Athena

The first light of dawn was breaking, but Grayhound territory felt anything but peaceful. A tension thicker than the forest mist clung to the air. The previous night’s reports had confirmed what we had feared most—Gian had retaliated. The scouts we had sent ahead had returned with injuries, carrying news of villages burned, caravans ambushed, and his forces mobilizing rapidly. It was no longer a warning; it was a declaration of war.

Beauty and I stood over the maps in the ...