The war council convened at dawn, but the chamber felt darker than midnight. Maps spread across the table now showed new threats marked in black ink—reports of shadow creatures attacking border towns, livestock found drained of life, and entire villages going silent overnight.

Empress Valdira studied the reports with grim efficiency. "These attacks began three days ago. The same night your ritual weakened the veil between worlds."

"You blame us for this?" Prince Kael asked, his voice sharp ...