Chapter 63 Book 2 - Epilogue

“Chancellor Vaelthorne,” the man said, kneeling.

“Rise, and approach,” the chancellor replied, beckoning him forward with one hand.

The man drew himself to his full height. Most of his face was hidden behind the blood‑iron mask he wore, leaving only his eyes, nose, and mouth visible. His heavy boots echoed through the stone chamber as he ascended the stairs toward the throne.

A Corrupted Fae woman followed in his wake. Her stark white hair was tied back in a tight bun, exposing her red eyes and ashen grey skin. The black leather armor she wore contrasted sharply with the man’s heavy metal plating, making her seem small beside him.

They stopped at the top of the stairs, waiting for the chancellor to speak. Vaelthorne steepled his fingers, blue eyes flicking between them. Behind him, sunlight poured through an enormous glass window, forcing them to squint to see his expression.

Unable to bear the silence, the woman dropped to one knee. “Chancellor Vaelthorne, I failed you. The prince and princess still live. The portal is closed, and my agents failed to capture the ones who closed it. If there is to be punishment, please punish me.”

The author's publishing page supplied this copy without consent; their chapter there is where readers support the work.

Vaelthorne raised an eyebrow. “Failed? We have hardly failed.” He shook his head. “Therondale’s army lies in ruins. The cursed Fae empires are in chaos. Our armies are prepared. These are mere setbacks—delays. Nothing more.”

“What are your orders, Chancellor?” the masked man asked, his voice deep and resonant.

“The two of you will journey to Therondale,” Vaelthorne said. “Together. It is time you involve yourselves more directly.”

___

Author’s Note: And that’s book 2!

Thank you for reading The Iron Lord II. I say this with every book but I truly mean it – without readers like you, my books would not exist. I would have given up writing long ago, and these ideas would just continue to sit in my head and drive me crazy – so thank you.

If you’ll indulge me a little longer…

I finished writing this book fast. Not because I cut corners on quality, but because there were days that I felt like I couldn’t stop writing. The story kept pulling me forward, and as a reader I hope that you felt the same way. There’s still so much left to cover in this world I’m creating, and I hope you stick with me as I build it out.

As always, if you enjoy what I’m writing and want to get in touch, please check out my website!

-F