Chapter 149: Nyra’s POV

A week changed a lot more than I’d expected.

Coldridge had settled into something resembling a peaceful home base. Communal meals were now the norm rather than a novelty. People ate together in the open courtyards, long tables stretching beneath the sky, laughter weaving easily between conversations. Tasks were shared. Rotations posted publicly. No rank dictated who cooked or cleaned or hauled supplies.

It wasn’t perfect. There were still arguments and ...