Chapter 124

Seraphina's POV The capital city of Valdris had always intimidated me, but now it felt actively hostile. As our small procession made its way through the cobblestone streets toward the High Council chambers, I could feel the weight of countless stares. Word of our transformation had spread, and the reactions ranged from curious whispers to outright fear. "They're treating us like a plague," Kaelos muttered through our bond, his dragon senses picking up the subtle signs of people avoiding our path. "Can you blame them?" Ruvan replied mentally, his scholarly mind analyzing the crowd's behavior. "To them, we represent fundamental change to everything they understand about magic and power." I tried to project calm confidence as we walked, but inside, our shared anxiety was building. The High Council's summons had been formal and cold, with no indication of what specific charges or concerns we would face. All we knew was that our right to serve as Guardians was being questioned. Callista ro