The Dragon Scales, #2
Emberclaw
by L. R. Lam
Contents
2. Magnes: The Chancellor
Overview
At Chancellor Yrsa’s deathbed, Magnes’s decades of manipulation are exposed when Yrsa’s violet magic brushes his mind and reveals his true nature. To protect his plans, Magnes smothers her and stages grief. He then resolves to delay her replacement, keeping control as his long-laid scheme nears fruition.
Summary
Magnes visits the dying Chancellor Yrsa of Swiftsea, reflecting on her decades of competent rule despite their fraught history since the Schism. As they speak, Magnes masks his grief and weighs the delicate political balance he has maintained: hiding the weakness of other Chancellors, monitoring the Veil with his Eyes, and turning rumors of dragons to his advantage.
When Yrsa’s seal flares and her latent mind-reading brushes Magnes’s thoughts, she glimpses his manipulations across years and recognizes what he truly is. Panicked, Yrsa calls for guards, incensed at being used and determined to expose him. Magnes decides exposure would end his plans and acts immediately.
He pins Yrsa, reveals dragon features, and smothers her with a pillow to leave no magical trace. After she dies, Magnes restores his human illusion, calls for help, and publicly leads prayers, presenting her death as a natural passing in his presence.
Returning to his tower, Magnes calms his seething magic and resolves to stall any immediate appointment of a new Chancellor, seeking distractions to keep Loc compliant until the next election. He reassures himself that his years of preparation are converging and that, with a final careful rebalance, nothing will stop his design.
Who Appears
- MagnesDragon in human guise; manipulates Loc’s politics, kills Yrsa to protect his secret, and plans to delay her replacement.
- Yrsa of SwiftseaDying Chancellor; briefly reads Magnes’s mind, realizes his deception, calls for help, and is smothered.
- Healer LordonMaster Healer who responds to Magnes’s summons, confirms Yrsa’s death, and joins the prayer.