{Lucien’s POV}

The city carried a silence that morning… like the world itself carried a feeling of unrest, as if something tragic could happen at any moment.

The summit had ended, sure. But usually its echoes would still ripple across every facet of society for weeks. Yet it was swiftly overpowered by particularly grim news.

And that was because of one exceptional man… or so the headlines would call it.

Needless to say, Elder Mallon was gone. Burned in his own estate like a fool too blind to anticipate wolves snapping at his throat. Veyra, though, still lived. That made him both useful and dangerous. A cornered man could turn...