Without delay, they raced through the streets to the royal palace, the icy wind at their backs a constant reminder of the threat looming to the north. King Aldric awaited them in the throne room, his face lined with worry. The moment the trio entered, he rose from his ornate seat. “Ethan, Lady Celestia, Lady Nina,” he greeted, relief plain in his voice. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”Ethan bowed quickly. “We came as fast as we could, Your Majesty.” Celestia and Nina dipped respectful nods beside him. Celestia’s tail swayed behind her in restrained agitation; she could sense the tension in the hall—and the distant presence of a powerful dragon, even here.The King wasted no time. “Our northern frontier is under attack by a Frost Dragon,” he announced gravely, his voice echoing in the vaulted chamber. A hush fell among those assembled. “It descended

At last, they found refuge in a shallow cave in the side of a rocky hill. The blizzard howled outside as the three of them stumbled in, shivering and half-frozen. Celestia wasted no time gathering dry brush and scraps of wood, then ignited them with a breath of dragonfire. In moments, a small flame was crackling, and the biting cold began to ease.They fed the newborn fire patiently until it grew into a reassuring orange glow, casting dancing shadows on the cave walls. Only then did the chill in their bones begin to thaw. The trio huddled close around the fire, each wrapped in their thick cloaks. Outside, the blizzard raged, but in here there was a fragile pocket of warmth and light.For a long moment, none of them spoke. They simply listened to the mournful howl of the wind outside, grateful to be alive and together. Ethan flexed his tingling fingers as feelin

Ethan rolled aside as a massive spiked tail smashed into the ice where he’d stood a heartbeat before, shattering it into razor-sharp shards. The battle in the Frost Dragon’s lair raged with furious intensity. In the cavern’s gloom, bursts of orange flame and beams of icy blue light clashed violently. The dragon was fully awake now—wounds scorched into its hide by Celestia’s fire and slashes carved by Ethan’s blade only seemed to enrage it further.With a deafening bellow, the beast lunged at Nina, who had buried her hammer in its hindleg moments before. It swung a claw the size of a scythe. Nina barely managed to throw herself backward; even so, the talons caught her breastplate, sending her skidding across the icy floor with a grunt of pain. “Nina!” Ethan shouted, fear spearing through him.A furious roar answered—Celestia. The half-dragon leapt between Nina a

Sunlight streamed through the arched windows of King Aldric’s throne room as Ethan, Celestia, and Nina knelt before the throne. The next day after the Carosso celebration, the King had convened a grand ceremony to honor the slayers of the Frost Dragon. Despite the pomp and splendor—banners bearing the golden lion crest, nobles in shimmering finery—Ethan felt more nervous here than he had facing the dragon.King Aldric stood and raised his hands for silence. "Today, we celebrate true heroes," he announced, his voice carrying through the hall. "Lady Celestia, Sir Ethan, Lady Nina—your courage delivered us from the Frost Dragon's terror. We owe you a debt beyond measure."At a signal, servants stepped forward to drape gilded medals engraved with a dragon around each of their necks. Ethan bowed his head modestly as his medal was placed; Cele

A faint afternoon sun slanted through the palace’s solarium windows as Celestia hosted a private gathering of carefully chosen nobles. Over fragrant tea and wine, she moved with practiced grace, her laughter and compliments lighting up the room. To an outside observer, it looked like nothing more than a casual high-born social call. In truth, Celestia was spinning threads of influence as delicately as a spider weaving a web.Seated to her right was Duke Varian, a portly noble with considerable sway over several northern provinces. He boasted of his youthful exploits, and Celestia leaned in with a warm smile when he finished. “My lord Duke, your leadership is exactly what the North will need in the days to come,” she purred.Across from them, Countess Marielle, an elegant widow who funded many mercantile ventures, raised a brow. “Speaking