Chapter 29: Emory

Emory and Virgil narrowly survive an assault by raven-serpent beasts. As Emory’s magic falters, a winged warrior in golden armor kills the creature, and a squad of draconics slaughters the rest. The knights question the group’s presence and hint that travel without guides is forbidden in these dangerous lands.

Suspicion rises when a page claims he saw Emory use magic. Emory layers Glamour into her denial, and the draconics accept it, naming the beasts corvus serpentes and leading the travelers to Heartstone, a tiered fortress-city carved into red stone. Aspen asks after Tol (Anatolius), and the Knight Commander reveals he has turned from the light and is sentenced to die in two days at the Chasm.

Given food and quarters, the group regroups while Aspen reels at Tol’s fate. Emory withholds deeper probing via Memorist magic after the ley line scare. In private, Romie confronts Emory about collapsing on the ley line and the vision of Keiran; Emory explains she accessed Aspen’s scrying power and was yanked into a sleepscape where Keiran warned her before pushing her out.

The conversation unravels into unresolved grievances. Romie condemns Keiran and challenges Emory for keeping secrets. Emory counters with the distance Romie kept the past year and asserts she has changed—grown powerful and decisive. The clash turns raw as Romie questions where Emory’s hunger for power stops.

Romie then reveals a concrete harm: on the ley line, Emory’s magic drained her. She labels Emory a Tidethief—leeching magic and life. Emory balks at the accusation, but the memory of Romie’s weakness haunts her. Romie, hurt and angry, leaves, and Emory is left with the looming deadline of Tol’s execution and a fractured bond with her closest friend.