The storm above the Valerio estate had not passed.
For three days, thunder growled like a beast at the gates of the world, and red lightning clawed at the clouds as if the sky itself were bleeding. The coronation had ignited more than the people's awe—it had awakened something ancient.
And now, Cassius led Dante and Selena beyond the reach of firelight.
They traveled west, to the forgotten lands.
---
The remnants of the First Throne lay hidden deep within the Hollow Vale, a desolate valley where even time seemed reluctant to tread. Jagged cliffs surrounded them like the ribs of a long-dead god. Mist clung to the blackened earth, thick with old whispers. Here, magic did not breathe—it coiled. It watched.
"This is where the first Valerio king was crowned," Cassius said as they dismounted. "Before thrones were forged in gold and war, they were carved from grief."
