Today was the day the citizens of Gord had dreamt of for years.
Flames still raged across the castle mountain as the last pockets of resistance clashed with the final loyalists of the usurper Knave. Victory hung in the air, but it had come at a heavy price.
Marcella rode in silence, her gaze fixed on the towering gates ahead. Beside her was the Dragon Lord — the long-nosed sorcerer whose strange magic had helped bring the great beast low. She glanced at him, remembering how he had rendered the dragon helpless long enough for the two mysterious men to strike the killing blow. The dragon had never been her true target, but if it turned feral after the king's death, she would need this man's power once again.
"Why did you let them murder your friend?" the Dragon Lord suddenly asked, his voice heavy with disapproval.
Marcella's chest tightened. Not far from the path, Rachel's body still lay where she had fallen. She forced a sad smile.
