Chapter 52: A New Beginning_2

Aiden moved away from the window and dropped into a chair across from Tommy, finally relaxing for the first time in hours.

"So," Tommy leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "What were you thinking about just now? You were so deep in thought you didn't even notice me come in."

"I was just… thinking about everything that's happened since we arrived." Aiden sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Two weeks ago, we walked into a place we weren't sure we'd fit into. And now? We've built an entire outer wall, secured territory, integrated with Amira's people… I didn't expect things to go this smoothly."

Tommy hummed in agreement. "Yeah, I thought we'd be dealing with power struggles, clashing leadership, or at least some stubborn resistance from the locals. But she handled it better than I expected."

Aiden glanced at him, noticing the genuine respect in his tone.

Tommy wasn't someone who gave praise easily and neither was Aiden.