Mary Ann’s POV
Nightveil territory began where the mountain trees stopped growing.
One moment, the old pass was surrounded by thick pine and tangled undergrowth. The next, the forest opened into a stretch of black stone, dry grass, and dead trees twisted toward the sky.
No birds called.
No insects moved beneath the rocks.
Even the wind seemed to disappear.
I stood at the entrance of the mountain pass with Modric beside me, Kylian behind us, and six carefully selected warriors spread across the narrow path. Two were from Mooncrest, two from Ironclaw, and two belonged to Frostfang. Lucian had remained outside the ruins to command the northern blockade, while Darius held Ironclaw in Modric’s absence.
The decoy carriage had already begun its approach toward the southern gate.
From a di
