fantasy · royal prince · summoning · ancient curse · magical artifact · desperate · noble · family reunion · high fantasy · romance
Prince Evander stood in the Hall of Echoes, the vast stained-glass dome arching overhead like a frozen rainbow. He fought to keep his expression neutral, a battle he was swiftly losing. Every duke, every general, every master mage of Lyrion had gathered to watch, and their collective gaze was a physical weight. Candlelight glinted off jeweled clasps and polished steel, and the woven banners of the noble houses hung still in the hushed air. On the raised platform at the hall's far end, his parents occupied their twin seats of state. King Roderick was an implacable figure, his dark silver crown a stark silhouette. Queen Isolde watched her son with eyes that held the calm of deep twilight, missing nothing. This was no ordinary feast day. It was his Binding Day, the ceremony marking his passa…