Chapter 29 · The Father's Signature

The holographic execution order blazed across every screen in the Asterfall Arena, its parchment edges gilded with the Chancellor’s arcane seal, two signatures scrawled at the bottom so large they could be read from the cheap nosebleed seats: Valerius Voss, Current Chancellor of Asterfall. Elias Vey, Chief Arcane Engineer of the Crown Engine.

Nora Vey stared at her father’s name, the letters swimming behind the burn of unshed tears. The air reeked of ozone from Kane’s flickering thunder power, of burnt wiring from the execution bureau drones Beckett’s crews had blasted out of the sky, of the iron tang of blood from a dozen skirmishes along the arena’s stone steps.

The taste of copper bloomed in her mouth as she bit down on her lower lip hard enough to draw blood. The crowd’s roar split the air, half screaming “Traitor!” at the top of their lungs, half chanting Kane’s name so loud the rafters shook.

Kane’s hand was wrapped around her left wrist, his palm hot enough to scald, static jumping from his knuckles to her skin where her sleeve had ridden up. His grip was equal parts anchor and chain—