"Show me the proof of your accusation, Lord Kordas," Kael said, his clear voice cutting through the stunned silence of the Great Hall. "A piece of paper held in the air does not prove a man is a murderer.""You want proof, little prince?" Kordas sneered, slamming three heavy sheets of stiff vellum onto the stone table before Lady Miran. "Here are the imperial court records, signed by the high magistrates of Valoria!"Kael stepped up to the long stone table, keeping his hands open at his sides as Kira and Ren watched the armed guards. He looked down at the dark black ink, his eyes scanning the official charges written across the page."These records say I slaughtered three treasury ministers in the palace cellars," Kael said, reading the words aloud for the entire hall. "And they claim I set fire to the southern granaries before I fled into the mountains.""You butchered royal officers in cold blood, boy!" Kordas shouted, pointing an iron finger at Kael's chest. "You are not a humble bl

"Who sent you into this hall, rider?" Kael asked, stepping past the bronze guards to reach the kneeling messenger. "Speak your name before these lords draw their steel.""My name is Jevan, young master," the rider gasped, his breath coming in white clouds as he held his ribs. "I ride in the personal service of Lady Seraphina.""Anyone can buy a white cloak and sew a swan onto the wool, boy," Lord Kordas barked, his heavy hand resting on his sword. "Prove you belong to the royal house."The young messenger reached inside his frozen tunic with trembling fingers, pulling out a small silver signet ring on a leather cord. He held the polished ring up to the torchlight for all the lords to see."This is the private signet of the southern estates," Kael said, recognizing the tiny wolf and swan engraved into the silver band. "Only three people hold this mark.""The lady sent me across the high pass on her fastest mare," Jevan said, his voice shaking with cold and exhaustion. "She told me to ri

"Why is the relic forbidden to human touch, Lady Miran?" Kael asked, his voice steady as he looked across the stone council table. "If it carries the light of the sun, why do you treat it like a plague?"Lady Miran rested both of her wrinkled hands upon her carved ivory staff, her pale face shadowed with ancient sorrow. She looked toward the deep granite floorboards beneath their boots, where dark tunnels wound into the mountain roots."Four hundred winters ago, an invading king marched ten thousand iron soldiers into our high valleys," Lady Miran answered softly. "Our ancestors were desperate, starving behind broken walls, and our high priests brought the relic from the vault.""Did the relic save your people?" Kira asked, stepping close to Kael with her hunting bow resting against her side. "Did it drive the invading army away from your gates?""It did not drive them away, girl," an elderly councillor named Oros spoke up, his voice trembling with old dread. "The moment our priests ch

The golden light slowly faded from the damp stone ceiling, leaving the underground hallway in freezing shadow once again. The shimmering image of the melted crown died away into tiny sparks of golden dust that fell onto the wet floor."Did you see his hands in that fire?" Elder Oros cried out, pointing his shaking iron spear directly at Kael's chest. "The ancient stone showed him burning the royal throne into black ash!""Lower your spear before I break your arm in two, old man!" Ren barked, stepping in front of Kael with his heavy axe raised. "Kael has not burned anything in your city!""He does not have to swing a torch today to be a curse tomorrow!" Oros yelled back, his gray face pale with terror. "The relic showed us the future; he is destined to drown this whole land in blood!""A vision is not an iron law, Elder Oros," Kael said in a quiet, firm voice, gently placing his hand on Ren's arm to lower the axe. "A vision only shows what might happen if men make foolish choices.""The

"What did the royal messengers shout in the border towns, Jevan?" Kael asked, lifting the exhausted rider to his feet in the deep snow. "Tell me every word the court proclaimed before these mountains froze.""They nailed a royal parchment to the wooden gates of every settlement along the river," Jevan answered, wiping frozen tears from his chapped cheeks. "The Grand Regent declared that Draevorn is hiding dangerous royal killers who stole state gold.""We never touched state gold, and we are not killers," Kira said, her eyes flashing with instant anger as she held her hunting bow. "Alden is making up wild lies to turn his people against the west.""Draevorn sent two riders back to the river line this morning," Jevan continued, leaning heavily against the wooden wagon wheel. "Lady Miran told the imperial heralds that Draevorn does not bow to false threats from foreign tyrants.""Alden knew she would refuse," Kael said, staring down at the frozen valley as the cold wind whipped his dark