The morning after our discovery, I made my decision. The weight of it pressed on me as I stood before the large window in my study, watching snow begin to dust the mountain peaks. The Silent City called to me like a whisper carried on the wind—a mystery left unfinished by my ancestor, now mine to solve.
"You've made up your mind," Lyra said from behind me. It wasn't a question.
I turned to face her. "I have. I'm going to the Veiled Land to find the Silent City."
She nodded, her violet eyes reflecting understanding rather than surprise. Over our years together, she'd come to know my mind almost as well as her own.
"The question now is how to approach the King," I continued. "This expedition requires resources beyond what I can personally provide."
"Theron won't like it," Lyra said with a slight grimace. "The kingdom has only recently found its footing after all the upheaval with the Heart-Gem."
