Brief
An orphan, taken in by the noble house of Laurenz—one of the most venerable lineages in the realm of Lumintrales. Within their halls, young Frederick is groomed to serve as the King’s next advisor, while Caden, the foundling, carves his place in the world as a hunter, taking on whatever perilous commissions fortune may grant him.
Yet shadows gather over the Kingdom of Lunar. Whispers spread through taverns and courts alike: the royal diviner has spoken of a star—a burning comet—that shall fall upon the land of Lumintrales. Some call it a harbinger of doom, others a trial set forth by the heavens.
If the prophecy is true, how might mortal hands avert such a fate? And if it is false… who dares profit from fear of the falling star?
It was one of those rare, quiet evenings—something the realm had not known in a long time. Caden stepped into the tavern: dark timber walls, lanternlight glowing against them, a tangle of voices carried on fiddle, flute, and lute. Mugs clashed, laughter spilled, and for a moment it felt as if the world had forgotten the prophecy of the comet.
He had just returned from a commission—a petty landlord brought low by a simple trick—and now the hunter sat at the bar with a tankard in hand, tapping his foot to the melody, almost against his nature. Watching the revelry, he wondered what it might have been like to grow up in such warmth.
Then he saw her. A flash of red hair, whirling like fire across the dance floor. Caden cared little for women, yet his eyes kept straying back to her untamed movement.
The tavern-keep leaned in with a knowing grin. “That one’s wild, traveler. Don’t waste your time—no man can tame her.”
Without looking away, Caden answered, “Wouldn’t it be an insult to the gods themselves to try?”
The woman barked a laugh, tossing a rag over her shoulder. “A wise tongue. Another beer?”
But before Caden could reply, the dancer’s gaze found his. He turned too late. She had already marked him, and she would not let a stranger sit idle. With a mischievous glint, she crossed the room, her fire drawing closer.
Caden braced as she stopped before him. “What do you want?” he asked, colder than he intended.
