Author’s POV

Aiden’s proposal had been rejected. In the formal letter that had been typed after the meeting cited “insufficient institutional trust,” “limited documented community-level implementation experience,” and “concerns regarding stability of leadership oversight.”

They seemed like polite words but they had devastating implications.

Aiden stood at the doorway as he read it. His fingers tightened around the paper.

He had led patrols, defended borders, and negotiated ...