CYRAN POV
People think wars begin with bloodshed. They don't. Wars begin long before the first sword is drawn, though few ever realize it.
To me, war has always been far more strategic than that. It begins the moment your opponent unknowingly takes the exact step you've already planned for them.
And today, Magnus Ashbourne had done exactly that. I stood on the palace balcony, looking toward the Royal Valerion Cathedral rising above the capital.
Soon, everything would begin. I only hoped every piece moved exactly where I had predicted.
"Your Highness."
Nathan, my personal aide, bowed before handing me a thin folder.
"The hearing is about to begin."
"I know." I accepted it without haste.
Opening the report, I scanned each page. Nothing surprised me. Every line merely confirmed what
