The moon was hidden tonight, smothered by thick clouds that rolled across the sky like a funeral shroud. The Blackwood Fortress loomed in the distance, its jagged spires cutting into the heavens like the teeth of a predator. For most men, the sight alone would send shivers down their spine. For Ren, it was simply another obstacle.
But even he could feel it—something had shifted. The winds carried whispers, and his instincts screamed that the pieces on the board were no longer his alone to move.
“Shadow Guild activity has doubled in the western territories,” Kael reported, the disgraced knight turned loyal ally kneeling before him. His armor bore fresh scratches, proof of a recent skirmish. “Merchants speak of assassinations, missing caravans… and contracts whispered in back rooms. Someon
