The lower tiers of the city smelled of sea salt, burning coal, and old magic. It was a stark contrast to the perfumed, pristine air of the Mage Lord’s estate, but Elara welcomed the grit. Here, among the shadowed alleys and leaning brick buildings, no one cared about the drama of the High Council or

The guest wing of the Mage Lord’s estate was quiet, stripped of the ambient magical hum that permeated the master suite. For Elara Vance, the silence was a small mercy. The Void Elixir had begun its true work, and the symptoms were no longer confined to the occasional cough of blackened blood.

Sit

The glass conservatory at the rear of the estate was usually a sanctuary of vibrant life, filled with rare magical flora that Elara had cultivated over the years. But today, the air inside was stifling, thick with the scent of wilting orchids and decaying vines. The plants were highly sensitive to m