Ethan's gaze fixed on the throne, his eyes sharpening as realization struck.
That damned Aldric the First—he had stolen something from Ethan's mother.
No wonder the throne had felt so familiar when he first encountered it. The texture was identical to the obsidian pendant his mother had once given him. Later, that same jade had abandoned him, embedding itself in Lyla's chest where it fused with her very being. Though Ethan could no longer see it, Lyla swore that the pendant had transformed into a milky-white stone, merging seamlessly with her skin.
His mother had once hinted that the pendant had found its true owner, though she had never elaborated. Ethan hadn't pressed her—anything from his mother couldn't possibly harm Lyla. But now, staring at the chained figure on the throne, the truth gnawed at him.
Aldric the First's voice rumbled through the hall, dragging Ethan back to the present.
