My father's message arrived at dawn, while our transport was still crossing the Jade Wall.
It was four lines long. My father had never in his life used five where four would do.
'Magnus Draykar has killed the Vampire Monarch. He broke into high Radiant-rank to do it. He did not survive. This stays sealed until the Kings decide otherwise.'
It read like a report. It hit like a hammer.
I read it eleven times before we landed. It didn't change. Nothing my father wrote ever did.
We came down in Hwaeryun.
I had arrived with the Northern reinforcements—the Windward contingent. The Creightons had already split off to support Mount Hua. We were sent here instead, to what had been vampire territory until the Kagu family spent half of what remained of their strength taking it back.
