The training courtyard of the Palace of Black Blood was located in an isolated area of the northern wing, surrounded by high walls, black columns, and ancient statues of vampires in battle poses. It was not a field made for ordinary soldiers. The ground was reinforced with red runes, the walls had layers of impact absorption, and several deep marks in the stone showed that creatures far stronger than humans had trained there for centuries.
Kael was alone.
At least, that was what he wanted.
He had left Sylphie, Irelia, and Amelia resting after a long morning of discussions, documents, and messages sent to the Kingdom of Witches. Eleonor's answer had not yet arrived, Elion was probably still reading the first copied seals of the Order, and Yggdrasil... well, Yggdrasil was probably complaining about being indirectly involved in yet another problem Kael had brought to her roots.
So he decided to train.
But, for the first time in a long while, there was no sword in his hands.
