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Hagan never let her wander alone in the woods. He insisted that either Veyr, Threk or Dain accompany her if he wasn't available.

Despite her assurances, he didn't like it when she and Threk wandered off into the woods, either.

He'd follow, shadow-stepping behind them with an expression that barely masked his annoyance.

One day, Seren finally turned to him, exasperated.

"Hagan. I need space from your hovering. It's like your gloom is contagious."

His face fell, wounded. "I just— I keep thinking I'll lose you too. That you'll vanish. That I won't get to you in time."

The silence between them stretched long, until Seren's voice softened. "You won't. Threk's with me. He'd die before letting anything happen."

Hagan didn't like that either, but he nodded.

"I had a dream of war," Astrid said one morning, her voice quiet but firm." And of a wolf who wasn't a wolf."

Her eyes were fixed on something far away—something none of them could see.

Vir let out a rough grunt. "We are training for it. Everyone who can stand holds a weapon. If this is coming—"

"We're not ready," Kastor interrupted, his tone gentle but edged with warning.

"How can we be ready? They have been planning this, right from the time of the prophesy.

You're thinking of this like it's a single battle.

But it's not. It's a slow knife. We don't even know what's going on in Starnheim. "

"We're trying," Garrik said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Boren's cousin's still in there. We still haven't had word from him."

Renna shifted beside Kastor; her fingers laced tightly in her lap. "And if he's already silenced?"

Kastor placed a steadying hand on her knee. "Then, we go in blind. But not unprepared. I think planting Lia here, the killings, the marking on the corpses...they are all linked."

Veyr gave a curt nod, eyes sweeping the circle.

"I agree. It all comes back to Seren. There was that death right after Hadan and Seren handfasted.

And then things quieted down when it looked like the fated bonding was broken.

Again, once Hagan went in search of Seren, problems started again.

Someone wants to see Vargrheim in ruins. "

The fire cracked and popped, sending sparks flying into the air like fireflies trying to escape. Then the old voice of the former Shadow cut through the heat, sharp and deliberate.

"And Draken? What about his ashes?"

Hagan remained impassive but his pain flowed into Seren in waves.

"His ashes stay here," he said. "Until this is done. Until I know why he died. "

Astrid was pale but she did not object. A hush followed. Heavy. Respectful.

Then Threk spoke, his voice low but steady. "She'll come for Seren. Or she'll send someone who will do the job."

There was a beat of silence, then Veyr said, almost gently, "I don't think Lia is involved anymore. She was only a tool."

All eyes turned to Dain who seemed unbothered. "It's fine as long as we can keep an eye on her."

"But there may be someone feeding them information," he added looking at Seren, "Someone in our midst. And that someone can be a danger to Seren"

Seren met his gaze without blinking. Her voice was calm, sure.

"Then we just need to be smarter."

As the fire burned lower and the meeting began to scatter into silence and exhaustion, Renna stayed seated, her arms folded tightly across her stomach, eyes fixed on the flickering embers.

She hadn't spoken since Hagan mentioned the ashes. Kastor, who was her closest sibling, watched her from the corner of his eye, his hand still resting on her knee. He was worried. Renna was never this quiet .

As the others began to rise and stretch, murmuring about weapons drills and sleeping shifts, Renna stood abruptly and made her way toward Hagan, her steps quick and tense.

"Hagan," she said, trying to keep her voice level. "Can I—"

But then she stopped, mid-step. Her breath hitched. Her eyes filled with pain.

Hagan turned fully toward her, already moving before she swayed. "Renna?"

She pressed a hand to her mouth, eyes wide with sudden fear. A shudder passed through her and she doubled over, retching onto the floor just beyond the heath.

Kastor was beside her instantly, but Hagan got to her first, one hand at her back, the other steadying her arm.

"She's burning up," he said sharply. "She was fine this morning."

Kastor's face had gone pale. "She hasn't eaten much. I thought it was stress."

"No," Hagan said, already lifting her gently into his arms. "Something's wrong."

Renna didn't protest. Her head lolled against his shoulder; skin clammy .

"Let’s get her to the quarters," Hagan said, voice clipped but steady. "Kastor, stay with her. I'll send for the healer."

Kastor didn't argue. He was already clearing the way, his mind racing too fast to speak.

Seren, from her place by the door, caught the look on Hagan's face—tight with worry, jaw clenched like he was holding back the urge to break into a run.

Renna had changed beyond recognition from the young cheerful girl to a shadow of her former self.

Seren had thought it was the trauma of her father's death, but this was more.

As she made to follow him, Threk called out to her.

"Seren, I need a favour."