The attack began at dawn, which was rude.
Aria had always believed that if someone intended to start a war, they could at least have the courtesy to wait until after breakfast. The settlement of Briar Hollow had barely stirred when the first scream cut through the morning air—sharp, terrified, and unmistakably real.
Moonfire answered before Aria consciously did.
It flared inside her veins like a struck match in dry grass, heat surging through her chest so abruptly she nearly dropped the mug in her hand. The liquid sloshed dangerously close to the rim.
“Of course,” she muttered, setting it down. “They couldn’t let me enjoy one peaceful morning.”
Across the clearing, Silvercrest warriors were already snapping into motion. Briar Hollow lay just beyond the eastern treeline—a small allied
