KAEL'S POV
The world beyond the Frostfangs was endless white and silence.
Wind tore at my cloak as we descended into the frozen valley, the snow unbroken for miles. No trees. No prey. Just the crunch of paws and boots, the faint pant of wolves behind us, and the heavy pulse of the bond in my chest.
Ayla walked just ahead, silver fire flickering faintly along her fur, the Crown glinting like frost on her head. The sight of it stirred something primal in me—pride, rage, and the instinct to kill anything that even thought of touching her.
"You're too quiet," she voiced through the tether, her voice soft, almost wary.
"I'm listening," I said, scanning the white horizon. "Out here, silence is louder than any scream. It means we're in his land now."
