Novels by YATES

The moon over Velundar hung like a glass eye—cold, pale, and watching. From the highest balcony of the Celestial Citadel, Empress Solaria Lux stood cloaked in silk woven from starfire, her hands folded like talons on the black marble rail.Below her, the city pulsed with life. Thousands bowed to the weight of her name, the might of her army, and the sacred image of her command. But tonight, her thoughts were not on the present. They drifted far to the east, beyond the Red Wastes and across the scorched bones of the past. To a flame.A boy."You confirmed it?" she said softly.A figure stepped from the shadows. Dressed in ink-black robes stitched with crimson runes, the High Void Scribe knelt at her feet."Yes, Your Radiance. The bloodline stirs. The boy bears the Mark of Flame."Solaria turned slowly. "Rey Soren... or rather, Rayden Drakar."The name curled from her lips like poison. Her golden eyes narrowed."He should have died that night. We purged them. We burned their bones to as

"Don’t open that door, Rey!" Elira's voice cracked through the cold chamber like a whip.But it was too late.Rey's hand rested on the obsidian handle of the ancient vault door. A tremor ran through his fingertips, up his arm, and into his chest like a second heartbeat—the Dragon System pulsing with urgency."Vault recognized," the voice inside him echoed. "Blood of Drakar. Sequence initiated."With a rumble like the groan of a dying titan, the door split open.The air shifted. Warmth drained. The stone beneath their feet turned slick with frost. A low, guttural whisper slithered from within—not a voice, but a memory made sound.Lyra, Zayne, and Elira stood behind Rey, eyes wide with dread. Aeris lingered further back, her hands already glowing with icy sigils."What is this place?" Zayne muttered, stepping cautiously inside.The room beyond the vault was a cathedral of darkness. Its walls were carved in spiraling dragon runes, glowing faintly crimson. In its center sat a chained pede

The air crackled with tension. Rey stood in the silent ruins of the Wyrmforge Caverns, his hand bleeding, his pulse ragged. Emberclaw had vanished.Not dropped. Not lost.Gone.Only a scorched outline remained on the stone slab where the relic blade had once rested. As if it had never existed.He stared at the mark, chest rising and falling like a beast chained too long."This isn't right," he muttered. His voice echoed in the emptiness.Behind him, the shadows of the cavern rippled. The glowstones embedded in the ceiling dimmed, and a soft wind swirled through the depths. It carried no scent, no chill—only a question."Are you sure you want the truth, brother?"Rey jerked backward, eyes wide."Who…?" He turned, fists raised, the taste of iron thick on his tongue. The voice hadn't come from around him. It had come through him. Inside his bones. Through the very marrow of his blood.The Dragon System pulsed, flickering with strange symbols. Ones Rey had never seen before.> SYSTEM ALER

The winds howled over the crumbled edge of the northern cliff as Rey stood there, arms bleeding and chest heaving, still haunted by the echoes of his brother’s voice. Kaelen—alive. Kaelen—twisted. Not the sibling he remembered in faded lullabies or Juno’s half-muttered dreams. But a ghost soaked in ash and betrayal.The sky darkened with the scent of something old and unwelcome. The Dragon System hummed under Rey’s skin, sensing tension not in blade, but in spirit. Zayne was unconscious in the infirmary, the burns on his back still glowing faintly orange. Elira hadn’t spoken since her collapse.Until now.She stood alone in the ruined chamber beneath the Ice Vaults, wrapped in her signature blue shawl, pale hair curling wildly from the recent storm. Her eyes, usually distant and unreadable, were wide with dread—and urgency."Rey," she said. Her voice was raw, trembling like a glass barely holding together. "The stars screamed last night. I... I saw too much."Rey stepped closer, his b

The aftermath of the Black Tower's destruction lingered like smoke in Rey's lungs. Ash clung to his cloak, sweat and soot plastered to his skin as he carried Elira’s unconscious form through the back corridors of the academy. Her breathing was shallow, but steady. Zayne ran just behind him, eyes blazing, jaw tight. The sky outside churned with unnatural crimson hues—a sign the Empress had noticed. Or worse, that Kaelen had.They found sanctuary in the old observatory—a forgotten room on the academy’s upper west spire. Zayne had discovered it months ago while evading a prank gone wrong. Now it served as their refuge.Rey gently lowered Elira onto a padded bench, brushing her silver hair from her eyes. He could still hear the screaming walls of the Black Tower as they crumbled beneath fire and sabotage. He should have been faster. He should have stopped Drax."She'll live," Zayne said, panting, kneeling beside them. "But that bastard... he knew. Drax knew she was with you. He set that t

"I see fire, Rey... and it does not end with you."Elira's whisper echoed in Rey's ears long after she had collapsed, blood pooling at her temple from the blast that ripped through the north wing of the Black Tower. Smoke curled like writhing serpents through the shattered windows as the scent of burning vellum and scorched stone soaked into the night air.Rey couldn’t breathe. Not from the smoke. From rage.He stood amidst the chaos, Emberclaw drawn and glowing faintly, its flame a pulse in sync with his own fury. The blade hummed with the voice of Lady Seraphina, faint now, almost drowned out by the roar of the fire that consumed the sacred library."This... was no accident," Rey said through clenched teeth.Beside him, Zayne held Elira's unconscious body, his face smeared with ash and grief. "We need to get her out. She's not waking up."Rey nodded, but his eyes scanned the wreckage. He felt it in his bones — this was a trap. And they had walked right into it.---Twelve hours earl

The late afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of the headquarters, casting long shadows across the room where Marcus and Evelyn had spent countless hours strategizing and planning. The atmosphere was heavy with the weight of their responsibilities, but beneath that weight lay a burgeoning relationship that neither had fully acknowledged yet.As the last of the team filtered out for the day, Evelyn lingered behind, her heart racing. Marcus sat at the edge of the table, going over the day’s plans, but he could feel her presence—the electric tension in the air that seemed to draw them together. He looked up, meeting her gaze.“Are you staying late again?” he asked, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe,” she replied, her voice soft but steady. “I have a few things I want to finish up before tomorrow.”Marcus tilted his head, a playful glint in his eyes. “Or maybe you just want an excuse to spend more time with me?”Evelyn laughed lightly, the sound warm and inviting. “G

The sun dipped low over Washington, casting a warm golden glow across the city. Inside the bustling headquarters of the newly formed elite unit, there was a palpable energy. The team had completed several successful training sessions, and the air was thick with anticipation. As they wrapped up the day’s drills, Marcus and Evelyn exchanged a glance that spoke volumes. They had both been feeling the weight of leadership, and the time had come to address it.Later that evening, Marcus found himself in his office, going through the reports from their recent missions. He could hear the chatter of the team outside, the sounds of laughter and camaraderie filling the air. It brought a smile to his face, reminding him of the family they had built over the past weeks. As he was lost in thought, Evelyn knocked on the door and stepped inside, her expression serious yet warm.“Hey,” she said, closing the door behind her. “Got a minute?”“Always for you,” Marcus replied, gesturing for her to sit. H

The week following the award ceremony was a whirlwind of recognition, media attention, and strategic meetings. The nation buzzed with the story of Marcus and his team, and their courage became a symbol of hope in a time of uncertainty. Yet amidst the accolades, a new mission began to take shape.In a high-security government building, Marcus sat across from high-ranking officials, including the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Advisor. The atmosphere was charged with urgency as they discussed the rising threats facing the nation.“Marcus,” the Secretary began, leaning forward with intensity, “in light of your team’s heroic actions, we’ve decided to form a new elite unit, specifically designed to address emerging threats before they escalate. We want you to lead this team.”Marcus exchanged glances with Evelyn and Felicity, who sat beside him, their expressions a mixture of surprise and determination. The weight of the proposition hung in the air. This was no longer just

The following week, anticipation buzzed through the air as Marcus and his team prepared for a ceremony unlike any they had experienced before. The Medal of Honor was the nation’s highest military accolade, and their impending award was a testament to their extraordinary bravery and sacrifice. The day dawned bright and clear, sunlight streaming through the tall windows of the White House where the ceremony would take place. As Marcus adjusted his dress uniform in the mirror, he couldn’t shake the mix of excitement and apprehension swirling within him. He had come so far from the dishonored soldier he once was; today symbolized not just recognition, but redemption.“Hey, you ready?” Evelyn called from the other room, her voice pulling him from his thoughts. “Almost. Just a last-minute check,” Marcus replied, taking one final look in the mirror. He adjusted the shiny medals on his chest, including the one he would soon be adding. “Don’t overthink it,” she said, stepping into the room.

The air was electric with anticipation as Marcus and his team stood outside the grand Capitol building, its dome towering majestically against the clear blue sky. The day had finally arrived: a special award ceremony honoring their bravery and dedication in the fight against terrorism. A mix of pride and nerves coursed through Marcus as he adjusted his tie, glancing at Evelyn, Felicity, and the rest of the team. “You all ready for this?” he asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Evelyn replied, her expression a mix of excitement and anxiety. She wore a sharp navy dress, looking every bit the part of a hero.“I just hope they don’t ask me to give a speech,” Felicity chimed in, rolling her eyes playfully. “You know I’m much better at hacking than public speaking.”Marcus chuckled, the tension easing slightly. “Don’t worry. I’ll do all the talking if it comes to that. Just stick to your strengths.”As they approached the entrance, a line of security pers

The command center hummed with activity, but all Marcus could think about was the impending reunion with his son, Harry. After months of turmoil and uncertainty, he felt a surge of anticipation and nervousness. The mission had consumed his life, pushing him away from the people he loved most. But now, with a chance to finally reconnect, he hoped to show Harry the man he had become.“Marcus, are you okay?” Evelyn asked, stepping closer, her brow furrowed with concern. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just…thinking about Harry,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “I can’t imagine how excited he must be to see you. You’ve been through so much,” she said, her tone softening. He nodded, grateful for her understanding. “It’s just been hard. I didn’t want him to see me like this. I wanted to be there for him.”Evelyn placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You’ve done everything you can to protect him. He knows that. He’ll understand.”The door to the command center swung open, and Felicity wa