Asher stayed with the system a little longer, just long enough to be sure nothing new was forming beneath the calm.
Then he stepped away.
Not because the work was finished—but because it no longer needed him there.
A working system could stand on its own for a while. Watching it too closely would only create dependence. Asher recorded his final checks, closed the thread cleanly, and shifted his attention elsewhere.
Another task waited.
It was quieter on the surface, but heavier underneath.
The Land of Spirits had filed a formal absence notice.
The Fairy King was missing.
Not declared dead.
Not overthrown.
Not replaced.
Simply… gone.
That alone was a problem.
Fairy courts did not tolerate uncertainty. Power in the spirit realms was tied to presence. If a king vanished without explanation, the land itself reacted—laws blurred, borders weakened, old pacts strained.
Asher reviewed the initial reports.
No signs of struggle.
No surge of hostile energy.
