The mountain did not sleep after the battle.
Fires burned in the lower courtyards as healers worked through the wounded. The air reeked of blood, smoke, and bitter herbs. Soft cries echoed through the stone corridors, mingling with the whispered prayers of those who feared dawn would bring more death.
Ivy sat alone on the edge of the eastern balcony, knees drawn to her chest, staring at the battlefield below.
Scorched earth stretched as far as she could see.
She could still feel them.
Every Shadow wolf she had destroyed.
Their final screams echoed faintly in her mind.
Her hands trembled.
“You’re not supposed to be out here.”
Rowan’s voice broke the silence.
She didn’t turn. “I can’t breathe inside.”
He stepped beside her, leaning against the cold stone railing. For a while, they
