Riven did not sleep after the black bird left.He sat by the window until the sky turned pale. Every time he closed his eyes he saw the silver band on its leg. Kane knew. Kane was watching. And someone else might be watching too.When the first light came he went straight to the old training yard. No more waiting.He pulled the power the moment his feet hit the cracked stone. Heat rushed up from his chest. His hands glowed red longer than yesterday. He punched the broken post until it split in half. Wood chips flew. His arms shook, but he did not stop.Ten breaths. Twenty. The glow stayed.Better. Still not enough.A soft sound came from the wall. Soft boots again.Riven turned fast. “Silas. I told you—”It was not Silas.A thin man in dark clothes stood there. Not a servant. Not a guard. He held a short knife low at his side. His eyes locked on Riven’s glowing hands.“Lord Kane sends a message,” the man said. “Stop training. Or the next letter will have blood on it.”Riven let the po

Riven did not sleep that night.He sat on the floor with the old book open under the lamp. Page after page showed the same red fire. Some people learned to hold it. Most did not. The last pages were the worst. Drawings of bodies turned to ash while the fire still danced in the air.He closed the book and stared at his hands.“I will not burn,” he said out loud.The power answered with a low heat under his skin, like it was listening.Morning came gray and cold. Riven went straight to the old training yard. He did not wait for Theo this time. He pulled the fire the moment his feet touched the cracked stone.Red light filled his hands. He held it longer than before. Three minutes. Four. His arms shook, but the glow stayed steady. He punched the broken posts until three of them split. Wood flew. Sweat ran down his back.When the light finally faded he dropped to one knee, breathing hard. The cost was still there. Every time he used more, the tiredness hit harder. But the control was grow