The Lost Queen Is Back

h the cracks in the ruined towers, soft and golden against stone that had once gleamed with royal pride. Birds ci

ut beneath it-etched into the obsidian surface-were the old lines of the realm: Elarion's kingdo

ade. Once a city loyal to her bloodline, now a place of whisp

rway. He leaned against the frame with the ease of a man

ied, eyes still fixed on the m

n twenty years, Elira. The world has changed. The court you knew is gone. T

or

ai

hem have their coins. I'll t

. "You're not the girl I foun

en. "Would you still

. "I'd protect you. But

lsword, yes, but not without honor. He'd pulled her out of fire and filth, trained her to fight, taught her to w

to the map. "We

ft that

rode. Riders vanished into the woods. Spies followed at

ty shimmered beneath them, built into the side of a craggy mountain, its silver-roofe

ther," Dain said. "But its new l

satchel and drew out a bundle wrapped in velvet. When sh

rply. "You're go

ftly. "I'm going

es opened with little fanfare-Velshade did not fear strangers. Not anymore. The pe

ren stared from behind wooden stalls. In the distance, a bell tolled, deep

d at once. "State yo

dism

ed back

lowed lik

oss her collarbone-the sigil of the Silver Flame, burned

k in disbelief. The o

hispered, voice sha

orward. "Take m

Warden-h

"Or I'll tear the truth

man, face like crumpled parchment, robes too large on thinning shoulders. His hair was the co

ntered, he d

a pretende

man who stil

a flicker

at across from him. "You

her ve

t. "If you are who you claim to be, the

g the crown on the table between t

r. His voice dropped. "Y

I'm ending one that

he nobles will

l. Others

ly. "You sound

ed. "You kn

pened. "She sacrificed herself to get

ck like iron a

nd her," Eli

alive by the King's Inquisitor

nce

like forged steel, said, "Then I wi

, Velshade

red between hands, carved into the walls. The Queen had re

er cloak gleaming in the torchlight. Dain stood at her back, s

nd the sigils etched into

from blood, from the body of my mother. For twenty years I wandered nameless, hunted, broken. But the land

. Mur

it. Because I am Elira Velarion. Daughter of Queen Naelira, heir to the F

the braziers

people

on stood before his war tab

" he roared at his generals.

men did

Obsidian Spire st

embles when l

lira sitting alone on the old

for the next

dn't a

if I become the very thing

"Then I'll remind

. Dawn was breaking again-but

rising.

n who was no