Third person's POV
Inside the banquet, Sil stood near one of the tall windows, speaking with Liora and Rowan. His posture was relaxed now, the sharp authority he had shown earlier softened into something more conversational. Rowan stood beside Liora, one hand loosely tucked into his pocket, the other holding a glass he barely touched. His attention appeared divided—part of it on Sil’s words, part of it on Liora herself.
Liora listened as Rowan spoke about market integration and long-term cooperation between packs and human enterprises. His tone was calm, measured, and precise, each sentence structured like a well-placed move on a chessboard. She found herself quietly impressed again. Even after everything she had seen of him, moments like this still reminded her why so many feared
