Dawn came gray and bitterly cold. The forest looked wrong. Too still. Even the wind felt cautious moving through the trees. I rode ahead of the patrol, trying not to think about the fact that I had left Eli sleeping while I walked out before sunrise. Warren rode beside me. Silent until now.
“You’ve done border work before?” he frowned.
“A little.” I looked ahead.
“A little isn’t this.” He nearly laughed.
“That supposed to reassure me?” I glanced at him.
“No.” At least he was honest. Behind us, the rest of the patrol moved carefully through the snow-heavy trails. Six wolves total. Enough to investigate. Not enough for war. Yet. We reached the eastern ridge shortly after noon.
The forest changed there. Denser. Older. The trees twisted strangely, roots thick and exposed like claws brea
