Dawn broke over the walls, and with it, the day of war arrived. The first c***k of sunlight struggled against the storm clouds gathering above the western ridge, but within the palace walls, the calm was brittle. Every stone seemed to hum with anticipation, every shadow a watcher. Selene tightened the straps of her armor, feeling the subtle pulse beneath her skin, the raw Omega energy she had sensed in the training yard, now rising like a tide that refused to be contained. Orion moved beside her, silent, gold eyes scanning the horizon, the weight of leadership pressing in on him as heavily as the approaching storm. Sable flanked them, muscles coiled, gaze sharp. The rest of the Enforcers fanned out behind: Riven, Talia, Eli, Lyric, and Selas, each carrying the readiness of warriors who had
