Natalie POV
The heavy iron crates of Moonlight steel were hauled out of the cavern by the vanguard, their chains clinking rhythmically in the freezing air. The mountain pass had become a bustling hive of military movement, with Marcus directing the packing of the wagons while the mages maintained the defensive perimeter runes.
I stood near the edge of the granite platform, watching the silver basin below. The wind had died down to a sharp, whispering chill, but the air remained dense with the heavy, unyielding fragrance of cinnamon and bitter chocolate that always signaled Richard’s presence. He had not left my side since the cavern doors ground open, his massive frame a constant shield against the watchful, calculated stares of his own warriors.
*“The integration is deepening, Natalie,
