We walked the rest of the way in silence, our hands brushing occasionally but not holding. Still, the tension between us was gone, replaced by something quieter. Calmer. Real.
When we reached the brick house, I stepped forward and pushed the door open.
It creaked slightly on its hinges, the faint smell of fresh clay and wood oil wafting from inside. A round table sat at the center of the room—crude but solid, made from thick-cut timber resting on uneven legs. Around it were several mismatched chairs. Nothing fancy, but it did the job.
Flogga, Narg, and Gork were seated near the far end of the table, the seat at the very head left empty—clearly reserved for me.
The moment they saw me step inside, the three of them stood up almost in sync, their voices overlapping in greeting.
"Chief."
"Chief."
"Young Totem."
That last one came from Flogga, of course.
I stepped further into the room, my eyes casually sweeping across the space as I spoke. "What were you three discussing?"
