a Vanc

ver the main enchanting anvil, carefully al

e buried in my workbench drawer began to

ra's favorite stuffed drake years ago, a mother's hi

the glass. Through the heavy static of distance, a

Are yo

nst my ribs. My breat

is border today," Elara's voice hitched with a quiet

on't love us anymore. But I miss you. I'm sorry

al instinct in my body screamed at me to flood the crystal with mana, to project

raction of an inch abo

Kaelen's royal cavalry was mobilized at the Arcanis border, his s

mily; he would come with his draconic guard to dra

ensure I never threatened his pristine hierarchy again. A

ered to the empty room, tears spilling

forcefully severed the connection. The crystal sputtered an

, and gripped my engraving burin once more. My hands were hard as tempered iron

Drako

f dust as we touched down at the northern garrison, righ

fted Elara down from the saddle. My daughter had been uncharacteristically quiet a

crying until the elders suggested the high-altit

Sire," Lyra murmured, smoothing Elara'

ing the distant, smog-covered spires of Arcanis. The sensory mages repo

she was hiding in some cheap, obscure provincial town,

a high-magic nexus like Arcanis. She simply did not have the inte

spires of the city, completely oblivious to the empire being built just miles away. "We lea