Lord Eryndor’s cloak trailed softly behind him.Archon leaned against the balcony railing. Velreth stood near the war table, his rings glinting in the lamplight as he turned a parchment over between his fingers.“You summoned me,” Eryndor said at last, his voice carrying just enough impatience to sound like courage. “And now I’m here, standing between a Commander and a King’s dog. So what game are we playing?”Velreth smiled faintly. “You’ve grown bolder, Eryndor. Maybe that’s why you keep losing pieces.”Archon chuckled softly. “He’s angry, Velreth. Anger makes men predictable.”Eryndor’s jaw tightened. “You think I don’t see what this is? You brought me here to clean your mess. Elara’s interference. The confession. The court’s suspicion…”“The court suspects you,” Velreth interrupted mildly. “Not me.”Archon pushed off the railing, voice cutting through the still air. “You forget something, my lord. The moment your son

Mist coiled through the orchard rows. Kael stood at the fence’s edge, his cloak pulled close.Elara’s voice came soft behind him.“You’re thinking too loudly again.”Kael half-smiled without turning. “If I stop, the Rift keeps going on its own.”She stepped beside him, her shawl heavy with dew. “Then think more quietly. The walls here remember. They don’t like unrest.”Reyna emerged from the barn doorway, sleeves rolled, strands of hair escaping her braid. “He hasn’t slept since last night. Keeps staring north like he expects Archon to ride through the fog.”“I’d settle for less fog,” Kael said. “But we have work tonight.”Reyna crossed her arms. “The summit.”Elara nodded. “Lord Eryndor gathers his allies to ‘restore order.’ You’ll go as guests, not ghosts. Use the names on these seals.” She handed Kael two crested signets wrapped in cloth. “You represent House Theren: a family old enough that no one remembers its f

Kael and Liam crept along the rooftops of Veridale’s northern district. Below them, torches flickered in the streets, casting long, trembling shadows over the cobblestones. Liam moved with the grace of a shadow, his dark cloak blending seamlessly with the night. Kael followed, every sense alert. Despite the joy of reunion, a tension hung in the air, heavy and unyielding.“Kael,” Liam said softly, keeping his gaze forward, “I need to tell you everything I know. About Thorian… about the Queen… about why Stormhaven is so invested in Veridale.”Kael nodded, eyes narrowing. “I’m listening. But start with Stormhaven. What are they really playing at?”Liam’s lips pressed into a thin line. “King Thorian is not just a ruler. He’s a player in a game that stretches far beyond our borders. He manipulates Veridale, the Corps, even Archon himself, to consolidate power. He funds both sides of the conflicts: using war and chaos to hide his ambitions.”Kael exhaled slowly, the pieces of the puzzle fa

The letters and rune-sealed reports Elara had compiled lay spread across the oak table in Veridale’s council chambers, each one a shard of truth ready to cut through decades of lies.“House Varion stands accused,” Kael began, his voice calm but commanding, carrying the weight of conviction. Every eye turned toward him. Some faces paled; others tightened with anger.Jared stood across the chamber, jaw clenched, his posture rigid, the storm behind his green eyes barely contained. “You speak as if this is just politics, Kael,” Jared said, stepping forward. “But you forget these are my people, my blood.”Kael’s gaze softened for a fraction of a second before hardening again. “And yet, your father used them as pawns in a war of greed and deceit. You know what he did. You know the bribes, the schemes, the deaths he orchestrated to strengthen House Varion.”Jared’s fists tightened at his sides, the conflict warring visibly across his face. “I…I

Fires still burned in scattered districts, the last embers of Archon’s rebellion smoldering beneath the blackened streets. But above the chaos, the Rift pulsed, thrumming beneath Kael’s skin like a living heartbeat, impatient and insistent. Every step he took toward the heart of the city carried him closer to its epicenter: the source of the disturbance, and, he feared, the key to the Queen.Reyna’s hand remained tight in his, grounding him through the storm of raw energy coursing around them. Her presence was a lifeline, warm and steady, a tether to reality that Kael clung to even as the Rift tugged at his mind. “Do you feel it?” she whispered.Kael nodded, eyes narrowed. “It’s stronger than ever. It’s… alive.”He felt a pull strongly.“The Queen,” Kael breathed, the name almost foreign on his lips.Reyna’s grip tightened. “Then let’s find her. No matter the cost.”They moved through the deserted streets, shadows swallowed by th