The moment Nova and Kade arrived at the council chamber with the gnome's body wrapped in Kade’s shirt, silence fell like a storm cloud.
Alaric stood slowly, eyes narrowing at the smoking bundle. “Tell me that’s not what I think it is.”
Kade dropped the corpse at the base of the stone table. “It crossed our wards.”
Gasps rippled around the chamber. Elder Marla leaned forward, her sharp gaze flicking to Nova. “Inside the inner grove?”
“On the edge of our porch,” Nova said, her voice hard. “It was watching River.”
Bellamy swore under his breath. Thorn wasn’t back yet. The council had been restless even before this. Now, panic lurked behind every expression.
“It means they’ve found a way past the enchantments,” Clementine said, her staff thudding once against the stone. “Or they’ve found
