The sky was no longer blue. It was a bruised, sickly violet, pulsing with the rhythmic thrum of the dying World Barrier. On the rooftop of the Royal Citadel, Ethan stood as still as a statue. Five years of absolute, unrelenting discipline had passed. He had been a demon to those he loved; he had pushed Cassandra, Chloe, and his other women through hellish training regimens, ignoring their tears and their exhaustion. He knew the truth: a moment of mercy now would be a death sentence in the world beyond.
Beside him, the Falcon Guard—the elite of the elite—stood in silent formation. Lord Falcon and his kin were the only ones who had successfully broken through to the Spiritual Gathering Realm. They were his iron wall.
But for Jason Carter, the technical commander of the Royal forces, the purple sky was secondary to the storm raging in his heart.
