For a moment none of them said anything. Zeraya kept staring at him, intently. Like she couldn't reconcile the person before her with her brother, Ragnar. Once, the seer had said he was destined for greatness. Growing up, she didn't see any improvement no matter the quantity of powerful treasures she used on him. He also didn't seem too bothered. Now, he actually said he wanted power, and needed her resources. There were only two possibilities: Either she misheard, or the breakup shook him so much he became desperate for improvement. “Are you willing?” Ragnar’s eyes were fixed on her, carefully watching her expression. Zeraya chuckled, and leaned back against the car seat. “Of course. If you're still unsure of which faculty to join, you can experiment with business. I will loan you a few subsidiaries to play with.”She winked at him and gave him a playful punch on his chest. Ragnar's eyes narrowed. Her expression was wrong. She didn't seem to trust in his capabilities much, and w

Ragnar studied the young man. Who didn't know Theron Rothmere, the heir of the Rothmere family, the chief disciple of elder Lowe of the inner court. One of the fastest rising geniuses to climb the genius ranking list. Both in the junior and senior category. He was Thane’s first brother, known for his ambition and cold intensity. In Ragnar’s past life, he hadn't come to their room. What changed this time? Does it mean that things were spinning? Could his return have moved the threads of fate? Theron was dressed in pristine white void muga silk, designed with spirit gold threads. On his chest, the sigil of the Rothmere family was cleanly woven by top master craftsmen. The solar falcon. Symbol of the Rothmere family’s power. Below it was a purple flame lily with five petals. For students of the inner court, ranks are divided by how many petals you have on your robe. The highest honor a student can achieve was seven petals, which nearly no one had achieved. Yet at twenty, Theron alrea

The ninth bell tolled over Emerald Lake.Ragnar stood outside the gates with his roommates, Vonn and Thane, waiting.Thane checked his watch for the umpteenth time. “The night market opens at the tenth bell. Why isn’t she here yet?”He glanced at Ragnar, brows drawing together. “Could something have happened at Sister Zeraya’s company?”Ragnar said nothing. In the life he remembered, nothing had ever befallen Zeraya’s company during this season. He gave them both a sidelong look and turned his gaze back to the gates. He had no time to explain, and less patience for it.A tug at his sleeve. Thane again. “Should we call her?”“She will be here,” Ragnar said. “Definitely.”The words had barely left his lips when powerful flashlights stabbed across their faces.Night patrol. The lead guard stopped before them, his men fanning out in a loose half-circle. “Young lords. Going somewhere?”“Shit,” Thane breathed, too low for the guards to catch. Stone gambling wasn’t his vice. Boredom was. He’

The shopkeeper’s face darkened the moment Ragnar’s words landed, his eyes narrowed to slits. “Young master. Slander is a serious crime. Are you prepared to bear responsibility for what you just said?”Murmurs rippled through the other customers. “Did he fall and hit his head? Daring to cause trouble in a shop owned by the prestigious Red Earth.”“He probably thinks this is his home where he plays ‘young master’.”“He’s totally done for. If he walks out of this place alive, that would be considered very lucky.”Zeraya’s chest tightened. She knew exactly how extreme Red Earth and their associates could be when desperate to protect their interests. This was her first time inside the Obsidian Conclave’s night market, but she knew very well what went on behind closed doors. She caught Ragnar’s arm and gave it a light tug. “This is not a place to act out.”Ragnar smiled. The expression didn’t reach his eyes. “Shopkeeper, I didn’t mean to be rude. However, most stones I’m seeing here don’t

Briggs’ eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering across his face like a blade’s glint. Kane stood there, and although his face was blank, he appeared bewildered, off-balance, a man who’d reached for a step that wasn’t there. On the other hand, Ragnar stood beside the stones he’d chosen, arms crossed, lips slightly curled in a smile that wasn’t kind. “What’s going on? Why’s Master Kane not moving?”“Could something be wrong with the stones?”Kane took deep breaths, chest rising, falling, trying to shove his heart back down his throat. He activated his secret technique again. It was the same outcome. Nothing. A void where certainty used to live. He recalled feeling the energies clearly after entering the courtyard. Bright. Loud. Obvious. Why couldn’t he feel anything now? His eyes snapped towards Ragnar. Was it him? Impossible. How could a child mess with the spirit energy transmission from the stones? He must have been too tired lately, causing this. Yes. Fatigue. That was it. He could