Deputy Commander Edward looked down on Stoneheart City, his attention fixed every moment on Elara—his student. The Deputy Commander had no children of his own; Elara was a student in name, but the good life she lived was the one a child by blood should have. From spells to magic items, from pets to life-saving trump cards, from the lessons of hard experience to fiefs of land, Elara's growth all along the way carried the Deputy Commander's shadow. Beyond Orion, the one who'd shaped Elara most was Deputy Commander Edward.
"Soon. The little one's banking it up fast—making demigod is a matter of time." In Orion's eyes, Elara's foundation lay open at a glance; she wanted only a little more seasoning and seasoning's fire.
