Leofric’s POV
Silence had teeth. It chewed through the war room, ripping at whatever resolve remained in the air. The map of the kingdom lay between us, stained with ash and streaked blood. Morwenna stood at the edge of the table, stillness carved into her bones. Her hair was bound back, tight and ruthless, and her fingers never strayed far from the shard.
She hadn't spoken since the vision. Since the crypt. Since the fire.
Sabine lingered near the window, her face unreadable. Outside, smoke climbed toward a dawn that refused to rise.
"He moves before the moon shifts," I said, pointing to the red stones marking Aedric's line. "And he's not alone. The woman beside him—"
"Is not human," Morwenna cut in. Her voice held no tremor. Only fact.
Sabine's gaze snapped toward her. "You saw her
