Sterling territory was chaos. Not the kind they'd faced before. No ritual circle. No black-eyed monsters. No enemy lurking in the shadows, pulling strings.
Just fire. Fear. Confusion everywhere.
"Grain stores," Rhys said grimly, already dismounting and shouting orders toward the warriors scrambling to form bucket lines against the spreading blaze. "Not the pack house itself. Whoever did this wanted to hurt us, not simply announce themselves."
Bianca caught one of the exhausted warriors fighting the flames, urgency sharp in her voice. "Who did this?"
"Riders," the warrior gasped between exhausted breaths, passing another bucket down the line. "Came through an hour ago, maybe less. Ashford colors, but not royal guard militia, local loyalists, angry about the council's decision. They shou
