The heavy timber doors of the great council hall continued to groan at intervals as the elderly wolves began to depart one by one. They left in small, whispering clusters, casting dark, suspicious glances over their shoulders toward our side of the long table before disappearing into the crisp afternoon air. The chaotic shouting that had filled the space only minutes before slowly drained away, leaving behind a hollow, ringing silence that felt heavier than the arguments.
Despite the empty chairs multiplying around us, Darius, Kaelan, and I still remained rooted in our spots by the table, anchored by the sheer weight of Elder Thorin’s sudden condemnation.
Darius sat completely motionless, his hands flat against the polished surface. He stared at the dark grains of the wood as if he coul
