The ribbon was still on the table when the sun rose.Kael had not moved it.Aria stood across from him, arms braced against the council table, staring at the burned symbol.Three claw marks.Not random.Not messy.Deliberate.“They wanted us to see it,” she said quietly.“Yes.”The ribbon had arrived before dawn. The southern watch reported no intruder, no scent trail, no disturbance.Only the raven.Only the message.Darius entered without knocking this time.“You need to see this,” he said.Kael’s gaze lifted.“What happened?”“Red Hollow.”The room went still.“Scouts returned at first light,” Darius continued. “Their borders are abandoned.”“Abandoned?” Aria repeated.“No patrols. No sentries. No pack scent on the main trails.”Kael’s jaw tightened.“Bodies?”“None found.”Which meant something worse.“They didn’t fight,” Aria whispered.Kael’s mind moved rapidly.If Emberfall lost its Alpha.If Stone Ridge lost its heir.If Red Hollow dissolved without blood—“This isn’t slaughte
Last Updated : 2026-02-21 Read more