The morning sunlight gently penetrated through the curtains. The breeze danced beneath the heavy lace. But Elios Silverlake, who was looking down at a text message on his mobile phone, did not feel that way. General Griffin had informed him last night that he had failed his mission, and was probably languishing in the dungeon until the next trial when Elios read his message.A faint smile crossed Elios' face. Only one person could thwart his plans and bring General Griffin to justice. Only one person Elios knew was best at turning black into white and white into black. Someone who enjoyed the game as long as he got the role of God."What's wrong?" Seraphina's hoarse voice made Elios hurriedly put his mobile phone in his pocket and return to reading the document on his lap."Nothing," Elios muttered. "I just found out that my men failed to get Dravon. But, it's all my fault for only sending one person."He turned to see Seraphina stretching her shoulders on his bed. The woman's skin lo
Half a year ago."So I think, with the method in this book, we can create a smaller magic pattern with a much bigger effect," Will finished. He put the book he was reading on the coffee table and looked at Dravon who was sitting on the sofa scribbling something in his sketchbook. There was only the sound of pencil tips scratching the paper, and wood burning in the fireplace. "Dravon, you heard my explanation, didn't you?""I did," Dravon replied, without stopping scribbling. "You were explaining how to minimise the magic pattern by turning the circular lines into pointed ones, and the pointed lines into circular ones. Then adding magic patterns to stretch the magic. Easy enough. But I'm not sure it's suitable for Rainvale city's hilly terrain."Will smiled and cursed inwardly. "I must admit your intelligence and nonchalance are an irritating mix," he said calmly. He reached for the coffee cup on the table and took a sip. The bitter taste with a hint of sweetness was a fl
Dravon stepped carefully down the stairs from his brother's jet. Lightning thundered violently in the afternoon sky. A slow drizzle fell from the grey clouds. Hastily, a servant caught up with him and shielded him with an umbrella. But Dravon dismissed the umbrella and pulled his palace robes around his shoulders. He quickened his pace, and looked up. Letting the rain and wind hit his face. Inhaling deeply the scent of the surrounding plantations."We will split up, Your Highness," one of the knights whispered in his ear. Dravon nodded faintly. He stopped at an empty patch of ground. He kicked the ground lightly with his boot, letting the mud soil it. But the drizzle quickly faded the marks of his steps.Dravon hid his disappointment. "Let's wait until the rain stops," he said loud enough for all his subordinates to hear. "You guys keep watch here so no civilians come to mess this place up. I want to visit someone."A car he had hired was waiting by the side of the road. A much more l
Julian was pushing his lawnmower when he felt the first drops of rain on his forehead. He blinked, his hand moving to wipe his forehead."Rain?" Julian murmured in surprise, rubbing his slightly wet fingers."Jules." Lunabelle called him from the terrace. The little girl was sitting on a wooden chair, combing the Barbie hair that Julian's mother bought yesterday. "I think you should come in soon.""Yes, Lunabelle," Julian sighed and pushed his lawnmower towards the garage. "I also know it's going to rain soon.""It's not about the rain," Lunabelle objected. "I smell ham sandwich from inside. I think Josie wants us to come in and have lunch together."Sure enough, Julian's mother suddenly shouted from inside the house. "Jules! Luna! Come in and have lunch together! I made you ham sandwiches!""Yes, Mom!" Julian shouted back so his mother could hear. He noticed Lunabelle had already gotten off the wooden chair and was carefully walking into the house. Julian's cat, Cassie, had eagerly f
A year and a half ago."Dravon?"Before Dravon could turn away from the book he was studying to respond to the call, the book was already snatched from under his arms. "Hey!" Dravon protested.He looked surprised at the five kids surrounding him. Five kids whose faces he remembered well because they always seemed to be with Kieran Nyxshade.There was something in their expressions that made Dravon feel threatened. It made him unsure that they were looking for him in the library with good intentions. "What do you want from me?" Dravon asked."We heard you were invited to Kieran's house yesterday," Emma said, crossing her arms. "We want to know what you were doing there.""You don't need to know," Dravon replied. He adjusted his glasses, which had slipped down his nose. His mind replayed yesterday's events when Kieran invited Dravon to his family's manor. They were just studying together while drinking tea in Kieran's family library. But he was not willing to share that pleasant moment
One and a half years ago."Kieran, don't play with your food," his father's reprimand snapped Kieran out of his reverie. He had been staring at the steak on his plate, which he had been slicing slowly without eating."Dravon avoids me," Kieran muttered what he had been thinking all along. His father remained expressionless, but his mother looked surprised."Oh, my dear," Ma gently stroked Kieran's hair. "Do you mean the boy who gave you his drawing?"Kieran nodded.His father, the Duke, took a bite of steak. Usually, he only knew a few of Kieran's friends, most of whom were from noble families. Kieran understood if his father didn't quite grasp who they were talking about. But his father asked, "Do you know why he's avoiding you?"Kieran shrugged. "We were fine last week. He painted both of us in Bernard Tinge's class, no matter how much the man hates me. And we also enjoyed learning moments together in this house. The next day I went to Frostwyn to attend Jace's birthday invitation,
It such a smooth journey, with the rain dripping more and more heavily on the tarmac, and the scent of the plantation fresh in his nostrils, Dravon couldn't help but smile. Because somehow the scent in Valorus City had never been this fresh. Valorus City had always smelled like dust and magic, a scent that now always felt like home to him.Although the houses were getting rarer and there were not many other vehicles on the road, Julian's car slowed down in front of him. Dravon slowed down as well, enjoying the raindrops that blurred the windscreen. Then Julian's car turned into an abandoned artistic housing estate, and slowed to a complete stop in front of one of the houses. Dravon stopped the car right behind him.Dravon quickly got out of his car. He felt the cold raindrops dripping through his hair. He faintly heard the voices of many people from the direction of the house as he watched it. The house was made of stone and was very old, modelled like a manor house. It made Dravon co
A few months ago.The weather felt so hot that even the night at the Zephyr family Manor felt like a sauna. As William Zephyr hurriedly walked through the corridors of his home, he saw the servants had already opened all the windows and were cleaning the dust and leaves that had entered and soiled the carpets."Good evening, Young Master," some of them greeted Will."Good evening," Will replied, smiling warmly. "It's been very hot today. Please remind the stable keeper to give my horse more water and some vitamins. I'm worried he might be sick from being out with me for too long today.""Of course, Young Master," a servant immediately bowed and went to the stables to deliver Will's message.Will tilted his head, suddenly feeling strange with the silence of his house without the bustling of his servants. "Did you see Dravon and Oliver visiting today?" He asked. "I didn't see their carriages anywhere.""Yes, Young Master, they've been waiting for you in the library for two hours now. Pr