Chapter 210 – Shadows in Spring
Spring came slowly to the Hollow.
The snows receded from the fields and rooftops, dripping into the rivers that carved through the valley. Green shoots pressed their way through thawing soil, and the air once again smelled of life rather than smoke and frost. After the bitter trials of the winter, the Hollow's people greeted the season with relief.
The council hall was busy every morning, its long table lined with parchment, charts, and plans. Kael stood at the head, his dark eyes taking in the bustle. Farmers talked of turning the ground earlier this year, using the knowledge taken from old books to enrich the soil. Builders sketched extensions to the markets and workshops, planning for another wave of trade caravans. The mood, for once, was hopeful.
But shadows never rested long.
The First Signs
It began with the well near the western outpost. Soldiers who drank from it fell ill within hours—wracked by cramps and vomiting until they could barely stand. The healers said it was poison, something too deliberate to be dismissed as spoiled water.
A week later, hunters returned to the Hollow with strange reports. Game was scarce in the northern woods, as if something had driven the deer and boar away. One tracker swore he found prints of horses where no caravan had passed—prints that vanished at the tree line.
By the time spring's first true rains came, the council had gathered again.
The Council's Dilemma
"The pattern is clear," said Varik, slamming a hand on the table. "This isn't misfortune—it's the hand of an enemy. Someone is striking at us from the dark."
"Perhaps," replied Thalos, his tone steady but sharp, "but we cannot leap to war cries without proof. For all we know, the poison was a lone malcontent. The missing game, a quirk of nature. Fear will only weaken us faster than any foe."
The council murmured, torn between the two views.
Kael sat silently for a long moment, fingers drumming against the wood. His shadows flickered faintly across the floor, stirred by his unease. "If this is a plan," he said finally, "it is a patient one. Whoever moves against us is testing us, stage by stage. If we flinch or turn against ourselves, they will strike harder."
"And if we ignore it?" asked Fenrik, his voice grim. "If we dismiss it as chance, then when the hammer finally falls, we'll be unprepared."
The debate churned like storm waters, no resolution in sight. All the while, the people outside celebrated the thaw, unaware that poison and sabotage had already crept to their door.
Kael Among the People
Leaving the council late that evening, Kael walked through the Hollow's streets. Torches flickered as children ran with ribbons in their hands, chasing each other with laughter that echoed against the stone walls. Vendors called out about fresh breads, early greens, and smoked meats carried in from nearby traders.
To these people, spring meant life. Renewal.
Kael envied their ignorance. He forced himself to smile when one child tugged at his cloak, asking if he would tell a story at the fire later. He promised he would, but his mind remained heavy.
Lyria joined him, her hand brushing his as they walked. "You've got that storm-brooding look again," she said softly.
"Because I can feel it," Kael murmured. "This isn't random. Someone is pressing us, waiting for cracks to form."
Lyria glanced around at the bustling market and the dancing children. "Then we cannot let them see us crack. If they want to play the long game, we will outlast them."
Kael wanted to believe her. But deep down, he feared patience was exactly what the enemy had mastered.
The Iron Brand's Shadow
Far beyond the Hollow's walls, the slavers of the Iron Brand moved unseen. Sarya the Viper's scouts had poisoned the outpost well, testing the Hollow's reaction. Darak's men had driven game northward, thinning the Hollow's food supply without raising alarms. Each move was designed not to break them outright, but to bleed them slowly, quietly.
Malreth's plan was cruelly simple: soften the Hollow until the day came when its defenders were weary, its people anxious, and its food stores strained. Then strike with fire and chains.
But for now, the Hollow did not know the face of its enemy.
The Decision
At the next council, Kael made his stance clear. "We treat every incident as deliberate. We strengthen our wells. We push hunting further afield. We rotate patrols along the borders. If it is an enemy, they will see we are not prey. If it is misfortune, then we are simply more prepared."
Varik nodded firmly, but Thalos hesitated. His voice carried a note of unease. "You're right to prepare, Kael. But I fear if we fight shadows too long, we will see enemies in every corner."
Kael met his old friend's eyes. "Then it will be my burden to carry that weight. But I will not gamble the Hollow's safety on hope."
The others agreed, if reluctantly. Orders went out, guards rotated, and precautions tightened.
Still, as Kael left the hall that night, he felt a presence just beyond the horizon, like wolves circling in the dark. They would not strike yet—not until spring ripened into summer. But their teeth were already bared.
And when they finally came, the Hollow would be forced to stand or be broken.