Serena's POVThe silence in the Great Hall did not break immediately. It lingered like frost in the high rafters, heavy and fragile, as twenty Ashveil guards watched six elite Blackthorn knights kneeling upon the cold stone floor.Commander Vane remained on one knee before Kael, his head lowered so deeply that the silver links of his collar touched the breastplate of his armor."Alpha Kael," Vane spoke again, his voice thick with gravel and remorse. "My life is yours. The vanguard at the outer pass stands under my orders, but my orders belong only to the true heir of the Blackthorn seat. We did not know. By the blood of the ancestors, we had no knowledge of what Mara did."Kael looked down at the seasoned warrior. There was no arrogance in his posture, only that innate, immovable gravity that defined a born leader. Even stripped of four years of memories, the authority in his blood was absolute."Stand, Vane," Kael said calmly. "And tell your men to rise."Vane stood first, stiff and
Last Updated : 2026-09-14
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