Damien's POV
The war council felt different this time — not the desperate scramble of the Blood Moon crisis, but something steadier, more practiced, a Territory that had learned, through hard experience, how to prepare without panicking.
"Marek's forces number perhaps thirty," Lucas reported, tracing the map. "Considerably fewer than Riven's original army, but well-trained. Loyalists who left specifically because they wanted continued war, not peace."
"Motivated, then," Victor said grimly. "And increasingly reckless, if the burned outpost is any indication."
"We reinforce the northern settlements," I said. "Rotate additional warriors through Selene's territory specifically, since that's clearly where he's testing our response. And we continue Riven's restitution work without interrupti
