Minute by minute, time continued to pass. Zephyr sat alone in the grand hall of the Stevens Mansion, his impatience growing by the second.

He could not understand how the once-proud daughter he had raised had become so spineless. Aspen, who had always been confident and strong-willed, now sat there crying like a weak, helpless fool. It was humiliating.

The Stevens family's entire force was now in Jayrodale—a military presence strong enough to flatten anyone in their way. Taking down some nob