“Crystal.”
He turned and started walking, and the rest of us followed.
By the time we reached the outer ridge the sun had started lifting over the trees and the forest smelled damp and sharp in the cold morning air.
The warriors spread into formation automatically, and Ezra slowed once we got close enough that the border line was more felt than seen.
Wolves always knew when they were standing at the edge of territory. The air changed and instinct paid attention.
I stayed where he told me to stay, a few steps behind him, close enough to see everything but far enough back that no one could accuse Ezra of being distracted by me.
Then I saw them. Christopher’s warriors stood in the tree line on the far side of the border.
They were not hiding. They were spread through the trees with cle
