The letter arrived on a cold morning in late autumn.
It was sealed with the mark of the Eastern Empire, a massive power that had existed for centuries. The seal was marked with an official stamp: the Council of the Eastern Empire demands audience with the Kingdom of Valorath.
Rowan brought it to Kael. The old spy master was gray now, his movements slower, but his mind remained sharp.
"This is significant," Rowan said. "The Eastern Empire has never contacted us directly. They have always ignored us. They have always acted as if we did not exist."
Kael opened the letter and read it carefully.
The Eastern Empire had heard stories about the kingdom of Valorath. They had heard that the kingdom was prosperous. That it was stable. That it had defeated multiple threats without becoming tyrann
