Chapter 41

The war council was set to convene at dawn. By the time the first hints of sunlight touched the horizon, the great hall of Hull's stronghold was already filled with the heavy presence of its warlords. The scent of damp stone and burning torches thickened the air, mixing with the tension that clung to the room like smoke.

Lucian and I stood near the head of the long wooden table, where my father and mother had already taken their seats. Aedric leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, watching the room with the sharpness of a wolf ready to pounce.

The warlords filled the chamber one by one, some dressed in heavy furs, others in worn armor still scarred from old battles. These were the men and women who had shaped Hull's future for generations. Fighters, leaders, and survivors. But they were also stubborn, divided, and wary of change.

When the last of them arrived, my father rose to his feet. The hall fell silent.