KAEL
Torin's gaze hardened, his posture shifting in a way that made it clear the question mattered more than it sounded. "Tell me something, wolf. What does King Aurelian tell your people about the Forsaken Heights? What does the rest of the world think lives up here?"
The question was sharp, deliberate. Not casual curiosity.
I didn't rush my answer. "What makes you think the king talks about you at all?"
Torin let out a short breath. "Because you didn't walk in blind. You came ready for something worse. You expected disorder. Savagery. Feral rogues barely holding themselves together." His eyes tracked me closely. "I can see it in how you watch us. Someone has been feeding you stories."
I tilted my head slightly, keeping my voice even.
"You call yourselves the Forsaken Heights. Ever
