Page 242 of Elemental Becoming

Master Orlon hums in thought. “The wards are crafted from dragon magics. Combined with our runes, they should not have failed.”

His golden eyes reflect the sunlight pouring through the windows.

“And yet they did.”

Rowena leans forward, her fingers tapping against the table. “Then the question isn’t whether someone helped them.”

She looks around the table.

“It’s who.”

SHADOWED HAND

THIRTY-THREE

The wily and clever corvid is hard to capture. It requires complicated traps, specific bait, and carefully placed decoys. It watches from afar, learns from failure, and grows suspicious of anything too obvious. A hunter who relies on force or haste will never catch it; success comes only through patience, preparation, and an understanding of the bird’s nature.

—VALEN’S JOURNAL

AMARA

Valen exhales. “Not just any traitor. Someone with enough influence to have access to the inner workings of our defenses.”

It’s Garrick who says what we are all thinking. “The Shadowed Hand is here.”

The words settle over the chamber like an omen.

My stomach tightens at the name. Thane mentioned them after the attack at the ball. My thoughts turn, sorting through what little I know. The pieces aren’t complete, but they are there.

Around the table, the council falls silent, each person considering the implications. I straighten, squaring my shoulders.

“I’ve only heard a little of them,” I say, my voice steady even as my pulse quickens. My gaze moves from Sienna to Edric, meeting each of theirs without hesitation. “How do we know who they are? How do they operate? What do we actually know?”

The questions hang in the air. Edric is the one who answers.

“They began as Selene’s spies during the Shadow Wars. When she retreated into the Shadow Realm, they remained behind.”

A cold knot forms in my stomach.

Sienna picks up where he left off.

“They operate in the shadows, hiding in plain sight. There is no formal hierarchy. No public leaders. No banners.” Her voice remains calm, the way still water remains calm before revealing its depth. “Most people will go their entire lives without realizing they’ve encountered one.”

“They are everywhere,” Master Orlon says. “Merchants. Advisors. Courtiers. Messengers. Scholars. Anyone could be one.”

I frown. “How long have they existed?”

Edric folds his arms. “The oldest records describe a network devoted to preserving Selene’s influence after the Shadow Wars. While the rest of the realm buried her history, they protected it.”

“And while the kingdoms rebuilt,” Orlon adds, “the Shadowed Hand worked to ensure she was never forgotten.”

I frown. “But if Selene has been trapped in the Shadow Realm all this time—”

“She isn’t trapped,” Thane says.

The words cut through the room. Every eye turns toward him. His expression is hard as stone.

“The Shadow Realm became her kingdom. She chose it.”