POV: Araya
Three days after the scout's warning, the attack comes.
It's dawn when the alarm howls sound. Wolves stationed at the eastern border send up distress calls that echo through the mountains.
Araya bolts upright in bed, instantly awake. Ronan is already moving, pulling on his weapons and armor.
"They're here," Ronan says. His voice is grim but controlled. "Faster than we expected."
Araya dresses quickly in her leather armor, the same outfit she wore during her first major battle. It feels both familiar and foreign after two years of relative peace.
"Lucian," Araya says. "We need to get him to safety."
"Lyra and Selvara already have him," Ronan says. "They'll take him to the secure den deep in the mountain. He'll be protected."
Araya nods, trusting the sisters completely. Th
