Ardent Ascension: Court of Mystery, #13

Ardent Ascension

A Court of Mystery Novel

Sarah E. Burr

Spotlight Publishing Productions

Copyright © 2022 Sarah E. Burr

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Cover design by Sarah Burr at Spotlight Publishing Productions

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Reader Note

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Acknowledgments

Author’s Note

About The Author

Other books by Sarah E. Burr

The Court of Mystery series

The Ducal Detective

A Feast Most Foul

A Voyage of Vengeance

A Summit in Shadow

Throne of Threats

Paradise Plagued

Burdened Bloodline

Sovereign Sieged

Crown of Chaos

Harrowed Heir

Ravaged Reign

Innocence Imprisoned

Ardent Ascension

Eternal Empire

More Cozy Mysteries by Sarah

Trending Topic Mysteries

Glenmyre Whim Mysteries

Book Blogger Mysteries

www.saraheburr.com

Welcome to the Realm of Virtues…

Centuries ago, priests of the Ancient Faith lorded over the continent, building their empires on fear and greed. Poverty and sickness ravaged the world, forcing a faction of rebels to rise and overthrow these tyrants preaching in the name of silent gods. The leaders of this movement, known in the annals of history as the Rebirth, proclaimed the realm would no longer answer to nameless demons and gods, but to the virtues of bravery, humility, kindness, and intelligence. Sealing their pact, these newly anointed leaders drank the dew of the fabled kingsleaf flower, marking them and their offspring forever as destined rulers of the realm with their royal eyes. Under their care and guidance, the dukedoms flourished for over five hundred years.

Yet, inequality and injustice persist. Malevolent foes plot their next move. It is up to Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier and her loyal companions to root out the evils that haunt the Realm of Virtues.

Reader Note

For an enhanced experience, consider reading Ruined Remnants, a Realm of Virtues story, before embarking on the Duchess’s latest adventure.

This short story is free and accessible to those who sign up for Sarah E. Burr’s newsletter. This short story is also available in the 2025 eBook and print editions of A Voyage of Vengeance, Book Three in the Court of Mystery series.

Discover more at www.saraheburr.com.

Chapter One

S o, there you have it.

Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier pressed her lips together as she assessed the woman seated on the opposite side of her desk. The Duchess of Saphire did her best to make sense of the fantastical story she’d just heard, but even she had to admit, she was rather baffled.

A light chuckle came from the handsome man seated next to her. It’s not often Jax is left speechless. Lord Percival Pettraud gave his wife’s hand an affectionate squeeze to let her know he was teasing.

Jax shot him a chiding glare but struggled to suppress an impish grin as she held his twinkling lavender gaze. Even after the unsettling news they’d just learned, Perry knew how to put her at ease.

Returning her focus to the anxious woman, Jax finally found the right comforting words. Thank you for trusting us with your story, Serafina. I know it cannot have been easy.

Serafina Braeknoch twisted the skirts of her crimson gown as she squirmed in her chair. This secret has been kept from the ducal families for hundreds of years. Her words held a hint of remorse.

Jax rose from her desk chair and glided to Serafina’s side. She placed a reassuring palm on the Beautraudian scholar’s trembling shoulder. I swear to you, on my life, that you will not regret putting your faith in me. I will help you with this quest however I can.

Serafina glanced upward. Her prismatic eyes, so much like glittering diamonds, shimmered with tears. I will hold you to your oath, Duchess. Thank you.

Jax smiled and dipped her chin in reverent promise before returning to her seat. It seems our worlds are colliding. She motioned to the piece of parchment lying on the desk between them. You believe this letter mentions one of the Virtuous Favors? The phrase sounded foreign on her lips, but Jax quelled the internal storm writhing within her.

I do. The wax emblem used to seal the message, Serafina began, reaching to pick up and examine the parchment, looks strikingly familiar. A blazing sun hovering high in the sky…Its style and composition remind me of the sigil used by my ancestor, Gwendolyn Dawnbourne.

One of Allonious Xavier’s four trusted confidantes? Jax asked in clarification, doing her best to keep her temper in check. After all, she was not angry with Serafina. No, not in the slightest.

Her annoyance stemmed from her own ancestor’s elaborate acts of deception. How could Allonious Xavier, the first Duke of Saphire and one of the founding members of the Realm of Virtues, ask such a terrible oath from the people he considered his closest friends? How could he instruct his four dearest companions to give up everything they’d fought and worked for to steal priceless treasures and live out their days in hiding? Were these Virtuous Favors—ancient relics thought to be imbued with magical, divine power—really as dangerous as Allonious had believed? To Jax, magic was a concept created by storytellers, spread through fables and tall tales. How could such a fantastical notion even be possible?

Yes. Gwendolyn was a founding member of the Forgotten Ones. Well, that’s the special term only my father used when referring to the guardians of the Virtuous Favors. Serafina’s response pulled Jax away from her warring thoughts.

From the shadows of the study stepped Jax’s longtime friend and protector, Captain George Solomon. While Serafina had shared her incredible story with Jax and Perry, George had stood silent, observing the scene. He spoke up. It’s believed that these four trusted members of Allonious’s court spirited the Favors to opposite ends of the realm to live out their days in secrecy. Savant is as far from Saphire as a person can go. It makes sense that one of Gwendolyn’s counterparts would flee to its lands.

Perry ran a hand through his dark, wild curls. I’m having a hard time believing Lenora has anything to do with this. She’s a fine healer, but the secret custodian of some ancient, powerful artifact…? His voice trailed off, his question laden with skepticism.

Jax, too, had trouble wrapping her mind around this news. Mistress Lenora Solis served as the Duchy of Pettraud’s court physician for many years and was like family to Perry and his brothers.

You may be right, Perry. Serafina leaned forward across the desk as she pointed to a passage in the note. "Lenora may consider this relic to be just a precious heirloom. Perhaps, over the centuries, its importance has faded from memory in the Solis bloodline. For all we know, they may not be aware of its tempestuous history."

Jax took the note from Serafina. They’d received Lenora’s letter more than a fortnight ago after concluding a rather tumultuous stay in the Duchy of Tandora. At the time, Lenora’s request had been strangely vague and made little sense to her, but upon returning to Saphire and hearing Serafina’s story, Jax now read it with greater understanding.

My dear Lord Pettraud,

I write with troubling news that I trust very few with. The situation with your brother Elias has the entire palace on edge. As for your other brothers…I'm not sure I can rely on them as I once did.

I received word from my younger sister that our estate in Proviencia was robbed by a man who bears a striking resemblance to Elias. What he might be doing in Savant, I do not know. Apparently, the thief tricked my sister and brother, drugging them with a sedative. When my siblings awakened, they found that a precious heirloom had been stolen. The poison used to incapacitate them has left my brother and sister extremely ill, which is why they wrote to me, seeking help.

The importance of this heirloom to our family is beyond words, Perry. It must be recovered. I wish I had the strength and fortitude to do so myself, but my time of adventuring came to an end long ago. This is a delicate matter, and there are few I can trust. I hope you might lend me your aid.

Best,

Lenora

When Perry first received this letter, Jax’s immediate concern stemmed from the latest sinister actions of Perry’s eldest living brother, Elias. Reinforced by Lenora’s suspicions and his penchant for using poisons, there was no doubt in Jax’s mind that Elias Pettraud was responsible for the attack against the Solis family.

As the youngest of seven sons, Perry hadn’t enjoyed a healthy relationship with his brothers in his youth. In fact, it wasn’t until his marriage to Jax that Perry reconnected with his family and put their stormy past behind them.

Or at least, that was what Perry and Jax believed.

When Perry’s father, Lord Cornelius, had abdicated the throne of Pettraud to Perry, Jax assumed his siblings had graciously accepted the decree. She had been sorely wrong. In the months that followed his ascension, Perry fell victim to a terrible plot orchestrated by Elias Pettraud. Elias—and conceivably Perry’s other brothers—had been secretly poisoning Perry with a crippling herb called wispmark. The wispmark had turned Perry into a paranoid, cruel man, his mental faculties under attack by the herb’s hallucinogenic properties. He’d become obsessed with Pettraud’s legacy and began distancing himself from his once-beloved wife. Perry had gone so far as to write a Code of Succession, a formal declaration leaving the Duchy of Pettraud in his brother Galahad’s hands rather than any heir to whom Jax might give birth. It wasn’t until Jax’s astute court physician, Charles Montivarius, discovered the poison, that the skilled healer managed to reverse the damage done to Perry’s ravaged mental state.

When Perry learned of Elias’s betrayal, he promptly relinquished his throne to Jax, wishing to leave the political arena behind him. In turn, Jax sent a group of Saphirian soldiers to Pettraud to apprehend Elias and uncover the extent of his foul deeds. Unfortunately, by the time Archibald Highriver and his men arrived in the northern territory, Elias had vanished into thin air. Perry’s remaining brothers, Kaul, Isaiah, and Galahad, all claimed to know nothing of Elias’s devious plot or his current location. The verdict was still out on whether Jax believed them. She wanted to, very badly. Perry had experienced enough pain and hardship when it came to family. She’d hate for him to lose the brotherly bonds he’d only just restored over some selfish play for power.

With this recent letter from Lenora about Elias causing havoc in Savant, Jax saw no reason for Vice-Admiral Highriver to remain in Pettraud any longer. She’d written to Highriver with the news, summoning him and his men back to Saphire. In two weeks’ time, Highriver would be returning with Kaul, Isaiah, and Galahad in tow.

Yet, a myriad of troubling questions still raged within her. Why would Elias steal an heirloom from Lenora’s family? Was he desperate for gold, or was Serafina right? Could it be one of these strange Virtuous Favors Elias was after? If that were the case, how did Elias know about their existence? Jax had never heard of the Virtuous Favors before now. Was Perry’s brother somehow involved with the mysterious man Serafina called the Dark Magus, the man who had ordered Qylvard Savant to steal the Kindheart medallion from her?

To calm her anxious mind, Jax studied the Solis family crest embedded into the letter’s wax seal with a practiced eye. She’d barely glanced at the emblem until now. The longer she stared at it, the more her clever mind began to hum with excitement. Something about the blazing sun resting above a rolling hillside tickled the recesses of her memory. You know, I feel as if I’ve seen this crest somewhere before.

George moved closer to the desk, a frown etched into his tan skin. Have you ever had dealings with the Solis family?

She shook her head. I’m ashamed to admit, I didn’t even know Solis was Mistress Lenora’s surname until recently.

If it makes you feel any better, Perry said sheepishly, I didn’t know her family had their own crest. Lenora never mentioned her family’s noble standing being high enough to rate one.

Jax held the document out to her husband. Really? You’ve never seen this?

Perry shrugged. Not in relation to Lenora, no. But… He squinted at the seal. Well, now that you mention it, Jax, why do I feel like I’ve seen this or something like it before?

A growing sense of urgency roiled within Jax’s chest. Serafina, she asked, "you mentioned that the Solises’ sigil reminded you of your family’s emblem. Might you be able to draw it for us?" Jax realized she had already requested much from this woman today but hoped Serafina would oblige.

The corner of Serafina’s lips curled into a grin. I can do you one better. She reached beneath the collar of her gown and pulled forth a gold chain. My father gave this necklace to me when I first began my training. It bears the crest of Gwendolyn Dawnbourne.

Jax marveled at the intricate craftsmanship of the small, circular pendant. A glowing sun peeking just above sloping hills had been pressed into the gold. The rolling hillside perfectly mirrored the one featured on the Solis family seal. A striking resemblance, indeed.

As Jax took in every line, a memory flashed before her eyes, making her go cold at the long-forgotten thought. She had seen this crest before. But back then, it had not been molded into gold. No, Jax had encountered Gwendolyn Dawnbourne’s sigil etched into the very bedrock of the earth.

Chapter Two

Jax saw recognition flash through Perry’s eyes not a second later.

We’ve encountered this symbol, Jax. During our engagement tour, remember?

Although it had been nearly two years ago, Jax would never forget their glorious and eventful summertime journey. After Perry had asked for her hand in marriage, Jax took him on a grand tour of Saphire, introducing her citizens to their future Prince Consort. During the final leg of their trip, Jax and Perry visited a small hamlet called Favored Crossing on Saphire’s southern border. At the time, Favored Crossing had been experiencing issues with a phantom whom the locals believed haunted the ruins of an old, dilapidated Ancient Faith temple. Eager to aid the frightened villagers, Jax and Perry snuck out on a secret adventure to search the ruins and discover the phantom’s true identity. A young woman named Emeraude Odaire had been living beneath the temple, although what Emeraude was doing amongst the ruined remnants remained a mystery.

While exploring the collapsed temple in pursuit of Favored Crossing’s mysterious ghost, Jax and Perry had stumbled upon an underground shrine. Several icons, along with the Xavier family crest, had been carved into the stone above the altar. The Dawnbourne emblem Serafina wore around her neck had been one of them.

How could I forget, darling? Jax answered Perry’s lingering question as she continued to examine the necklace, her mind a hurricane of activity. Serafina’s story puts what we found near Favored Crossing into an entirely new perspective.

Serafina’s brow wrinkled at Jax’s cryptic words. "Favored Crossing?"

Jax quickly explained how their engagement tour had led to the curious discovery of the Xavier family crest carved into stone under an abandoned, centuries-old Ancient Faith temple. At the time, I found it incredibly vexing as to why my family’s sigil would be associated with a temple of the Faith, given the longstanding distrust between the Faith and the Children of Virtues. But I’m embarrassed to admit, those baffling questions were overtaken by more pressing matters at the time. Jax felt her cheeks warm with shame. She had a reputation across the realm for solving mysteries, yet she had allowed one to slip right through her fingers.

At her discomfort, Perry chuckled. I think you can give yourself a bit of slack in this case, Jax. But you’re right about one thing. Serafina’s story does put what we found underneath those ruins in a new light.

George cocked his head to the side. I never got to examine this altar you mentioned. What do you two think it means?

Jax pointed to Lenora’s letter. Below the Xavier crest, we saw four icons carved into the stone. Time had worn away most of the details, but I remember Gwendolyn Dawnbourne’s sigil being very clearly among them. What if each of the carvings were the house crests of these Forgotten Ones?

George frowned. If that’s the case, why would these crests be carved into the tunnel under an old Ancient Faith temple?

Jax closed her eyes, trying to recall the altar more clearly. It had been so very dark in the underground tunnel, and their adventure had been quite long ago…

There were markings beneath the emblems! she suddenly exclaimed. I didn’t really think anything of it at the time. I thought them just to be blemishes in the bedrock. But what if, she hurriedly explained, they meant something? What if Allonious requested his companions give him some sort of sign that they were still alive?

Perry stroked his clean-shaven chin. Yes. Yes, I remember them, too. You might be onto something, my dear. They looked like deliberate carvings.

It stands to reason that Allonious couldn’t risk meeting his friends in person for fear his scheme to hide the Virtuous Favors from the world would be discovered. Jax grew more excited as her theory formed. But what if, once every few months, or even a year, each individual returned to a specified place and carved a simple mark underneath their crest, indicating to the others that they still were alive, and their covenant remained intact?

And what better location for this secret communication than an abandoned Ancient Faith temple in Saphire, where no Child of the Virtues would ever be found? Perry marveled at her explanation. It’s bloody brilliant how your mind works, Jax.

She beamed at his praise. Well, it’s just a theory at the moment. Jax glanced sheepishly at Serafina and George, knowing she had taken a few wild leaps in logic.

Serafina tapped her chin. You paint an interesting picture.

George folded his arms, his warm chocolate eyes a storm of uncertainty.

Jax noted how her friend’s gaze never left Serafina’s lovely figure, and a knowing smile tugged at her lips.

I’d be interested in visiting the ruins you speak of. Serafina’s brow set in a determined line. I believe your theory holds merit, Jax. The name ‘Favored Crossing’ can’t be a coincidence.

When Jax and Perry expressed confusion, Serafina continued. "A meeting place for those guarding the Virtuous Favors?" She arched an eyebrow as she emphasized the last word.

Jax’s breath caught in her throat. The connection between the Virtuous Favors and the name Favored Crossing hadn’t even entered her mind.

Maybe Allonious’s companions left some covert clues about their locations? Serafina now looked to George. It’s the best lead I’ve gotten about where the other Virtuous Favors might be located. She tugged at the other chain around her neck, pulling it from underneath her dress collar.

Jax stared at the glittering medallion, stunned by its breathtaking brilliance. A sparkling, rare aquamarine gem radiated from its center. The longer she stared at the pendant, the more the world around her faded away. Soon, her royal