The celebration that followed Elizabeth’s recovery was subdued. The kingdom had witnessed a miracle, Elizabeth binding the First Shadow, but the ominous warning she carried left no room for complacency.
In the throne hall, now refashioned into a council chamber for war and wisdom, the four talisman pedestals stood hollow. Their fragments had become part of Elizabeth, forging a link between her and the very magic that held the ancient evil at bay. That link was both her strength and her vulnerability.
“We must begin rebuilding the Order,” Elizabeth announced to the gathered allies. “The old Guardians are gone. We need new ones trained, prepared, and united.”
Lucian nodded, his expression grim. “We also need intelligence. The First Shadow may be sealed, but his influence has already sprea
