Chapter 35

On Avari Tower’s parapet, Florence meets Nyxaris to confront the Inferni ravaging Veilmar. Neville, a determined fluffin, insists on joining and nests on Nyxaris’s back. Despite fear, Florence mounts with Lunaya’s crossbow, Godsbane, and emberfern bolts as Nyxaris warns of the horrors to come.

They reach Veilmar amid devastation. Florence’s early Godsbane shots mostly miss; two strikes only irritate Vorago, who notices them and counters with fire. Nyxaris evades and urges calm, but the toxin’s effect proves insufficient. Adapting, Nyxaris sears Vorago with flame while Florence readies emberfern, finally landing a telling hit that makes Vorago stagger.

Nyxaris lures Vorago east to spare the city. Florence pleads for any remnant of Blake to surface. In a tight turn, she plants an emberfern bolt beneath Vorago’s eye ridge, provoking a furious charge. At that crisis, Neville scrambles up and sings a soft, uncanny lullaby. The melody soothes the Inferni; Vorago’s rage dims and he banks away toward the sea.

As Florence embraces Neville in relief, Nyxaris recognizes the song as healing magic he had forgotten. The respite ends instantly when a second red dragon erupts from the clouds over the Black Keep—Viktor, an Inferni with black-veined wings—bearing down on them, forcing Florence and Nyxaris into a new confrontation with dwindling bolts.