Sedora couldn't believe it. Her spells were working! After trying them out for so many days ever since she had come to the kingdom of Zor'gans, finally the spells had started working. She laughed like a mad woman as her wrinkly face wrinkled even more. With the help of those spells, she would soon raise an army of such corpses, of shadows, through the eyes of which she would see the world and use them to rule the Lore. The corpses or the Shadows would fight for her.

She picked up two yellow stones from a box on the side and cast a spell on them. The stones started glowing like fire. She dropped one each in place of his eyes and they fixed themselves inside the sockets. As soon as they rooted, they started to glow brightly.

​​

Sedora turned and walked to a mirror in the wall, which was framed with white bones that were jutting out like spikes. Once again she chanted a spell and the mirror showed what she wanted—the view from the corpse's eyes—the grey ceiling at the moment. Excited, she squealed with joy. "Things are going to get back on track!" she said.

Soon, she would leech off the powers of all those who these shadows will see through their eyes. She would live for thousands of years. She would be beautiful and young and powerful forever. She would become invincible!

She looked at Kar'den who was dumbfounded. "Why do you look so thunderstruck?" she asked as she wiped her bloodied hands on her apron. "Don't you want to rule the Lore?"

Kar'den got out of his shock. "If someone finds out about this abomination," he said pointing at the corpse, "they would ensure that we are outcast." He was not happy. "Do you know what that means? Whatever little alliance we have, will break. Not only that we do trade with other bordering kingdoms. They will ban us if they see what we are up to! I can't let my people suffer."

Sedora shook her head. She walked past her laboratory table towards him. "You want to rule the Lore and you don't want to do anything unconventional? I am no more the queen of Ixoviya. I have only my powers to work with. If you feel that you can deal with it, then no one can stop you from ruling this world."

Kar'den stared at her.

Sedora continued, "We will not reveal my shadows to the world until I have created an army of them. Until then I will freeze them all in a room below this floor. You don't have to worry about revealing them to the world because they would only work on my orders. Also, I am not ready to reveal them to the world. I need to consolidate my position so that I attack them all with full force!"

Kar'den canted his head to look at the corpse behind her. "So those are going to be your warriors?"

"Those are going to be my Shadows. They will be our warriors."

"What about Gayle?" he asked.

She smirked. "Nothing about him for now. Let him stay as my captive till I feel the need of his usefulness." Saying that she walked away.

"Freeze this Shadow and show me that you mean what you said." Kar'den doubted her words. "You have to make a vow with unbreakable spells that you won't use these against me or my people."

Sedora laughed at him and her grey hair came over her forehead. "Come here then!" she beckoned him with a finger.

When Kar'den reached, she held his hand over the body and chanted a spell. Red light circled them like a band of fire. "I vow to you that the Shadows won't work against you or your people!"

Kar'den nodded and the band dissipated into the air.

"Are you happy now?" she asked.

"You have to show me how you freeze them."

She guided him to the level below. He was stunned to see that she had carved out numerous holes in the black walls of the large cave-like room, which were filled with smoke. When he placed his hand inside, it was as if he had touched ice.

"Satisfied?" she asked.

"Yes!"

Kar'den left her over there and went back to his palace. He wouldn't see her anytime sooner. Tension radiated off his face. He opened a bottle of brew and walked to his harem.

---

'Quetz, do you think you will be able to handle Canton and Daryn?' Dawn asked him for the hundredth time. 'They are powerful sorcerers and I am scared that you would get affected by their magic.'

Quetz didn't reply. He was irritated with her overprotectiveness.

'Quetz?'

'Dawn! I told you so many times. I will be fine. I will roast Canton if anything happens to me!' That was his ultimate threat.

Dawn became all the more perturbed. Now not only she felt that Daryn and Canton were a threat to Quetz, she felt that even Quetz was a threat to them. 'Are you mad?' she shouted. 'I have decided that every time Canton will come, I will accompany them, so that both of us forward my magic training.'

'That would be nice!' said Quetz. He should have threatened her earlier. "Also what about that stupid Environmentalist? Do I need to burn him to death?'

'I have taken care of him. He won't bother us again.'

'Good!' He flew off and the conversation ended.

Dawn was eating her breakfast with Daryn when this conversation took place. She took in a deep breath and said, "You can definitely go there, but please don't hurt Quetz."

Daryn stared at her blankly. He folded the newspaper in his hand and kept it on the table. "And why would I hurt Quetz?" he asked.

"I mean don't hurt him accidentally also. I am afraid that if you do that he might become angry and breathe fire."

Daryn's lips pressed into a thin line. Then he said, "That is a funny thing to say. Ask your dragon to stay away while I am practicing magic!"

"Well, you know… he is a curious soul. That's why I have decided to come with you every time you go there. I will also further my magic training."

"What?" Daryn said angrily. "You are four months pregnant. I will not allow you to train your magic any more."

"Don't worry, I won't do anything that would risk the babies. Besides I will call Brantley. I am sure he would know which magic is safer for me," Dawn reassured him.

"And how would you call Brantley?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "It's not that he has a phone in the kingdom of Aztec. He needs to be summoned by going to Ulfric! Have you forgotten that?"

"Quetz can talk to his dragon, Rirsyr," she informed decisively. "And I will come!" Dawn got up and after collecting her purse she walked out of the dining hall leaving a stunned Daryn. He knew that no amount of telling her would stop her. His Luna was pretty stubborn at times. But he also knew that she loved both him and Quetz and her bond to both of them was strong as hell. Daryn got up and followed his wife to the parking area.

He had to meet Neal in the office on an urgent basis. He had news about Caleb and Sedora.