Page 82 of Court of Aether and Shadows

It would be something Twilight and Void would agree upon.

Aether would be against the idea, and Elemental would lean towards whatever was more entertaining to them.

The idea would pass.

"Yes, but think of the precedent it would set," Kaelon argued. "The first truly cooperative venture between the courts sincethe great schism. The political capital alone would be worth the investment for each faction. The Ather Court could present it as a triumph of illumination over ignorance. The Void Court would see opportunities for subtle influence. The Elementals would gain prestige as mediators. And we..."

"We would have a perfect cover for protecting and training our queen," I finished, beginning to see how all the pieces could fit together. "But we would need to move quickly. The other courts will have felt her arrival by now. They'll be making their own plans."

Kaelon nodded gravely.

"Which is why we should approach the Elementals immediately, plant the seed of the idea before anyone else can propose alternatives. Their Council of Seasons meets in three days' time. If we can get word to our allies there..."

His words cut off abruptly as we both felt a surge of power from outside. The shadows in the room writhed in response, and I felt Sparrow's energy pulse beneath the shadowsilk garments, responding to the disturbance.

"My Lord," Kaelon said unnecessarily, already moving into a defensive position. "Something approaches through the rift."

The air grew thick with tension as we prepared to face whatever force had found its way to our sanctuary.

But even as we readied ourselves for confrontation, my mind continued to race with the possibilities Kaelon had presented.

An academic institution.

A neutral ground where Sparrow could grow into her power while we gathered allies and identified enemies.

It was elegant, multi-layered, exactly the kind of strategy that had kept the Shadow Court in power through centuries of political upheaval.

Now we just had to survive the next few minutes to set it in motion.

The surge of power came without warning — a tidal wave of ancient magic that made the very air crackle with tension.

My shadows danced erratically along the walls, responding to an energy signature that felt both foreign and disturbingly familiar. The very foundations of the cottage seemed to tremble, wood groaning and stone shifting as reality bent around us.

"Vash'nor thy'leth,"I commanded, the old tongue falling from my lips as naturally as breathing.

The shadows solidified around us, creating a barrier of pure darkness that turned the corners of the room into an absolute void. Power thrummed through the space, making the simple furniture vibrate with barely contained energy.

"Shield your charge, Kaelon,"I ordered, my voice carrying the weight of centuries of command."Whatever comes through that rift must not reach her."

My second in command was already moving, his hands weaving complex patterns in the air as he spoke his own incantation.

"Shal'ven mor'eth, shield of ancient night, protect that which is precious!"

A dome of midnight blue energy began to form around Sparrow's sleeping form, layers of protective magic settling like silk veils.

Each layer pulsed with its own rhythm, creating a symphony of power that would have overwhelmed lesser beings.

The pressure in the room built to unbearable levels.

The window panels began to vibrate, resonating with the approaching force. Small objects — books, vials, the delicate instruments the Elder had left behind — started to rise into the air, caught in the maelstrom of competing energies.

I could have opened the windows with a gesture and could have provided a clean entrance for whatever force approached. But something in me —some primal instinct that had kept mealive through centuries of warfare and politics— knew that would be a mistake.

When it came, it came with explosive force.

The windows shattered inward, the sound like a thousand crystal goblets breaking at once.

Shards of glass hung suspended for one crystalline moment, catching the light like deadly stars, before my shadows whipped out, catching them before they could harm anyone.

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