The courtroom was tense, the air heavy with the anticipation of what was to come. The walls of the grand hall seemed to close in, the once-vibrant banners of the kingdom’s crest hanging like a judgmental audience over the proceedings.
Conor’s presentation of the ancient scrolls had left the nobles and the High Council in a stunned silence. The echoes of the scribe’s voice reading aloud the punishments—the loss of titles, lands, even the death sentence—hung in the room like a noose.
Kerrigan could feel the shift, the palpable unease among the gathered nobles. The trial had taken an unexpected turn, and for the time, the Benedicts were truly on the defensive.
Conor stood beside her, his calm presence a steady anchor in the storm of tension. Yet, across the courtroom, she saw the panic etched on Gregor’s face, his eyes darting toward the King’s throne, seeking a lifeline.
Gregor Benedict, once the proud and unshakabl
The heavy oak doors of the courtroom swung open with a thunderous crash, causing every head to snap toward the entrance.A hush fell over the hall as the King entered, flanked by his personal guards, their gleaming armor reflecting the flickering torchlight. His presence was unmistakable—a living embodiment of power draped in royal blue and gold, his crown a sharp, unyielding reminder of the authority he wielded.The air itself seemed to stiffen in response, and a ripple of uncertainty passed through the assembled nobles.Kerrigan’s eyes narrowed as she watched the King approach, his gait purposeful and imperious. She felt Conor’s hand subtly brush against hers, a silent exchange of solidarity. They both knew what this meant: the King’s sudden arrival was not a mere show of concern but a calculated move to reclaim control over a trial that had veered dangerously off course.“Your Majesty,” the presiding judge said, rising from his seat and bowing deeply. The rest of the courtroom follo
The murmur of unrest had started as a faint whisper in the marketplaces and taverns of Jinstain, but now it had grown into a roar that echoed across the kingdom. News of the trial’s latest developments had spread like wildfire—Conor’s revelation of the ancient scrolls, Gregor’s desperate attempts to sway the court, and the King’s thunderous intervention. The entire kingdom was watching, and the people were no longer content to remain silent.Kerrigan stood at the window of her temporary chambers in the capital, looking out over the city below. What she saw was a kingdom divided. The streets were filled with people—merchants, farmers, laborers, and nobles alike—gathered in clusters, engaged in heated debates. Some bore banners that called for justice against the Benedicts, emblazoned with slogans like “No One Is Above the Law” and “Protect the Dragons’ Covenant.” Others, however, held signs in support of the King, proclaiming, “Loyalty to the Crown” and “Order Before Chaos.”The trial
Late in the evening, the grand doors to the King’s private chamber swung open with a low creak, and Kerrigan and Conor stepped inside, their every movement weighed down by the tension that had been building for weeks.The room was dimly lit, a far cry from the usual splendor of the palace, as if even the light itself had recoiled from the gravity of what was about to unfold. The King sat at the head of a long, polished table, his face shadowed, his posture rigid with barely concealed frustration.He looked every bit the ruler who had been backed into a corner, and Kerrigan could see the cracks in his carefully maintained composure.To the world, the King was still a figure of unassailable authority, but here, in this private confrontation, he was a man fighting desperately to maintain control over a kingdom that was slipping through his fingers.“Come in,” the King said curtly, gesturing to the seats across from him. “We have matters to discuss that cannot wait.”Kerrigan and Conor ex
That night, as they sat in their quarters, Kerrigan spoke first. “The King will never truly hold Kelan accountable. He’s too valuable to him and his limited control over Gregor. The moment the trial ends, Kelan will find a way back to power or at least live in comfort, and nothing will change.”Conor stared out into the night, the city below still restless with the echoes of protest and dissent. The King’s ultimatum hung over them like a storm cloud, and every instinct told him that they were at a crossroads.Yet the path forward felt obscured, and the weight of the decision before them was crushing. The King had offered them a way out—a false peace that would preserve his power but betray everything they had fought for. And Conor knew, deep down, that they were running out of options.Kerrigan sat beside him, her face set in grim determination, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. “We can’t accept his terms. This isn’t just about the Benedicts anymore. It’s about the so
Dear readers, I hope you are enjoying this long overdue addition to the series. I have every intention of finishing it THIS year (2024). However, I would like to hear from you about what that end should look like. I have mapped out three plans and outlined likely chapters for each, but I am very undecided as to Conor and Kerrigan's ultimate role. So let your voice be heard. Where do you see them ending up? What role feels right for them in 3 months, a year, ultimate titles. Again, my goal is to wrap this series up nicely and I think we are close with what I have prepared offline, but I am just looking for some thoughts form you all before I decide which chapters to post.Wishing you all the best, and happy reading!(Next on my list for over winter is to get Civilian Dragon Lord out.)
Conor did his best to help the bellman get the ladies luggage into the hotel suite but the pile was truly massive.Parker only had one suitcase and a separate bag for his uniform suits. For his part, Conor had brought about the same.Kerrigan didn’t seem to have much, but her three guards had a mountain of cases between them.“What on earth did you bring?” Connor asked as the pile tipped, spilling across the floor of the sitting room.“Just the essentials,” Reilynn answered as she let Faolan (pronounced as FWAY-lahn) into the room.Connor gawked at both her and then at the room they had entered. “Are we in an imperial suite or something?”Kerrigan didn’t seem to notice the grandeur as she made for one of the rooms to the left, “It is one of the rooms we established for visiting nobility. The King would never stay here, but other dignitaries have in the past. The king would stay at the temple or with one of the dukes.”The way she said it so casually caught Conor off guard as she vanis
“What is it?” Conor asked as they reached the SUV and climbed into the back.“My grandfather has formally requested my presence at his estate at the end of the month,” Kerrigan said, slumping heavily down into the seat.“I thought you were on good terms with your grandparents, or at least not at odds with them,” Conor asked.“Not really. We are not on bad terms that I know of, other than never seeing them in many years. I don’t know, I guess I still harbor some resentment for them leaving me at the temple. I get it, it was safer that, at least until Zadok came to power. Under your mother’s care, it wasn’t too bad.” Kerrigan huffed and was quiet for a time and Conor simply let her collect her thoughts.“I miss having a family. MY family. They were never unkind to me that I remember but they also were not there for me either. I guess in their own way, their distance was meant to shield me. But that seems to be at an end. I guess…. I guess I am not sure how to feel towards them.” She fi
Kerrigan ordered a few dishes for Conor to try and he was excited to let her show off her city and its wonders.The first course was apparently a Velyki special, though Conor wasn’t quite sure what was special…Small rolls of bread the size of his fist were served with cheese and a very creamy butter.“Its yak cheese. They are hard to raise but there are a few farmers who have managed to raise them. You will not find a better flavor in all of Targu province. The butter is also cured with a sage that is only grown in the southern slopes of Velyki.” Kerrigan explained as she happily served herself and piled samples onto Conor’s plate.When the main course came, Conor took the opportunity to savor the hearty stew with fresh venison before he broached the dragon in the room.“Kerrigan, Dragon Corporation is a fascinating beast. I have been studying the notes Mr. Nuri and miss Quinn had prepared for me and it seems your nest is surrounded by predators. In such a hostile terrain, how is one