A Sparrow Stole My Place As Heir

My father, Caelion, was the High King of the Three Realms, and my mother was Aurelia, goddess of the sun. As their only son, I was meant to inherit my father’s throne. But my sisters became so absurdly infatuated with Corvin, a lowly sparrow from the mortal world who had assumed human form, that they allowed him to pass himself off as me. Father held my coming-of-age feast at the Silvermere Palace. There, he presented me with the Atlas of Dominion. Corvin had snatched it from my hands and sneered. “I will take your place on the throne.” A murderous rage stirred inside me. In the original timeline, I had swallowed every insult for the sake of my family, only for them to join forces and murder me in the end. Since fate had sent me back to that fated day, I would not make the same mistake twice. I wrenched the Atlas of Dominion from Corvin’s grasp. As he stared at me in disbelief, I punched him. “This was Father’s gift to me. What makes a witless little bird like you think you are worthy of touching it? Guards!” Chapter 1 The laughter and revelry died at once. The assembled gods stared at me in stunned silence. With the Atlas of Dominion in my grasp, I summoned the Crown of the First Sun, an ancient power carried only by the bloodline of the High Kings. Its blazing radiance illuminated every corner of Silvermere Palace. Garrick, God of Horses, sprang to his feet and roared, “You dare seize the relic His Majesty bestowed upon the Divine Heir?! You insolent servan—” I regarded him with cold contempt. The air trembled beneath the weight of my power. “Your dominion extends no further than the horses of the mortal world, Garrick, yet you dare challenge me? “Open your eyes and look closely. I am the only son and rightful heir of High King Caelion and the sun goddess Aurelia!” “Only a fool eager for death would recognize that wretched sparrow as the Divine Heir! “Guards, strip him of his magic and cast him into the Underworld, where a storm of iron arrows will pierce him anew with every dawn!” In the original timeline, Garrick had ingratiated himself with Corvin, the false Divine Heir. When I ventured beyond Southwatch Gate, he had ambushed and murdered me. Since I had been sent back through time to the day of my coming-of-age ceremony, he would be the first to pay. After watching me boldly reclaim the Atlas of Dominion, the gods attending the Silvermere banquet began glancing between Corvin and me. Garrick cowered on the floor and turned a pleading gaze toward my nine sisters. Seravelle, my eldest sister, rounded on me with fury. “Auren, have you lost your mind? You ruined the Silvermere banquet and attacked the Divine Heir! Do you have a death wish?” I stared into Seravelle’s furious eyes. Nearby, my other eight sisters surrounded Corvin and wove healing magic over him. For a moment, the sight left me disoriented. I was High King Caelion’s only son and had long been living in Sunrest Vale to restore my health. Corvin was merely a common sparrow I had happened to rescue on my return to the High Realm. For some reason, all nine of my sisters were captivated by him from the instant they saw him. They lavished all their affection on him and repeatedly told the other gods that Corvin was their true brother. Meanwhile, they treated me as little more than a servant, ordering me about whenever it pleased them. After being cast back through time, I finally understood the situation. I was a golden Dawnwing, one of the most exalted sun-born creatures in existence. My father was Caelion, High King of the Three Realms, and my mother was Aurelia, the sun goddess whose light sustained all creation. As their only son, the Divine Heir, and the future ruler of the Three Realms, why should I allow some gutter-born sparrow to steal my name and birthright? My nine sisters had proven themselves unworthy of the power and titles they held. Why should I continue to regard them as family? Anyone who dared defy me would discover how keen the edge of my blade was. If they tried to stand between me and my destiny again, I would not hesitate to kill them. Their blood would pave my path to the throne. I rose effortlessly into the air until I towered above Seravelle. “A death wish? The blood of the High King runs through my veins. I have every right to strike a witless sparrow.” Seravelle gave a contemptuous snort. “Corvin is Father’s beloved youngest son. Return the Atlas and beg his forgiveness before everyone here, and I may show you mercy.” I tightened my grip on the Atlas of Dominion and sneered. “Do you not even recognize your own brother? Call Father here and repeat those words to his face. “I let everything else go, but the Atlas of Dominion was Father’s coming-of-age gift to me. Must you take even that and hand it to him?” The assembled gods looked from Corvin to me and back again. Corvin stepped forward and took Seravelle’s hand. He said with practiced consideration, “Let it go, Seravelle. I’m to blame for failing to teach him better after I rescued him. “As children of the High King, we should show compassion to those beneath us. Let him have his way this once. “Besides, he has no idea how to use the Atlas of Dominion. Let him borrow it for now.” His words made me scoff in disbelief. “You witless bird, I saved your life, yet you stand there pretending you rescued me. Had I known what you truly were, I would’ve left you to drown!” My words drained the color from Corvin’s face. Several of my sisters hurried to reassure him. “You’re too kind, Corvin. You saved his life, yet Auren repays you with nothing but contempt!” “Auren, get over here and apologize to Corvin! Otherwise, I’ll have you dragged to the gods’ execution grounds!” I could hardly believe that my own sisters would say such cruel words to me. I tightened my grip on the Atlas of Dominion as power gathered around me, growing stronger with every breath. “You dare presume to command me?” Elvarra, my second-oldest sister, said coldly, “Very well. Since you insist that you’re the true Divine Heir, submit to the Mirror of True Forms and let it reveal the truth.” My eyes widened. Were they actually going to use the Mirror of True Forms on me? Had they lost their minds? When I remained silent, Seravelle smiled triumphantly. “What’s wrong? Has the mere mention of the mirror frightened you? Renounce your claim and beg Corvin’s forgiveness now, and we may still spare your life!” Hesitation crossed my face, but inwardly, I was already laughing. They could protect Corvin all they wanted. The Mirror of True Forms would still expose him. “When the mirror exposes what you really are, no one can save you!” Corvin taunted me. “Silence, you lowborn sparrow. You forget whose presence you stand in.” With a flick of my finger, my blade flashed past him and severed a lock of his hair. “You vicious creature! How dare you attack the Divine Heir again?! Bring the Mirror of True Forms at once! We shall expose his true form before everyone here!” A cold smile lingered on my lips. The Mirror of True Forms would soon reveal which of us was the impostor. Chapter 2 Moments later, a company of the High Guard approached with grim expressions. Before their commander could reach my nine sisters, Seravelle spoke bitterly. “You still have time to apologize to Corvin before we use the Mirror of True Forms on you. Otherwise, when it reveals what you really are, I’ll strip you of your powers and banish you to the mortal world.” When I recognized Brannoc, the God of War, leading them, I could only marvel at Seravelle’s stupidity. Brannoc was one of the few true friends I had in the High Realm. In the original timeline, when my nine sisters tormented me, Brannoc never once wavered in his support. When he learned of my death, he wept as he laid me to rest. Then, he reversed the flow of the Starfall River and sent its waters crashing through my sisters’ palace. I would not let my best friend mourn me again. “Good to see you again, Brannoc,” I said with a smile. At the sound of my voice, he hesitated before his expression darkened. “You insolent creature, how dare you address me by name?” Seravelle demanded, “Use the mirror, Brannoc! This creature is posing as the Divine Heir. Show everyone what he really is!” Brannoc nodded and raised the Mirror of True Forms. In its reflection, I watched myself transform into a scrawny sparrow with a lame leg. My mind went completely blank. How was that possible? Elvarra watched with open amusement before letting out a scornful laugh. “All that talk about being the rightful heir, and the mirror reveals nothing but a crippled little sparrow.” The gods stared at the Mirror of True Forms. The moment they saw nothing but a sparrow in its reflection, the hall erupted in outrage. “This wretched creature ruined a perfectly good banquet at Silvermere Palace. What a disgrace!” “He has barely spent a few days in the High Realm since His Highness rescued him, and already he thinks he can claim the throne. How revolting!” Corvin cleared his throat. “My lords and ladies, this little sparrow comes from the mortal world and knows nothing of our ways. “Please forgive him for disrupting the banquet. I’ll host another grand feast to make up for what happened today.” The jeers showed no sign of stopping. Brannoc exchanged a glance with my sisters before finally turning toward me. “Why?” I had never expected that after being sent back through time, someone I had trusted in the original timeline would suddenly betray me. Seeing him turn against me hurt more than I expected. Brannoc studied me in silence for a long while before speaking. “The title of Divine Heir is not yours to claim.” I gave a bitter smile and shook my head, unable to hide the disappointment in my voice. “Brannoc, you’ve made a terrible mistake.” Seravelle approached and looked at me with disgust. “Father himself named Brannoc the God of War and placed every legion in the High Realm under his command. Are you really arrogant enough to question the High King’s judgment?” Brannoc broke into a broad grin and pointed at me. “What mistake? If Corvin isn’t the rightful heir, may I be stripped of my godhood and transformed into a pig!” Hearing Brannoc made his oath, Elvarra seized her chance. “High Guard, seize this creature for impersonating the Divine Heir!” The armed guards closed in around me with their weapons drawn. I had no intention of surrendering without a fight. Sunfire erupted around me as the ancient sigil of the High Kings blazed to life upon my brow. “Look closely and decide which of us is the rightful heir. Would you truly raise your weapons against your future king?” The force of my power stopped them cold. Doubt spread through the hall. “Only those who carry the High King’s blood can bear that sigil or summon such sunfire. Could he really be…” “Auren hasn’t lost his composure once. Corvin, on the other hand, has hardly carried himself like a future king…” The gods began debating in hushed voices, uncertain whom to believe. My nine sisters’ expressions grew increasingly strained. Just then, a cold, clear voice cut through the whispers. “Your illusion is convincing enough to pass for the real thing. Unfortunately, cheap tricks may fool everyone else, but they will never fool me.” As she spoke, a graceful woman entered the hall, leaving a trail of blossoms in her wake. It was none other than Elowyn, the Goddess of Flowers, who was also my betrothed. She crossed the hall and stopped beside Corvin. After taking his hand, she finally turned her cold gaze on me. “Even if you could imitate the sunfire of the High Kings, the Mirror of True Forms has already exposed you as a common sparrow. You aren’t my beloved.” Chapter 3 Flowers bloomed in Elowyn’s wake, while birds sang whenever she passed. Her words, however, made my stomach turn. “Auren, I know you only pretended to be the Divine Heir because you’re in love with me. But that changes nothing. My heart belongs to Corvin.” With a coy smile, she leaned into Corvin’s arms and gazed up at him through lowered lashes. Corvin wrapped an arm around her with smug satisfaction. They clung to each other as though no one else existed. “That pathetic sparrow actually thought he had a chance with Elowyn? What a joke. She’s the wisest goddess in the High Realm. She would never mistake another man for her betrothed.” Elowyn and I had grown up together. She had once vowed that she would marry no one but me. Yet after I returned to the High Realm, she treated Corvin as though he were the man she had promised herself to. Even after learning who Corvin truly was, she chose to continue the lie rather than expose him. She had even joined my sisters in murdering me. I looked at the deceitful pair before me. “You make me sick. I can’t believe I ever wanted to marry you.” My sisters immediately flew into a rage. “You’re nothing but a common sparrow. How dare you speak to the future queen that way? Guards, take him to the gods’ execution grounds, and make sure he suffers before he dies!” Watching them rage, my smile only widened. Elowyn looked at me with disgust. “You’re about to be executed, and you’re still smiling?” I folded my hands behind my back and lifted my chin. “Because you’ve all made fools of yourselves, and you don’t even know it yet.” With that, I raised my right hand and swore a binding oath before every god in the hall. “By the oldest laws of the High Realm, hear my oath. I chose Elowyn as my bride because I believed her heart was true. “Now that she has given it to another, I end our betrothal. From now on, neither of us has any claim upon the other.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt the magic binding our betrothal snap. As Elowyn had broken faith first, the shattered bond recoiled against her. The divine radiance surrounding Elowyn vanished. She coughed up blood as her face turned deathly pale. Uncertainty rippled through the hall as the gods exchanged uneasy glances. “If Auren were an impostor, the oath would have turned against him. Instead, it accepted his claim and punished Elowyn. Could he really be the rightful heir?” “Look at him. He really does resemble High King Caelion.” “But the princesses insisted that Corvin was their real brother.” I ignored their whispers and met every questioning gaze without flinching. Even surrounded by my sisters, Corvin could not hide the fear on his face. Seeing doubt spread through the crowd, Seravelle hurried to intervene. “That filthy little impostor attacked Elowyn!” Tears filled Elowyn’s eyes. “Corvin, how could anyone be so vicious? He even attacked me just to steal your identity and take your place!” Her accusation immediately turned the assembled gods against me again. Elvarra stepped forward and pointed directly at me. “Lay down your weapon and beg Corvin and Elowyn for forgiveness!” Watching them, I threw back my head and laughed. “You would force the rightful heir to surrender his blade to a common sparrow? Do you truly believe he is worthy of accepting my submission?” As my nine sisters hesitated, Brannoc sent a burst of magic into my sword arm. “Clang!” My blade flew from my hand and landed at Corvin’s feet. He tried to step away, but it was already too late. “Brannoc, you’ve forced the blood of the High King to submit to a common bird. I will have your life for this!” Before Brannoc could respond, Corvin’s hair suddenly turned white. Decades seemed to pass across his face in an instant. My sisters rushed to examine Corvin. Seravelle strode toward me and slapped me. “Auren, if anything happens to Corvin, you’ll die with him!” I met her gaze without emotion. “He owes me his life, yet he dared accept the submission of the Divine Heir. Divine law is punishing him for claiming an honor he was never worthy to receive.” Maerith, my fourth sister, stepped forward with tears in her eyes and accused me. “Auren, you must’ve cursed Corvin! Don’t try to pass this off as divine punishment. You’ve proven that you’re too dangerous to be left alive!” With that, she drew her sword. Before she could strike, the enchanted blade at Corvin’s feet answered my call and shot toward her. A heartbeat later, Maerith’s head struck the floor. The blade had destroyed her soul as well, leaving nothing to pass into the Underworld. After killing my own sister, I wiped her blood from my blade and said coldly, “She tried to raise her sword against me. Her death was her own doing.” The sight of a Dawnwing princess lying dead sent the assembled gods into a panic. “That sparrow won’t live to see another dawn! He murdered a daughter of the High King!” “Where are the guards? A princess has been murdered! Someone, inform the High King at once!” I ignored their curses and crossed the hall to Seravelle, pressing the edge of my sword against her throat. “Try that again, and what happened to Maerith will seem merciful.” Spattered with her sister’s blood, Seravelle struggled to steady herself before calling out desperately, “Are you all just going to stand there? He has murdered one princess and is threatening another! Seize him!” Nearby, Brannoc had nocked an arrow and aimed the Sunbreaker Bow directly at my heart. “Brannoc, surely you know who I am. Lower that bow, or I will strip you of your godhood and turn you into the pig you swore to become.” Brannoc hesitated, but Elvarra spoke with absolute conviction. “On the honor of the Dawnwing bloodline, I swear that Corvin has always been our only brother. Auren is nothing but a fraud who stole his name!” Brannoc’s expression hardened. He drew the bowstring to his ear and let it loose. Just before the arrow struck, the air before me shattered like glass. A massive hand of golden light emerged from the rift, caught the arrow, and crushed it into dust. A voice of absolute authority thundered through the hall. “Who was foolish enough to raise a weapon against my only heir?”