Fluorescent butterflies fluttered into the grand hall as the Chief Court Mage snapped his fingers and infused the air with magic. A thin layer of ice coated the floor, and icicles shaped like clusters of wildflowers sprouted from the ceiling.“We haven’t had a proper winter in decades, so this is my little gift to you, my dear ones,” the king proclaimed as Servius continued with his spell, gradually transforming the grand hall into a frozen world.Some of the guests marveled at the icy white flowers while others held on to their partners to avoid slipping on the frozen floor.When they had been invited to the ball, none of them were expecting to enjoy a snowy winter evening inside the palace. But what was most surprising was how Servius managed to keep the temperature from dropping too much, creating a pleasant indoor weather perfectly conducive for a night of revelry and merrymaking.King Reginald raised his arms above his head and clapped. His cue was immediately honored by the atten
Tanya and Ezra slipped past the guests and attendants to quietly make their way outside. The garden overlooking the eastern façade of the palace was where Marquis Sullivan and his supporters had gathered along with a handful of loyal butlers and personal guards.A white marble table shaped like a three-leafed clover had been set in a secluded part of the garden under the shade of a cherry blossom tree, and six chairs had been arranged around it for the Marquis and his confidants.Marquis Sullivan and Viscount Forell were joined by the wealthiest businessman in the city: the wine merchant, Griffith Herington, and the king’s former general: the old knight Sir Samson Deville.The two vacant chairs were swiftly occupied by two of the king’s distant cousins, a red-haired young man of mixed descent and a dark-skinned middle-aged man from the port city of Cekunia.“It was terribly suffocating in there. Thank God he decided to take a break,” the dark-skinned man muttered as he loosened his sti
Tanya’s suggestion wiped the smile off their faces and even the king’s cousins looked away in discomfort. Although they were unhappy with King Reginald’s laxity and indolence, they would never imagine supplanting him with the help of his own daughter.While the others were too nervous to speak, Marquis Sullivan decided to break the silence.“What you are suggesting is nothing short of high treason. Conspiring against the crown to overthrow the reigning king is a crime punishable by death,” he said.Tanya stepped closer to the table and looked him in the eye. “I think I need to remind you that as a Marquis your duty is not only to remain loyal to the crown but to protect and safeguard the interests of its subjects as well. And sometimes, the courtiers need to protect the king from himself.”“And do you think the loyalists will agree with your methods?”“I do not care about pleasing the loyalists. My allegiance lies to the people of Valaria and Goddess Ishani is my shield. She will show
Panic and mayhem spread across the grand hall as the royal guards rushed to secure the exits accompanied by spotted gray hounds and black wolves.The women shrieked and held on to their partners while the men turned to look at the Court Mage. “What is the meaning of this?” Lamier questioned in a bitter voice. “Why are we being treated like criminals? For God’s sake, there are women here! Keep your dogs away from us!”His friend, the young Lord Rasher Desmond, soon joined in. “Lord Lamier is right. We are guests here, and such behavior is disrespectful.”“Simmer down, son. His Majesty’s safety is at stake here, and we do not know if the shooter is still out there or not,” Marquis Desmond said, putting his arm on his son’s shoulder. He then turned to look at Servius. “Where is His Majesty now? Is he alright?”“His Majesty is hale and hearty, but he has been shaken up by the attack. Fortunately, the shooter’s bullet shattered his window and struck the vase near this bed,” Servius replie
The atmosphere in the grand hall remained tense as the nobles whispered among themselves, trying to come up with different theories regarding the identity of the shooter.Although Marquis Desmond’s and Marquis Sullivan’s families were close, the two had never seen eye-to-eye on matters of the court, especially those involving military policies and issues of national security.Since they were two of the most powerful nobles at the court and represented two reputed houses, they tried their best not to air their conflicting opinions in public, but by now, their supporters and close allies had already figured out they had contrasting ideologies.The undead invasion had dealt the final blow to their relations as they were unable to reach an agreement on the matter. This led to Marquis Desmond joining the loyalist camp while Marquis Sullivan strengthened his ties with the opposing faction, the ones who were against the king’s policies.The mistrust breeding for many weeks now was gradually r
When Tanya and Ezra returned from the palace, Count Gressil was already waiting for them in the living room of the mansion. News of the king being attacked had already reached the Count, and he was eagerly waiting for more information.After changing into casual clothes, Ezra and Tanya narrated all that had happened at the ball, including their discussion with the rebel faction headed by Marquis Sullivan and their little rendezvous with Esmeralda."There are many gangs in the city that would like to see the king dead or replaced. But it takes guts to send an assassin after him,” Count Gressil remarked, stroking his beard. “I would wager it could be the work of the Bleeding Roses or the Black Nightshades.”Ezra had heard about the Black Nightshades, but the mention of this new gang called ‘Bleeding Roses’ piqued his curiosity. Tanya looked equally clueless about it all. “You mean to say there are multiple gangs operating within Magaravia? How is that possible?”“You will be surprised t
Slowly but surely, the hours had ticked by one after another, and the day Ezra had been waiting for had finally arrived. He was tired of dabbling in politics and hiding in the shadows within the walls of this indolent city. And now that Tanya had entrusted him with such a great responsibility, he was ready to prove himself once again.Not even the bravest adventurer or the proudest Gunner would dare to set foot inside the ruined city since it was riddled with deadly traps and rumored to be haunted by evil spirits. But Ezra had grown so accustomed to looking death in the eye that he did not care about what lay within the crumbling walls of the ancient settlement.In Ezra’s mind, this was just going to be another treasure hunt, and if successful he would be able to return with lost items which could turn the tide of any battle and re-write the course of history.Only a few hours separated Ezra from his first solo expedition outside the walls of Magaravia. The last time he had left the c
The Wind Rider soared through the blanket of morose gray clouds, and the world below soon disappeared into a hazy blur. Ezra looked on to catch one last glimpse of the capital as it was swallowed by the morning fog.Flying over the walls of the great city, the airship picked up speed as Zala turned a knob to fuel its magic flames with crystal dust. Being so high above the clouds kept the airship out of harm’s way by preventing the guards and towers from detecting it. And its silent engine ensured that it was quieter than a bird in flight.With the wind on its back, the Wind Rider sailed the sky like a weightless ship, its bulbous frame drifting through the clouds and bobbing up and down as the pressure kept rising and falling with each little turn of the knob.As the Wind Rider soared over the barren peaks of the Marauder Mountains, Ezra caught a glimpse of the treacherous pass snaking across the rocky ridge. It was here the old kings of Valaria had held back the elves during the ear