The afternoon sun painted the valley in gold, the air thick with the scent of roasting meat and wildflowers. Colorful banners stretched between wooden poles, their edges fluttering in the late-summer breeze. From where Ariana stood at the edge of the festival grounds, the pack looked… happy. Children darted between the stalls, their laughter mixing with the deep, resonant hum of drums. Wolves in human form moved in clusters, some carrying mugs of frothing ale, others dancing in open circles.
It was a world far removed from Kael’s dark council chambers and the constant whispers of war.
“This,” Kael said, stepping up beside her, “is what we fight for.”
His voice was softer than she expected, almost wistful. He wore a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, the lean strength of h
