Chapter 19: The Silent Warning

The coronation celebration continued long after sunset.

Music filled the Obsidian Citadel’s great hall, and tables overflowed with roasted venison, bread, mountain fruit, and expensive champagne supplied by the northern delegations.

For several hours, I performed th

Chapter 20: The Shadow of the Citadel

The lower archives of the Obsidian Citadel occupied the oldest part of the mountain.

Some corridors predated the Blackwood dynasty. Their walls contained veins of iron that interfered with projection magic, making the archives one of the few locations where co

Chapter 21: The Secret Sister

The revelation struck me with enough force to wake every spark beneath my skin.

“My mother’s sister?” I whispered.

The lower archives seemed to contract around us. Ancient shelves rose on both sides, their shadows stretching across the stone floor. The leather-bound