The wind that swept across Silvercrest carried the scent of blooming nightshade and damp earth. Summer had started to slip away, giving rise to crisp twilight air and a sky dusted with stars. Beneath the ancient Moonfire Tree, Evelyn stood quietly, her silver cloak fluttering in the breeze as if whispering stories of the past.
The tree, sacred and enormous, stood at the edge of the castle grounds, its bark shimmering faintly under the moon’s soft glow. It had once been a place of judgment… now, it was a place of memory.
A tribute had been built here—stone tablets bearing the names of those who had fallen during Kaelen’s uprising. The final piece had just been carved.
Evelyn traced a fingertip over one name: Lyra Ashborne. Her Beta. Her friend.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“You always co
