Alaric's POV
Corwin came back from patrol later than expected, and something about his face when he walked into the hall made me set my papers down before he even said a word.
"You're back late," I said.
"Ran into something on the ridge." He hesitated, which wasn't like him. "We'll talk after the council. It's not urgent enough to interrupt this."
I wanted to press him on it right then, but the council doors were already opening, Elders filing in, ranking wolves taking their usual seats along the long table. Whatever Corwin had seen would have to wait.
"Let's get through this first," I said, my head had already started that familiar swimming sensation, the one I'd been fighting off since dawn.
I sat at the head of the table and forced myself through the opening reports, border update
