Ezra's return to the fortress of Black Claw Pack didn't feel like a victorious comeback, but more like a brutal retreat to a private fortress filled with anxiety.

Larna's statement echoed in his mind with a chilling tone, a discordant counterpoint to his already unpopular and predetermined fate. An imminent and vicious darkness, even ignoring the wisdom of ancient witches, cast a suppressed shadow over his thoughts, completely masking his resentment towards the snarky Annabelle.

He arrived ...