Rowan.
The heavy wooden door to the war room creaked behind me as I entered, my footsteps barely making a sound on the stone floor. The air inside was thick with tension, the weight of the coming days hanging heavy on everyone in the room. Fen was leaning over a map, his brow furrowed as he traced the lines of defence around the castle with the tip of his finger. His face was etched with determination, but there was a weariness in his eyes that spoke of sleepless nights and the burden of leadership.
When he saw me enter, his expression shifted, his jaw tightening slightly as if waiting for the next report.
"Rowan," he said quietly, acknowledging my presence without looking up. "How's Melody?"
"She's still stubborn," I said, stepping closer. "But she's willing to help. She agreed to play along, to trick Kael into trusting us."
Fen raised an eyebrow, his focus finally shifting from the map to me. "And you believe her?"