Zira’s question lingered in the air long after she asked it.Am I?Safe.The word felt fragile in Shadow Valley, like something that could shatter if spoken too loudly. Safety had never truly belonged to any of us, not in Silvercrest, not in the forests, and certainly not now, with the world shifting beneath forces older than any clan.I didn’t answer her question directly.Because the truth was, I didn’t know.Instead, I reached for her hand, my grip firm but steady.“You made it here,” I said quietly. “That counts for something.”I was surprised to see her. I never doubted her abilities; I was just shocked that I thought she was not going to make it.Her eyes searched mine for a moment, as though weighing whether that was enough.It wasn’t.We both knew it.Krager stepped closer, his presence grounding the tension that had begun to creep back into the room.“We need to know what happened,” he said, his voice calm but direct.Zira exhaled slowly, leaning back slightly against the fur
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