The Alpha Kings and the Supreme Luna had sworn to carry the agonizing weight of the Dragon Prophecy in silence, forcing their daughter to face the darkness alone so she could learn to conquer it.
Now, the cold autumn afternoon was fading into a bitter, purple dusk.
Lyra was still sitting on the stone bench in the royal gardens. She hadn't moved. The cold was seeping into her bones, but she welcomed the numbness. It matched the hollow, empty feeling in her chest.
Suddenly, the temperature around her dropped even further. The air froze, carrying the distinct scent of crushed midnight roses and cold marble.
Lyra didn't lift her head. "I already spoke to the Queen, Valerius. I don't need a lecture from the King."
"A lecture?" Valerius’s smooth, hypnotic voice echoed through the quiet
