The castle grounds had begun to stir in subtle ways...more guards at the gates, whispers carried on the wind, candles being lit in windows as the evening crept in.
It was the night before the wedding.
And despite everything, the battles, the rites, the shadows I’d walked through, I felt oddly... serene.
Aiden had taken me back to his palace so I could rest, but my mind refused to settle. I found myself by the balcony, watching the last light disappear behind the jagged silhouette of the Blackwood trees.
Below, Shadowfang wolves were moving with purpose, preparing for the grand ceremony that would take place by the ancient Stone of Oaths.
Tents were erected, music instruments tuned, ceremonial fires stacked high but unlit. There was a sense of reverence in the air, and it wrapped itse
