Ruthless ??/ Fourth Wing

Chapter~46

"A prophecy of a child born of fire and blood, marked by the legendary Fire Signet," Xaden said, his voice steady despite the weight of the words. "This child would rise when the world needed her most. She would either bring about the renewal of the kingdom—or destroy it in a fiery cataclysm."

I felt the words slam into me like a physical blow, but I stayed silent, too stunned to speak. I couldn't breathe. Me?

"The 'Mother of Dragons,'" he continued, his tone now tinged with bitterness. "The one who could wield fire as no one has since the old kings, the one who could either restore peace or bring about total destruction. That's who you are, Nora."

"How did they know it was me"

His jaw clenched, but his gaze softened, just a fraction. "That's what makes it worse. You didn't even know, but they knew." He stepped back slightly, as though giving me space to process his words. "And the prophecy, Nora—it wasn't just some old legend. It's tied to you. Your power is a ticking clock that both the monarchy and the rebels fear. They've known about you for years, even when you were a child, unaware of the storm brewing around you."

I swallowed, my pulse pounding in my ears. "No... I don't understand." The words caught in my throat. "How could they have known? I didn't even know what I was capable of."

"The power within you isn't new. It's been there all along, just waiting to be realized." Xaden's voice was sharp, but there was a deep sadness in his eyes. "They knew your potential before you even had a name. The monarchy, the rebels... both sides feared what you might become. Your existence was the catalyst for everything that happened—the war, the rebellion, the destruction of Aretia."

My breath caught in my throat, the weight of his words suffocating me. "Aretia..." I whispered, barely able to form the word. "That... that was because of me?"

Xaden's gaze darkened, but he didn't look away. "Yes. Both sides feared you. The Tyrrish Rebellion thought you could be a weapon, a means to topple the monarchy. They fought not just for freedom, but because they believed that if your powers awakened, they could control you. If you sided with them, they would have a force like no other. And if you sided with the monarchy, well, they would lose everything. They couldn't afford to let that power go unchecked."

"Six years ago..." I whispered, the timeline falling into place in my mind, even though I could barely process it. "That's when the battle started. The Tyrrish Rebellion. And Aretia—" I could barely say it. "The city was burned to the ground because of some ancient prophecy? Because of me?"

Xaden's gaze hardened, but there was a sadness in it, as though he too wished it weren't true. "Yes, Nora. The Battle of Aretia wasn't just a fight over land, or politics. It wasn't even just about the monarchy and the rebellion anymore. It was about you—about what you would one day become." He took a step closer again, his tone softer now, though still tinged with anger. "They wanted to control your power, either to keep it for themselves or destroy it completely. They never gave you the choice."

I closed my eyes, my thoughts swirling like a storm. "But I didn't even know... How could they know? How could you know?"

Xaden was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was almost reluctant, as if admitting something he didn't want to. "I knew, Nora. I've known for a long time." His words felt like a dagger, even though I should have expected them. "I've seen the signs. I've read the prophecies, and I've seen how the world moves around the Fire Signet. I knew what you were, even before you did. That's why I've been... watching you."

I took a shaky breath. "Watching me." The words felt like a betrayal in their own right. "And you never told me?"

"I couldn't," he said sharply, his eyes narrowing. "It wasn't my place to tell you. You had to discover it on your own, when the time was right." He paused, his gaze softening slightly. "But the time is now. You are the Mother of Dragons, Nora. The one the world feared would rise. And no matter how much you want to deny it, that prophecy is part of who you are."

A silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating, as I tried to grasp what he was telling me. The world had changed around me, shaped by forces I hadn't even known existed. My very existence was a weapon in a war that had been raging long before I'd ever understood my place in it. I keep learning more and more.

The silence between us was heavy, suffocating. I couldn't meet Xaden's gaze—my mind was a storm of confusion and disbelief. "Do they know who I am?" I asked, voice barely above a whisper, barely trusting myself to speak the words. "Do they know me, Nora Freysson, or am I just some girl roaming around?"

Xaden's eyes softened, but there was no pity in them—only an undeniable truth. "No, they don't know who you are, but they know you're out there. That whatever kingdom you're in, learning your signet. But the secret of who you are? That's between the dragons, your mother, your father... and me."

A cold shiver ran through me, like ice creeping through my veins. "My mother?" I repeated, but the word felt foreign, like I'd never said it before.

Xaden's jaw tightened, his eyes never leaving mine. "She was sacrificed the day you were born. They wanted you, wanted to control your power. When she refused to give you up, they took her life."

Xaden stepped closer, the space between us shrinking with the weight of the truth he was revealing. "It's the truth, Nora. She died protecting you."

My heart hammered in my chest, each word cutting deeper than the last. "How do you know all of this, Xaden?" I whispered, my voice hoarse, almost desperate to find some shred of doubt in what he was telling me. "How could you know?"

Xaden's expression darkened. "Your father told me. Before he... before he and my father were meet with dragon fire." His voice trailed off for a moment, as though the memory itself pained him more than he was willing to admit. He steadied himself before continuing. "He trusted me with your fate, Nora. He knew what you were capable of, and he knew what would happen if the wrong people found out."

The words hit me like a wave. My father—he'd known all along. He'd known what I was, what I could become, and he'd trusted Xaden with it? A thousand questions flooded my mind. Why hadn't I ever heard this before? Why had he kept this from me? I wanted to scream, but my voice stuck in my throat.

"Lovely," I muttered under my breath, bitterness leaking into my words.

DUN DUN DUN Whats everybodys thoughts I would love to hear!!!!