Thorne Estate
The Thorne Estate loomed beneath the clouds.
From above it looked less like a mansion and more like a fortress—wide walls carved with ward marks, watchtowers lined with lights, courtyards patrolled by armored hunters. Beyond the gates stretched the gardens, once beautiful but now overgrown, their twisted branches hiding steel traps and runes.
Kaelis circled high once, golden wings cutting the night. "Ugly nest," he rumbled, smoke slipping from his jaws. "They've been preparing for someone like you."
Lucian's eyes narrowed as he studied the sprawl of lights and barriers below. "Not someone like me. Me."
Kaelis barked a short laugh that shook his scales. "True enough." He tilted, wings folding slightly. "Hold on, rider. It's time for your entrance."
They dropped.
