Kael's POV
Morning crept slowly over Blackwood, the light breaking through a veil of fog that still clung stubbornly to the mountain ridges. The fortress was quiet—too quiet. Even the Valiants, once loud and unshakable in their loyalty, now moved like ghosts through the halls.
Fear had settled over them all.
It had only been a night since I struck down my brother. Ronan now lay confined in the lower dungeon under strict guard—his injuries grave but not fatal. Still, the scent of blood and betrayal lingered in the air, a silent reminder that the balance of power in Blackwood had shifted.
I stood by the high window of the council chamber, staring out into the forest beyond the walls. The weight of leadership pressed down on me like a stone. I hadn't slept. Every time I closed my eyes, my mind drifted to Maya, Henry, and Zara. Ronan had sent his Valiants after them before the battle. I didn't know if they made it out alive.
