Seraphina Nightwing's Arc

Chapter 1 of 6

Seraphina Nightwing tightened the strap of her riding cloak and stepped into the shadowed hush of Nightshade Grove. She had spent years building toward a throne, but a queen without her stable was only half a queen. Poachers were closing in on the wild bloodlines, and she could not wait another season. She drew the frost wand from her belt. Its pale blue light traced shimmering lines in the air, mapping every rumored sighting she had gathered. The marks pointed deep into the grove, where an iridescent feather hung snagged on a low branch. A waypoint. A promise. The herd had passed this way. High above, a phoenix burned across the dark canopy like a torch in flight. Seraphina followed its glow. It led her to a hidden clearing where two Pegasus drank from a still pool. One was black as ink, with a long mane that fell like spilled night. The other was white as new snow, its tail brushing the moss. She moved slowly, soft ropes ready, voice low and steady. The black one tested her first. She held his gaze until he stepped close. The white mare followed, curious. By dawn, both wore her lead. Seraphina walked them home through the trees, two impossible creatures at her side. The grand white stable waited, its doors swinging open as if it had been expecting them. The first stalls were no longer empty. The hunt for a herd had begun in earnest.