The couple returned to the Silver Dragon Sanctuary before evening. Dinner was simple yet cozy, though the absence of their daughters’ chatter made the table feel somewhat empty. They hadn’t spent much time apart all summer, so the quietness felt especially noticeable now that the school year had started.

Leon idly toyed with his fork, poking at the leftover food on his plate. Although he hadn’t eaten his fill, his appetite was nowhere to be found. His mind was a mess, filled with Claudia’s words from earlier that day.

They’d always thought investigating Shadow and Adam’s schemes was their top …