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

The High Council Hall was a blinding spectacle of wealth and arcane power, a sprawling cavern of white marble illuminated by floating chandeliers of spun gold and crystallized sunlight. It was the social pinnacle of the year, a night where the elite of the magical society gathered to forge alliances

Elara did not remember how she escaped the Gala.

When her vision finally cleared, she was leaning heavily against the damp wooden door of a carriage, the rhythmic clopping of the horses’ hooves jarring her fragile bones with every step. She had handed the driver a fistful of gold and given him the