Chapter 57. The Broken Alliance

Dawn brought no peace to the Crown of Thorns.

The battered walls still stood, blackened by fire and scarred by siege, while the wolves within patched their wounds with whatever scraps they could find. Torn cloaks were pressed into service as bandages, shattered shields were broken down for splints, and the scent of blood clung stubbornly to stone and air alike. Every able-bodied fighter was pressed into service, and even the elders carried weapons now, their hands stiff but determined. The fortress groaned beneath the weight of too many fears spoken only in whispers and glances that lingered too long.

Selene stood atop the battlements, scanning the horizon where dark banners continued to gather in the distance. They marked the land like spreading stains, unmoving yet full of promise. She felt the tension deep in her bones, the collective breath held before a second and far harder blow. Below he