Veyran's POV

The strategy room was carved from the heart of the Darklands fortress—all black stone and flickering torchlight, maps spread across the massive table like battle scars. My war council members surrounded it, each commander marked by years of survival in this cursed place.

But I barely heard their reports.

My attention was elsewhere.

On her.

Verity stood at the head of the table, her violet eyes scanning the maps with keen intelligence, her fingers tracing potential routes for ...