h the scent of incense. It was a heavy, somber smell that clung to

de up his mind, taking Clara Miller as

ed to echo in the quiet hall. He sat in his wheelchair, his hands

kindness, he adopts that healer, Clara Miller. And this is ho

Hayes for more than twenty years, from the days she was a child calling him 'Uncle' to the moment she crossed every social line t

They had fought through so much to be together,

family' s sacrifice. Ten years ago, the Battle of Graystone Pass had claimed their parents and their three older br

r, not now. "Michael, don' t worr

a stark contrast to

has already agreed to my divorce from Arthur. I' m just waiting to ga

face was a mask of pain. "Eleanor! We' re the only ones left in the Vance

ng it hard to breathe. Eleanor' s own fingers clenched at h

ghting for our country is our family' s glory, and defending

ck against his chair, defeated. The siblings looked at each other i

te, stepping out into the swirling

figure in a dark, nine-dragon robe, his cloak dusted with a layer of fresh

in his eyes melted away, replaced

sn' t Michael know I' m waiting

"Why do you look so pale? Are you hungry?" He tilted hi

fingertips. Without a second thought, he pulled her hand into his own

so caring. Eleanor s

t was mixed with something else, a faint perfume she knew too well. Looking closer, she saw that the collar of his

way at her family home, and he couldn' t even

ow and deliberate, and gently straightene

ice quiet. "If we hadn' t

ense are you talking about?" His voice was sharp. "I raised

r-old Michael had marched to the battlefield. The vast Vance estate was left empty, except for a small, lonely E

tial arts alongside the Crown Prince, and just like the Crown Prince, she had called Arthur 'Uncle' . An

e back then. Maybe she should have bee

and shook her head.

e first, not waiting for him. They rode

an, appeared at the window, his expression grave. "Your Grace, there' s an

Arthur muttered, scolding Ethan, but his

r as Duke Regent. He now held only a minor post at the Ministry of Revenue. For him to be

should go. But since you' re breaking your promis

d out and poked the tip of her nose. "You little imp. For

give her a gold ingot as an apology. The game was that if she ev

just seven i

at would allow her to march north. The day she collected the full amount