The scent of fresh pine and wet stone drifted through Silver Ridge, replacing the bitter smoke that had haunted the kingdom for months. From the high stone balcony of the main keep, Marcus stood with his arms resting on the carved stone railing, looking down at his kingdom. He wore a simple, unadorned leather vest and dark trousers—the uniform of a working wolf, not a distant tyrant. Below him, the courtyard was a hive of controlled, chaotic energy. "The western wall is almost fully reinforced," Elena said, stepping out onto the balcony beside him. She stepped onto the balcony carrying a handful of reports, the morning breeze lifting loose strands of her dark hair. The worry that had once lived in her eyes was gone. Marcus looped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his flank. "And the families from the lower valley?" "All moved into the new stone hearth-houses," Elena replied, leaning into his warmth. "Camille’s trade reforms are already working. The neighborin
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