KIRAA heavy, velvet hush had settled over the terrace of the High Keep, broken only by the steady, rhythmic sigh of the midnight wind through the high timber arches. Below us, the realm of Sun Ridge slumbered under the vast, starry expanse, its sprawling streets lit by the soft amber gleam of lanterns that flickered like grounded stars across the valley floor.Sitting in my cedar chair, with the thick wool blanket tucked snugly around my legs, I watched the distant outlines of the watchtowers along the ridge. Once, those towers were jagged perches of paranoia, manned by frightened souls scanning the treeline for blood, fire, or betrayal. Now, they were merely quiet sentinels of a settled world, where guards shared stories over thermal flasks, secure in the knowledge that no armies marched in the dark.Beside me, Kade shifted slightly, his heavy boots making no sound against the flagstones. The moonlight caught the silver threads in his coat and gleamed off his white hair, painting hi
Last Updated : 2026-09-24 Read more