The Stardust in the Ashes Read online

  The Stardust in the Ashes

  BOOK THREE | FIRE AND STARLIGHT SAGA

  AMBER D. LEWIS

  Copyright © 2023 by Amber D Lewis

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. All persons, places, events, and names are creations of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to real people, living or dead, or existing situations is coincidental. Likewise, the cultures, countries/kingdoms, and religions in this book are entirely fictional and are meant to add a level of realistic diversity without directly representing any specific culture, people, ethnicity, or religion.

  No Fae Foxes were harmed in the making of this novel.

  Editor: Andi L. Gregory

  Back Cover Art and Map Design: Ben Lewis

  ISBN (Print Paperback) 979-8-9874915-0-8

  ISBN (Print Hardback) 979-8-9874915-2-2

  ISBN (ebook) 979-8-9874915-1-5

  For Business Inquiries visit www.amberdlewis.com or write to 4359 Wade Hampton Blvd, #282, Taylors, SC 29687

  To all the shippers out there. May your happily ever afters come true.

  Also by Amber D. Lewis

  RECOMMENDED READING ORDER

  FIRE AND STARLIGHT SAGA

  The Night the Stars Fell

  Scars: Alak’s Story

  The Starlight in the Shadows

  Star-Crossed: Cal’s Story

  The Stardust in the Ashes

  Contents

  Author Note

  “The Starlight in the Shadows” Recap

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Astra

  Chapter Two

  Ehren

  Chapter Three

  Alak

  Chapter Four

  Ehren

  Chapter Five

  Jessalynn

  Chapter Six

  Ehren

  Chapter Seven

  Alak

  Chapter Eight

  Astra

  Chapter Nine

  Jessalynn

  Chapter Ten

  Alak

  Chapter Eleven

  Alak

  Chapter Twelve

  Ehren

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ehren

  Chapter Fourteen

  Astra

  Chapter Fifteen

  Astra

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jessalynn

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ehren

  Chapter Eighteen

  Alak

  Chapter Nineteen

  Astra

  Chapter Twenty

  Jessalynn

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Astra

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Astra

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ehren

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Alak

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Ehren

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Ehren

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Jessalynn

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Alak

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Ehren

  Chapter Thirty

  Ehren

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Astra

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Ehren

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Astra

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Jessalynn

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Jessalynn

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Ehren

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Jessalynn

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Ehren

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Astra

  Chapter Forty

  Alak

  Chapter Forty-One

  Ehren

  Epilogue

  The Story Doesn’t End Here

  Acknowledgments

  Extended Author Note

  About the Author

  Author Note

  This story contains some material that may be upsetting to some readers including talk of infertility, reference to past abuse and abusive situations, reference to past suicides and suicide attempts, grief and mourning, PTSD, brief suicidal thoughts, slight homophobic references, and bouts of depression and anxiety.

  View more details at www.amberdlewis.com/content-warnings or at the back of the book following the Acknowledgments.

  “The Starlight in the Shadows” Recap

  KEY PLOT POINTS

  Part One: Apart (Astra’s Events)

  Astra, Bram, Ehren, Makin, and Cal are on the Isle of Naskein while Kato fled to Athiedor with Alak.

  After a brief meeting with Master Arcanis, Ehren decides they will head to the Hundan Valley in Gleador. He also agrees to activate portal stones on their journey.

  Bram gets upset when he learns Astra will be made Court Sorceress and the two break off their engagement.

  Astra is made Court Sorceress during a formal ceremony and the crew leaves Naskein the next morning.

  When they arrive in the Hundan Valley they are met by the head of the Valley, Jessalynn, who is Ehren’s half-sister.

  Ehren meets up with Nyco, a spy he had in the Valley.

  The crew is integrated into life in the Valley and given jobs. Ehren sorts official papers in library, and Astra joins him for a little while. They discover the story of Caedios and his fall into the darkness.

  Astra joins Kai, a wolf shifter, on night guard duty and the two bond.

  Jessalynn agrees to support Ehren and offers an escort to Koshima. Ehren, Cal, Astra, and Bram leave the Valley with Sama, Kai, and Nyco.

  Part One: Apart (Alak’s Events)

  Kato resides in Brackenborough, the village where Alak’s aunt lives.

  Using wisping, Kato takes his group of magical recruits to Periola to bring Lord Wallish to his cause.

  Ian is suspicious of Alak, but Alak plays his part well.

  Lord Wallish is hesitant to join Kato, but after a meeting with his council agrees to join Kato under several conditions. Kato and Lord Wallish sign a treaty that can be broken if Kato doesn’t get all the Clan Lords on his side or if Astra can match his offer.

  Kato takes everyone to the pub to celebrate, and when Alak sneaks away, Aine follows him. She magically drugs Alak and tries to take advantage of him. Alak calls on Felixe and escapes in a haze.

  Part Two: Closer

  Astra and Ehren are welcomed to Koshima by King Naimon and given three adjoining rooms. They meet with the king and he agrees to fund their cause, but withholds his armies for now. He invites them to join him at a masquerade ball celebrating the god Oryus.

  Alak wakes disoriented at a strange location. While looking around, he spots Astra and uses his illusion magic to hide himself before approaching her. The two dance and kiss before Alak fills her in on what is happening with Kato. They share one last dance before Alak wisps back to Periola with the help of Felixe.

  The day they are to leave Clan Wallish, Lord Wallish pulls Alak aside and asks him about Astra. After some persuasion, Alak fills Lord Wallish in and Lord Wallish admits he would rather choose Astra’s side.

  Kato and crew wisp away to Clan McDullun, but the lord is away. They spend time in the village, and Alak catches glimpse of the old Kato as he shows his magic to children playing in the street.

  Lord McDullun proves to be harder to convince than anticipated. After the official meeting with Kato, Alak hangs back and recruits Lor
d McDullun—who requests to be called Ronan—to Astra’s side. The two become friendly and Alak confesses that he has connections to Astra because they are bond-mates.

  Meanwhile, Astra’s group make plans to head to Callenia. They activate an old portal in a garden before spending the day enjoying the city. While talking with Illyas, King Naimon’s Court Mage, Astra discovers she killed everyone in the attack in Brackenborough and it upsets her. Illyas gives Astra a bracelet with a Syphon Stone to store magic and Ehren a ring with a similar stone.

  A letter arrives from Alak informing Astra that if she shows up at a meeting of the Clans arranged by Kato, she may able to sway things in their favor. Astra and Ehren make a plan despite Bram’s reservations.

  The group leaves Koshima, escorted by some Gleador guards. They stop at the abandoned city of Jasaltine. Astra explores an old magical mine and finds a couple small pieces of Luvgim. Ehren activates another portal and they head into Callenia.

  Once in Callenia they stop in another abandoned city that used to belong to a magical order. They reactivate another portal and are ambushed by Callenian soldiers on the way out. All those with magic unleash it on their attackers, killing hundreds, and Astra wisps them away to safely.

  Astra has a breakdown due to all the lives she’s taken, and Ehren comforts her. Ehren uses a spell to help her sleep so the dead won’t haunt her dreams.

  Alak helps Kato set up a neutral meeting place for the Clans. The Clan leaders arrive and Alak is forced to socialize and entertain them.

  When Lord Wallish arrives, he brings news of Astra’s escape from the king’s men, and the other Lords begin questioning whether or not they backed the wrong twin.

  The day of the treaty signing arrives, and Alak sends for Astra via Felixe. Before the meeting can start, Astra appears with her magic on display. The lords are impressed and sign her treaty instead of sticking with Kato. Astra uses her magic to protect the lords so they can escape.

  Once done, she wisps away, but she doesn’t go far. Alak find her in his room. They kiss and Alak tells Astra that he loves her. They’re interrupted, and she’s forced to wisp away before she can respond.

  Astra rejoins Ehren and crew, and they continue their journey toward Hounddale, Bram’s home.

  Kato is furious and sets out to find who betrayed him. When he discovers it was Alak, he drags Alak before him. He then reveals that he has freed one of the Dragkonians. The Dragkonian—Akaash—reads Alak’s mind and confirms his link to Astra. They torture Alak to bring Astra.

  Astra collapses, feeling Alak’s pain through the soul bond. She wisps to his side and confronts the Dragkonian and her brother. Using a spell put into her Syphon Stone by Ehren, she frees Alak and they wisp away, using up almost all of Astra’s power and energy.

  Part Three: Together

  Astra wakes from a nightmare to discover that Hanna and Healer Heora have joined their group, led there by a young Seer named Pip. Thanks to their help, Alak is unconscious but alive. He also has scars that will never heal.

  When Alak wakes up, he’s sore but healing quickly. After resting some more, he’s introduced to the newcomers in the group. He discovers Astra in Ehren’s tent, asleep. He assumes Ehren and Astra are together, but Ehren corrects him. Ehren asks what really happened with Isabella, and Alak shares some of the story. Ehren agrees to trust Alak completely and leaves Astra in his care.

  When they arrive in Hounddale, Alak is taken aback by how much Bram’s sister Diana looks like Isabella. During dinner Alak steps outside to escape her attention. Ehren joins him and admits he also sees the similarities between the two sisters. In the middle of their conversation, Alak screams out in pain.

  Astra rushes outside and Kato appears. He used a dark magical symbol carved in Alak’s back to track them. He steals Astra away and Bram blames Alak.

  Kato locks Astra up so he and Akaash can drain her magic to free more Dragonkonians. Astra passes out and meets with Aoibhinn in the in-between. Aoibhinn tells Astra that Kato is possessed by Caedios and that the only way to win against him is to kill Kato. Astra insists she’ll find another way.

  Meanwhile, Ehren comes up with a plan to rescue Astra. He calls Bram and Alak together and gives them the Syphon Stones and Luvgim filled with magic. The two reluctantly agree to cooperate, and Alak wisps them to Astra by following the bond.

  They find Astra in a dark room and go to free her. Kato, Akaash, and Fionn show up and they fight. They manage to free Astra and escape, but Alak is very weak. They follow Felixe and inadvertently enter the realm of the Fae.

  A Fae named Elidyr takes them to a Healer in his village. The Healer heals Astra and Alak, and they rest and recover.

  Alak wakes first and goes out to explore the village. He finds a Fae named Hycis who takes him to Bram. While he’s talking with Hycis and Elidyr, a Fae named Fenian brings Astra to them. During conversation, the soul bond gets brought up and Astra learns Alak has known about it all along.

  Astra rushes away and Alak chases after her. They talk about the bond and Astra admits she’s in love with Alak and wants to complete the soul bond ceremony. They kiss and Bram finds them. Bram storms off and Astra goes after him. They talk a bit before she rejoins the Fae and Alak.

  The Fae tell them about a berry that can kill the Dragkonians. They agree to contact Astra once the berries are ready.

  Astra and Alak are taken away and prepared for the bond ceremony. They meet in a Fae glade and swear an oath in blood. Once the words have been said, they both fall into a dreamworld where they fight their worst demons in order to find each other. When they wake they consummate their bond.

  The next morning, the Fae give Astra some of their magic for her Syphon Stone before leading them back to the human realm. Kai finds them and leads them to their camp. Everyone’s relief is short-lived when they realize an attack on Embervein is imminent.

  They rush to Embervein in time to see the attack begin. Astra wisps Ehren into the palace. He goes off to find his father while Astra hunts down Cadewynn, who is in the hidden library room with people she helped rescue. Astra wisps everyone to the forest where Bram and Healers are waiting.

  Astra storms through the castle and finds Ehren locked in a battle with his father. Kato shows up and challenges the king, who he then kills. Ehren is shocked and Astra convinces him to go to the forest with his sister and mother while she clears the castle.

  After a brief confrontation with Kato, Astra rushes through the castle, recruiting soldiers to help everyone escape. When she reaches the courtyard, she discovers Alak, Cal, Nyco, and Makin have arrived. Makin dives in front of a Dragkonian to protect Cal and dies.

  Feeling defeated, Astra wisps away with Cal, who’s holding Makin’s body, and they join the others in the forest. Astra’s magic is weak but she helps the Healers with whatever tasks she can.

  Later, she finds Cal and convinces him to eat while he tells her about Makin. She then goes and finds Ehren, who is having a breakdown. They cry and comfort each other, and Ehren promises to join her to get some sleep soon.

  Astra finds Alak and they lie down next to one of the fires, joined shortly after by Ehren and Cal.

  They burn most of the dead, but Cal insists on digging a grave for Makin. Ehren is broken, lost, and desperate for hope.

  KEY PEOPLE

  Astra: twin with starlight magic

  Kato: twin with fire magic; went rogue

  Mara: Astra’s best friend

  Pax: Kato’s best friend

  Bram/Captain Bramfield: Prince Ehren’s Captain of the Guard

  Ehren: Crown Prince of Callenia

  Healer Heora: Healer who helped Kato and Astra

  Hanna: Healer Heora’s granddaughter; Healer in training

  Pip: Seer who joins Hanna and Healer Heora

  Alak: Syphon with illusion magic

  Felixe: an adorable Fae Fox who can wisp at will and turn invisible; Alak’s familiar

  Cadewynn/Winnie: Princess of Callenia; Ehren’s sist
er

  King Betron: King of Callenia who hates magic; Ehren’s father

  Makin: member of Ehren’s Guard; close with Ehren and Bram; chosen to guard Astra

  Cal: member of Ehren’s Guard; close with Ehren and Bram; chosen to guard Astra

  Nyco: talks to insects and spiders; spy for Ehren and part of his Guard

  Kai: wolf-shifter who grows protective of Astra; from the Valley

  Sama: gentle Syphon from the Valley

  Niall: Alak’s cousin; has shadow magic; dangerously pro-magic

  Kayleigh: Alak’s cousin; has telekinesis; seamstress

  Caitlyn: Niall’s fiancé; an empath who can see auras

  Ian: Niall’s friend; strong in spellwork

  Aine: Niall’s friend/ Ian’s sister; has metal attack magic; interested in Alak

  Fionn: Niall’s friend; specializes in spellwork and potions without needing ingredients or spell books; poisoned Astra

  Master Arcanis: Head of the Order of Naskein

  Aoibhinn: the goddess of magic

  Caedios: Evil counterpart to Aoibhinn

  Jessalynn: Ehren’s half-sister; leader of the Hundan Valley

  Kaeya: Jessalynn’s Captain and partner

  Brock: Jessalynn’s Lieutenant and partner

  View character profiles and art, maps, and more on my website: https://www.amberdlewis.com/storytelling