CHAPTER 40:
The air in the main house was heavy and still when I stepped inside. The messenger stood near the hearth, wrapped in a dark cloak, his head bowed, his hands clasped before him. He looked young, barely more than a boy, and when he lifted his face, his eyes were wide with fear and sorrow, as if he already regretted the words he had come to speak. The core leaders waited in silence—Cole, Kael, Knox, Jax, Zane, Micah, Brenn, Mara—all standing, all watching, no one speaking, every breath held.
“I bring the word of the High Council,” the messenger said, his voice trembling but clear. “The Twin Crown is an abomination. The gathering of the clans without their leave is treason. You have until the next full moon to disband your forces, surrender the twins to the capital, and swear fea
