.....
The storm had tested us. The children had answered. The pack had seen their strength. A single voice had raised doubt, but we would meet it the same way we met everything else.
I decided the time had come to seek answers at the source. Three days after the elder's question I gathered the children and the kings for a short journey to the old witch ruins deep in the northern hills. The pack sent a strong escort but stayed at a distance. This trip belonged to family.
The ruins sat quiet under gray skies when we arrived. Vines covered broken pillars and moss softened fallen stones. The air felt thick with memory. Lila walked ahead with her hand on her small blade. Thorne studied the ground patterns. Elara stayed close to my side, her fingers brushing the ancient rock as if listening.
