Aurora.

  The capital of the Everheart Kingdom.

  The only place where Tucker could turn for help. He didn’t want to come back, not like this. But it was the only way to increase his chances of success. The lives of the men who followed him depended on the results he could bring from his discussions with the Welford family.

  He adjusted the gauntlets of his black iron armor, walking forward as the dark green cape draped over his left shoulder fluttered in the wind. There wasn’t a need to wear the helm. Odds are, he wouldn’t spend much time here.

  His father would never approve of a meeting, but the letter he received from Ashe Welford told another story. His half-brother had written to him in good faith, inquiring how his life had been and if there was ever a chance for them to meet up. Maybe it was an ill-fated omen, but with no other choice, Tucker took his brother up on his offer.

  After delivering the letters to the post office, time was the only thing Tucker had left. He had two months to prepare for their assault on the Emerald Tower in Ironmarch County, and there was much to do. Somehow, they needed to gather equipment for all the men who would join their ranks and plan a means of transportation to reach their destination without getting detected by the Avalon Empire.

  Tucker continued down the open marble hall with the azure carpet running down the center. His metallic boots lightly pressed against the fabric as he headed to the wyvern knight’s main building. From the contents of Ashe’s letter, it seemed like he had climbed through the ranks in the military and reached the commanding position of the Kingdom’s wyvern riders.

  A feat that was highly praised for a man who was in his early twenties.

  Yet Tucker couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease creep up on him. Years had passed since they last spoke. When they did, it was only to exchange pleasantries. The letter itself came as a surprise to him. Never in Tucker’s wildest dreams did he imagine they were close enough to write to each other.

  He had already sent word to Ashe that he would visit today, but the headquarters of the wyvern knights seemed deserted. No matter how much he walked, Tucker didn’t encounter a single person. Once he had finally reached his destination and stood before a pair of dark spruce doors, he heard a voice from inside welcome him.

  Tucker held onto the golden doorknob and slowly turned it before entering. In front of him was his half-brother. A man with similar features to him except with a sharper jawline and a thick hazel beard. His brother was wearing a dark blue suit with the buttons of his coat undone. Ashe’s white-collared shirt was buttoned all the way up, giving him a formal look.

  He met Ashe’s brown eyes and stepped into the room while gently closing the door behind him.

  “It’s been a while, Tucker,” Ashe said, gesturing for him to take a seat on the crimson couch. “I didn’t expect to meet you so soon.”

  “Well, I figured it wouldn’t hurt since there’s no telling when I’ll get another chance,” Tucker replied. He glanced over at the seat, noticing the silver tray with two freshly brewed glass cups of coffee. It was only after Tucker had sat down that his brother did the same on the couch across from him.

  “You still like coffee, right?” Ashe asked.

  Tucker nodded, unsure if he had ever told his brother his preferences.

  His brother lifted the cup and set it before him. “You never did like tea, though I can’t say much since I’m the same.”

  “To be fair, I don’t think any of us enjoyed it.”

  “Well, I suppose that’s true, only my mother liked it. My siblings and I just drank it to keep her happy.”

  Tucker held the drink by its thin handle and took a sip. After a moment of silence, he asked in a soft voice, “How is she doing?”

  “She’s good; she’s still managing the estate’s finances as the Head manages the other aspects,” Ashe replied, bringing the other coffee cup to his lips. After taking a small sip, he stared at Tucker. “What about you? Since you graduated from the academy, there hasn’t been a word for the past few months on what you’ve been up to.”

  Tucker shrugged his shoulders. “Same old, I guess. Nothing crazy, just doing my job and carrying on with my days.”

  “That’s not necessarily true, now is it?” Ashe’s gaze sharpened as he met Tucker’s. He set the cup aside. “I’ve heard you’ve become a watchman.”

  The watchman scoffed. “Is that why you called me over?” Tucker asked, glaring at his brother. “For some sort of political gain over that man’s position?”

  Ashe leaned back in his seat, resting his hand beneath his chin as his elbow sat on the couch’s arm. “I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have some sort of ambition in his position.”

  Tucker placed the cup on the polished oak table, ignoring the intricate designs on the wooden legs. “Then you should know that I’ve long since detached myself from those affairs. If anything, I would raise my own family to spite that coldhearted and vile man.”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “I’m aware, but you never know—maybe you reconsidered,” Ashe said. “Money and power change people.”

  Tucker locked eyes with Ashe. “Our other siblings might not remember, but you were there when I entered the estate. You know how little I value that place.”

  “If that’s the case, why didn’t you try to fight for the inheritance? Why did you give up on what could’ve been yours?”

  A bitter laugh escaped the watchman. He shook his head. “It’s already enough that one child lost his family; is there really a need for another to lose theirs?”

  The commander of the Wyvern Knights sat there without saying a word. His demeanor slowly shifted, and a brief nod followed. In his heart, he always wondered why Tucker never made a claim for the Welford family’s seat. Even if he was a bastard, there were many who coveted the power they held.

  But for it to be such a simple reason?

  He couldn’t help but feel a sense of respect for the young man before him. When they were children, Tucker had always kept to himself and never overstepped his boundaries. The inner politics of their family were like a den of snakes. A bunch of venomous bastards who wouldn’t hesitate to slit the throat of one another just to come out on top. Yet, Tucker had survived in this environment. Never drawing attention to himself.

  His family not roping him into the dynamics of their household made sense. After all, Ashe’s mother only felt pity for the young boy who watched his mother die. No child should have delivered that news, especially on the day it happened. But the same couldn’t be said about the concubines and the branch families.

  Since they needed every advantage to win.

  Ashe slowly exhaled. “Well, I don’t suppose you came here just to chat. You aren’t the type to want to meet me unless there was a reason.”

  “Couldn’t the same be said for you?” Tucker countered. “You’re the one who sent the letter.”

  “That was just my curiosity. None of the other family members knows where you went.” A smirk rose on Ashe’s face. “After all, I had to pull some strings just to find you. I never would’ve imagined you joined the Order.”

  Tucker raised a brow. “You kept it to yourself?”

  “Of course, I’m considerate enough to know you wouldn’t want to expose yourself. I am your brother, after all.” Ashe picked up his drink once more and took a sip. “Unless it’s our father, none of the others will know you’ve joined the Order. I personally had the building emptied today to keep it that way.”

  “Why…?”

  Ashe shrugged while staring off into the distance. “I just felt like it, no other reason besides that.”

  Tucker thought about the ploys his brother could have pulled. Throughout his entire life, there had never been a reason for them to get along. So why not? Why would his brother look out for him despite everything they had been through? They were enemies and rivals in a household of blood.

  After a pause, Tucker spoke. “You’re right; I didn’t come here just for a friendly conversation. I came here for your help.”

  “My help?” Ashe leaned forward with slight interest before his expression hardened. “You’ve never come to me for help. If you’re here, that means what you need from me isn’t something I can simply will into existence. So what is it you want?” he asked in a stern voice. “And speak clearly; I can’t stand the elegant bullshit those nobles use to get their way.”

  Tucker stared at his empty glass cup and sighed. “I need your wyvern knights to transport us to a location on the far end of the Avalon Empire. In the County of Ironmarch.”

  “The County of Ironmarch…” Ashe muttered to himself, picturing the map of their nations. “That’s thousands of kilometers away from here. In order to accomplish that, I would need them to fly through the dwarven realms. If I take into consideration periods for rest, it would take at least two days.”

  “Can it be done in one?” Tucker asked.

  “One?” Ashe immediately frowned and clicked his tongue. He ran his fingers through the strands of his brown hair and combed it back before falling deep into thought. “If I’m going to put aside resources like this at such a critical time, I need a reason.”

  Tucker hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was worth trusting his half-brother. But no matter how much he thought about it, there wasn’t much of a choice. He was the only one he could rely on now.

  “The Empire has a weapon of mass destruction. An artifact that can wipe out an entire city in the blink of an eye,” Tucker answered.

  “And the Order hasn’t moved?” Ashe crossed his arms. “No, it’s not that they haven’t moved, but that they won’t. That’s the reason you decided to meet me.”

  The watchman nodded. “I wouldn’t have come here without good reason, and let’s be honest here. We’ve never been close enough to see each other eye to eye.”

  “Why won’t they move? I believe that’s a fair question to have.”

  Tucker cupped his hands on his lap, fingers interlocked just enough to keep the frustration from spilling from his heart. “They don’t believe me. I haven’t proven myself to them, and I don’t have a shred of credibility to my name. The only thing that could’ve changed their mind was the memory orb we brought with us. But with the disruption array, we couldn’t record our findings in the tower.”

  Ashe couldn’t help but shake his head. “Hell of a situation you’ve landed yourself in.”

  “You don’t have to remind me,” Tucker said. “But is there anything you can do?”

  The Commander of the Wyvern Knights exhaled before crossing his legs. “You’ve brought up an interesting dilemma; I’ll give you that. Whether it’s within the realm of possibility depends on a few factors.”

  He raised three fingers. “How many soldiers are you transporting? What is the exact day you need this by? And most importantly…” Ashe’s gaze hardened. “How will you return?”

  “There’ll be a few hundred soldiers; we don’t expect more than four hundred. The operation will happen exactly forty-five days from now,” Tucker replied. “As for how we will return, there’s a teleportation platform in the tower. Once we take it over, that’ll be our way out.”

  “I don’t have enough wyverns to transport hundreds of men,” Ashe pointed out.

  “But do you have enough wyverns to lift several tons of weight?”

  Ashe raised a brow and slowly nodded. “We do. But are you absolutely certain there’s a teleportation device at the tower? Not every mage has one installed.”

  Tucker shut his eyes, his grip tightening. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  Ashe studied him for a long moment before pushing himself to his feet. “Very well, I’ll prepare what you need. You’ll have to gather your men here at the capital, but aside from that, I’ll handle the rest.”

  Tucker stood up and held out his hand. “I’ll return the favor one day.”

  Ashe glanced at the offered hand, then clasped it. “You don’t have to. You’re my brother. Having a little faith in you is the least I can do.”

  Once they had parted, Tucker brought his hand to his temple and gave a sharp salute. He solved one of the greatest hurdles in his plan. Now, all that remained was meeting Thomas and the soldiers who had answered his call. After their discussion was done, Tucker turned toward the door and bid a final farewell before slipping out.

  The spruce door opened with a light push and soon closed with a quiet thud, leaving Ashe to himself as he returned to his desk. Ashe’s gaze lingered on the couch Tucker had been sitting on, his eyes filled with a quiet pain.

  “You’re still such an awful liar,” he muttered.