Rowan Hale knew exactly how much his life was worth.Three copper coins, a sack of spoiled potatoes, and a pair of boots with holes in the soles.That was what he had earned after working from sunrise until sunset on Lord Veyne's land, and even that miserable payment had come with a warning."Next time you bring me produce this poor Hale, I'll have you whipped for wasting my time."Rowan had swallowed his anger, collected his coins, and walked away.What else could he do?He was nineteen years old, the son of a dead farmer, the brother of a girl who needed more food than he could afford, and the owner of six acres of stubborn land that seemed determined to produce nothing but stones.In the Kingdom of Eldoria, that made him almost worthless.Magic determines a man's future. Noble families inherited powerful spells, merchants purchased magical education for their children, and even ordinary villagers could sometimes awaken a useful talent.A farmer who could summon fire might become a

“Your father did not die of a fever, Rowan Hale. He was murdered.”Captain Seraphina Vale's words refused to leave Rowan's mind.He sat against the broken wall of a burning cottage, his injured sister beside him and the sounds of battle echoing through the village. Soldiers in blue armor fought the remaining monsters in the street. Magical flames illuminated the smoke, casting strange shadows across the faces of the dead.Yet Rowan barely noticed any of it.His father was dead. Rowan had buried him with his own hands. He remembered the cold rain, the muddy earth, and Lily crying so hard that she could barely stand.Now this woman expected him to believe that everything he knew about that death was a lie.“Prove it,” Rowan said.Seraphina crouched in front of him. A thin scar ran from the corner of her mouth toward her jaw, and her dark eyes studied him with the caution of someone approaching a wounded animal.“What?”“You heard me. You say my father was murdered. Prove it.”For a mome

Knock.Rowan Hale stared at the wooden box inside Lord Edric Voss's carriage.Something was moving inside it.That was impossible. The box was barely three feet long, covered in dust, and secured with seven iron locks. Crimson symbols had been carved into its lid, and each time the knocking sounded, the symbols glowed faintly beneath the morning light.Rowan took a step backward.“What is inside?”Edric did not answer immediately.Instead, the old man looked toward Captain Seraphina Vale.“Captain, I would appreciate a moment alone with the boy.”“No,” Seraphina replied.Edric's eyebrows rose.“Excuse me?”“You heard me. Rowan is under the protection of the Royal Military Command. Until I understand what that thing is, nobody takes him anywhere.”A bitter smile crossed the old man's face.“The Royal Military Command? You mean the same institution that allowed Elias Hale to be murdered?”Seraphina's hand tightened around her sword.“You should be careful with your accusations.”“And yo