"Did you hear, Miss?" Ruby's voice bubbled with excitement. "Lord Adrian's gone off to war. They say it's a death trap out there."
I looked up from my work. "Doesn't matter how dangerous it is. It's got nothing to do with me. He's Lord Adrian—serving Alpha Alexander is his job."
With that, I stepped inside our little shop in Joravia Town, Ruby trailing close behind.
Joravia's a rainy place, and I'd been here a few months, starting with just a bit of my dowry. After a few wild spring downpours, I opened an umbrella shop. Sure, every household here has a stash of umbrellas—even the taverns keep spares for patrons—but a pretty umbrella? That's gold in Joravia. Ruby and I handcraft each one, every design unique, and the she-wolves here can't get enough.
It's slow work, though—three days pe
