Chapter 26 - A Plot of Tea

As the morning sun shone through the lofty windows and filled the room with a golden glow, Aryana sat in her chambers. The thick, old book that was strewn across her desk had kept her awake for hours, a work she had found in the palace library that contained mysterious references to the Silver Talon. The book's pages were brittle and had a dusty odor, but she didn't mind the odor. It was the absence of useful information that bothered her. As though touching the ink may somehow unlock the secrets she was looking for, Aryana traced her fingertips over the faded words. She had thought the book would provide her additional knowledge about the Silver Talon, serving as a legendary relic connected to the past of Arcanis, her realm. However, the more she read, the more she understood that this book was only a front, a devious cover for something much more sinister, Lycoria was right. Her faithful handmaiden, Veloria, came into the chamber carrying Aryana's breakfast, which consisted of a