Chapter 21: Choosing Equal Sovereignty

Dawn broke over the northern peaks, washing the obsidian spires of the Blackthorn Citadel in a brilliant wash of gold and amber. The syndicate threat had been entirely neutralized, the captured operatives handed over to the High Council for interrogation, and

Chapter 22: The New Order

Six months.

In the span of half a year, the geopolitical landscape of the northern territories had undergone a seismic, permanent transformation. The old regime—built on a rickety foundation of forged credentials, purchased council votes, and institutionalized bullying of