The training yard had never seen anything like it.
On the left, thirty wolf warriors in leather armour, their faces a mixture of curiosity and contempt. On the right, forty human recruits in padded tunics, clutching swords they barely knew how to hold. Between them stood Kael, arms crossed, his expression promising pain to anyone who disappointed him.
"This is a mistake," Captain Voss muttered beside Seren.
She had come to watch, though she had told Kael she was merely passing by. He had seen through the lie instantly. The bond made lying useless.
"Probably," Seren agreed. "But it's a necessary mistake."
Above them, in the shaded gallery overlooking the yard, Lady Sera appeared. She did not sit. She simply stood, arms folded, watching. Seren caught her eye and nodded. Sera nodded back.
