That night, the fog grew thicker than ever.
It wrapped around Ember's window like cold fingers, tapping softly against the glass.
She couldn't sleep.
Her head was filled with her mother's voice, Lyra's words, and Kael's warning.
When the shadows come again, you'll have to choose what side you're on.
She sat up, hugging her knees. The book her mother gave her lay open on her desk, glowing faintly. New words had appeared written in the same strange language.
Ember frowned. "Not again…"
But this time, something happened. The words rearranged themselves, forming letters she could understand:
"The mirror shows truth. But truth opens doors better left closed."
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
Before she could close the book, her lamp flickered and went out.
The air grew heavy.
Something moved in the corner of the room.
"Who's there?" Ember whispered.
No answer just a low, raspy sound, like breathing.
She reached for her flashlight, her hands trembling. The beam of light cut through the darkness and landed on nothing.
The room was empty.
Then she saw it her reflection in the mirror. It was smiling.
But she wasn't.
Her reflection lifted its hand and pressed it against the glass. The light flickered again, and the reflection whispered:
"Raven's Peak remembers you, Ember Drew."
Ember stumbled back. "What are you?"
The reflection's eyes turned black. "A piece of what you will become."
The glass cracked.
Ember screamed, and the door burst open Kael rushed in, sword drawn. The black mist from the mirror swirled toward him like a living shadow.
"Get back!" he shouted.
He swung his blade, and the shadow hissed, scattering into smoke.
When it cleared, the mirror was shattered.
Ember was shaking. "It spoke to me… it knew my name."
Kael's face was pale. "It wasn't supposed to reach you yet."
Ember stared at him. "What do you mean yet?"
Kael looked away. "You were never supposed to find the mirror."
"Lyra showed it to me!" she snapped.
He sighed. "Then she's a fool."
Ember stepped closer, anger and fear mixing in her chest. "You keep acting like you know everything! Why are you here, Kael? Really?"
He hesitated. For the first time, his voice softened. "Because I was sent to watch you."
Her breath caught. "Watch me?"
He looked down. "The prophecy said the girl with the mark of fire would awaken the curse again. I had to make sure it didn't happen."
"So you're spying on me?" she said quietly.
Kael's eyes met hers. There was guilt there and something else.
"I was," he admitted. "Until I realized you're not what they said you'd be."
The room fell silent.
Ember's heart was pounding. "And what am I supposed to be?"
Kael stepped closer, his voice low. "The key to saving or destroying everything."
The book on the desk started glowing again, pages flipping on their own.
A new sentence appeared:
"The savior walks with the betrayer."
Ember's eyes widened as she looked at Kael.
He froze, reading the words. His face darkened.
"I told you," he whispered. "Truth won't save you."
And before she could say another word Kael vanished into the night, leaving only the sound of the wind and the broken mirror whispering her name.
The next morning felt wrong.
The sky over town was pale gray, heavy and dull.
Ember hadn't slept after Kael disappeared. She just sat on her bed, staring at the broken mirror and the words on the page
"The savior walks with the betrayer."
Every time she looked at it, her chest hurt.
Downstairs, her dad called, "Ember! You'll be late for school!"
She closed the book, stuffed it into her backpack, and forced a smile when she came down. Her dad looked tired, the way he always did since her mom's "accident." He kissed her forehead before leaving for work.
"Be careful, okay?" he said.
She nodded. "Always."
But she wasn't going to school.
She was going to Lyra.
Lyra's shop smelled like burnt sage and dust. Shelves were stacked with candles, crystals, and bottles that shimmered faintly.
When Ember walked in, Lyra looked up quickly. "You've seen something."
"The mirror," Ember said quietly. "It… talked to me."
Lyra's face went pale. "You shouldn't have gone near it alone."
"I didn't mean to! It just happened. And Kael he knew about it, Lyra. He said he was sent to watch me."
Lyra's lips pressed into a thin line. She closed the shop door, locking it. "You're in more danger than I thought."
Ember frowned. "Danger from what?"
Lyra sighed and touched Ember's hand. "The prophecy wasn't just about saving Raven's Peak. It was also about the curse that will return through the bloodline of the Chosen."
"My bloodline?" Ember whispered.
"Yes."
Lyra pointed to a scar-like mark on Ember's wrist, faintly glowing under the light. "This mark appeared the day your mother died, didn't it?"
Ember nodded slowly. "I thought it was just a burn."
"It's the mark of the Flame. The same power your mother sealed away before she died. It's been sleeping inside you."
Ember's heart raced. "So you're saying… I have magic?"
Lyra nodded. "Yes. But it's forbidden magic the kind that hasn't been used in centuries."
Ember swallowed hard. "Why is it forbidden?"
"Because it draws strength from both light and shadow. And shadow always takes more than it gives."
Ember looked down at her hands, trembling. "I don't want it."
"Want it or not," Lyra said, "it's waking up."
The candles flickered. One by one, they burst into small flames. Ember gasped and stepped back, but the fire didn't burn her it danced around her fingers like tiny living sparks.
Lyra smiled sadly. "You can't run from who you are anymore."
Before Ember could speak, the front window shattered.
A gust of cold air blew through the shop, and a black mist slithered inside dense, alive.
Lyra's eyes widened. "They've found you."
The shadows twisted, forming the shape of a horned creature with glowing white eyes. It let out a screech that shook the walls.
"Run, Ember!" Lyra shouted, raising her hands. A circle of blue fire burst around her, holding the demon back.
"I can help!" Ember cried.
"Not yet! You don't know how to control it!"
The book in Ember's bag began to glow, pages turning rapidly on their own.
The same ancient language filled the air like a chant, vibrating deep in her chest. Ember felt heat rush through her veins, her skin burning like fire.
"Go!" Lyra screamed.
Ember turned and ran out into the foggy street, clutching her bag. Behind her, she heard Lyra's voice
then a crash,
then silence.
She stopped, trembling, but before she could turn back, a hand grabbed her arm.
It was Orion.
"Don't look," he said quietly. "She bought you time."
Tears blurred Ember's eyes. "Lyra she's still in there"
Orion shook his head. "She knew this would happen. It's begun."
Ember stared at the flames rising from the shop. "What's begun?"
"The war for Raven's Peak," Orion said softly. "And you, Ember… you just lit the first spark."
End of Chapter 5
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