Careful now. I'm not here to fight." She stepped forward, lowering her hood.

"I'm Princess Lira of the Northern Shard."

"Ruvan's sister," Ariya said flatly.

Lira grinned. "The fun one."

Ariya's flames didn't drop. "Why are you here? If this is another trap—"

"If it were a trap, darling, you'd already be unconscious and tied to a frost tree." Lira twirled a blade between her fingers. "I'm not here to fight. I'm here to talk."

"Talk?" Ariya scoffed. "About what?"

"You. Him. The mark. And why this ridiculous mess of fate has my annoyingly cold-hearted brother obsessed with a flame girl who wants him dead."

Ariya blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, I'm not sugarcoating anything." Lira paced lightly. "You've shaken him, Ariya. He doesn't like it. Which means I love it."

"You're mocking your brother?"

"I'm protecting him, actually. And maybe… you too."

Ariya lowered her flame slightly, but her gaze remained sharp. "Why would you protect me?"

Lira's expression shifted — just slightly.

"Because you don't know the whole story. About the war. The mark. Him." She stepped closer. "And because one day soon, Ruvan's going to try and destroy you in a way only he can — from the inside."

"He already tried," Ariya whispered.

"Not the real way." Lira's voice softened. "He'll go for your hope, not your strength. And if you fall… the kingdom will too."

Ariya stared at her.

"What are you?"

"A messenger. A meddler. A sister." She smirked. "And maybe your best shot at surviving what's coming."

Lira reached into her cloak and handed Ariya a crystal shard pulsing with cold energy.

"If you ever want the truth — all of it — break this. I'll come."

"Why are you helping me?"

Lira's smile turned wistful. "Because I see something in you no one saw in me when it mattered. Fire. Fight. Choice."

She paused at the tree line.

"And because I think, deep down… you might be the only one who can save him."

"I don't want to save him," Ariya snapped.

"Maybe not now," Lira said, vanishing into mist.

"But one day, fireheart… you might not have a choice."

Ariya stood in the clearing long after she'd gone, the shard heavy in her palm, the mark on her shoulder burning cold.