"While you were inside the Legacy Domain, Sevrak tried to attack the Velari Kingdom," Liora said, lifting her head to meet Adyr's eyes. "It was Sir Wanderer Merchant who stopped him."
Thankfulness and rage shared her face like two shadows crossing the same light. Thankfulness that a Rank 5 Adept had turned aside a catastrophe. Rage because that hateful Dragon Rider had still killed a few of their citizens.
The memory in her mind rose quickly and hot from the time she returned to the kingdom and saw bodies brought to the gates, their skin charred to a coal-black sheen, the air around them carrying a bitter, metallic scent. Her anger climbed her throat and sat there, one of those scenes she would never forget and would have to live with.
For the Astra Path and Velari culture, citizens—mortals—were not numbers but family, bound by duty and care. That was the teaching of their culture and of the God Astrael. She had failed that duty, and the failure left a clean, searing ache.
