Chapter 11

Garrett Stone Age: 30 Violet O'Conner Age: 26 *°* The world was bathed in red. It was enchanting, ethereal; almost beautiful to the point of being painful. All around me was ash and fire. My eyes stung and my throat burned with a pungent chemical taste, longing for a reprieve; for a breath of clean, fresh air. I allowed my eyes to wander and my gaze trailed along the battle-worn terrain. Where was this place? Surely it couldn't be Crysauralia, the famed capital of the empire of gold. Ashton! Where was Ashton? Had we gotten separated again? I sank to the ground in disbelief, not caring that I was sitting upon a throne of cinders. This was no enchanting fairytale. This was a waking nightmare. *°* "Elizabeth?" Ashton's drowsy voice pulled me out of the dream I was having. My heart was racing and it felt like a century had gone by since I'd last closed my eyes. I looked over