LOGINThe Cathedral of St. Jude was bathed in a light so pure it felt like a judgment. Today was the day of the Royal Investiture, the moment Leo Draven would officially become the Protector of the Realm. Thousands gathered outside, their cheers muffled by the thick, ancient stone walls, while the high
The weeks following the "Great Glitch"—as the official palace records called it—were the most delicate in the history of the realm. While the public celebrated a swift recovery of the kingdom’s infrastructure, the Draven estate became a high-security sanctuary for a population that didn't officially
The North Wing of the palace was a place of soft carpets and muted sunlight, designed to be a sanctuary for the future of the realm. But as the Dravens sprinted through the gilded corridors, it felt like a labyrinth of ice. The silence here was worse than the screaming of the machines in the High Co
The High Court chamber, usually a sanctuary of measured speech and ancient law, became a slaughterhouse of chrome and code. The grey smoke was so thick that the only things visible were the glowing blue optics of the Twelve Judges. "Lucien, get down!" Kaiser’s voice boomed over the hiss of the gren
The surface of the harbor was a churning cauldron of black grease and freezing foam. Kaiser, Izora, and Caspian collapsed onto the swaying deck of the salvage barge, the massive crane still groaning under the tension of the warehouse roof it had just ripped away. "Leo!" Izora scrambled to the edge
Benedict paused by the tall window, the rain casting streaks across his reflection. He stared at himself, at the monster he had willingly become, and smiled. Monsters did not regret. Monsters survived. Let her mother protect her now, he thought, a sneer tugging at his lips. Let her husband shield
The invitation came at dusk. Well—“invitation” wasn’t the word for it. It was more of a summons. A soft knock came through the door while Izora was in her room, carelessly rubbing the bottom of her sleeve. The quiet girl with ash-blonde hair and sad eyes spoke up. "Mr. Eirian would like you to be
Early light slanted through Izora's bedroom's big windows, creating pale golden lines over the ivory walls. Distance, money, and layers of marble and security systems muffled the faint hum of the city beyond the high walls. Izora reclined at the brink of her velvet couch, her robe drenched elegant
Soft golden light danced over the magnificent chandelier above the ballroom like a star rain. Slowness, orchestral, laden with nostalgia, music floated around. Laughing resounded far away, layered over the quiet hum of talk and the clinking of crystal glasses. Izora was standing next to Kaiser, her
She questioned after a protracted quiet, "Where is he?" Kaiser. Enoch did not reply straight immediately. Then a slow smile pulled at the edge of his mouth. "You mean your husband?" She let her eyes roll back. "Don't start" He dropped his voice and leaned in just a little. He's behind you.







