Chapter 25

Draven’s POV

Seraphine and I had just crossed back into our territory, the wind still thick with the stench of the Council’s rot. Adam, Ronan, and a handful of warriors followed close behind, but I didn’t bother to slow my pace. I vaulted off my horse before it came to a halt, hurling the reins to a waiting warrior. By the time the mount stopped, I was already halfway to the castle gate.

Mason fell into step beside me. “How did the meeting go?” he asked, his voice low and brisk.

“Bad,” I replied, offering no further explanation. There simply wasn’t the energy to elaborate. It was all bad.

The Eclipse Pack had returned, infiltrating North Central like vermin—and now they were after the Phoenix Stones. If Father had surrendered the stone, we were already doomed. If he hadn’t, it meant we had no idea where it was. We’d have to rely on Seraphine and her witches to sniff it out. In the meantime, I had to prepare for war.

I came to a stop and turned to