Tiamat arrived without warning on a Tuesday afternoon, her ice-blue form descending from storm clouds that hadn't been there moments before. The temperature in the Silverstone gardens dropped twenty degrees in seconds, frost spreading across the grass in geometric patterns that hurt to look at directly.
Seraphina was in the middle of feeding Luna lunch—more of it ending up on both of them than in the baby's mouth—when she felt the dragon's presence through the mother-daughter connection. Luna's consciousness sparked with recognition and something that felt almost like... anticipation?
"The cold one is here. She's going to tell you the scary words."
"What scary words, baby?"
But Luna just looked at her with those too-aware eyes and continued trying to grab the spoon.
Damon appeared in the doorway, his Reality Anchor senses on high alert. "Tiamat's outside. She's requesting formal audience. Eleanor's already gathering everyone in the great hall."
