PROLOGUE

It was a small chapel, one with nothing more than a few pews and an altar.

There were no windows on the walls; the only thing that let in any sun at all were the portals in the ceiling, which made the interior a dim place, even during the day.

But for a brief moment in the morning, dazzling rays from above bathed the altar in light. It was precisely within that veil of sunshine that several people kneeled.

One was a girl with beautiful silver hair that glowed white in the golden light. A banner of red fabric had been laid out before her. A lone wolf, embroidered in gold thread, stood on that field of red.

The wolf seemed to be gazing off into the distance, or perhaps it was turning away in irritation, keeping its right paw on the scripture and an ear of wheat in its left.

A woman sporting hair the color of the sun stepped forth to stand across from the girl and the banner.

She bowed briefly toward the altar before turning to face the girl again. When she did, her hand was already gripping the sword hanging from her hip.

In a breath, she unsheathed her sword, the blade glinting even in the dim light of the chapel.

“Do you pledge loyalty to this banner?”

After uttering that brief phrase, she pointed the tip of her sword toward the girl’s head.

“I do.”

The woman nodded slightly and raised her blade again to adjust her grip. Then she placed the flat edge on the girl’s shoulder.

“Then under my name, and under the name of God, I knight you.”

The sword graced the girl’s shoulders twice.

“Dame Myuri, henceforth, you shall live with your companions under this banner.”

Myuri lifted her silver-topped head and accepted the banner from Hyland.

From this moment on, she was a knight who fought for her banner and her honor.

Any who gathered under this banner would be her family, her brothers and sisters, her closest companions.

With Hyland’s help, she wrapped the banner around her—which made it look as though flames were falling from her shoulders.

She pressed her face against the fabric and inhaled deeply.

Then Myuri whipped around to face Col.

“Brother!”

This was their small order of knights, just for the two of them.

The sunlight gilded her smile.