Chapter 89 - The Signal
Victor didn't raise his voice.
He didn't shout an order.
He simply lifted one hand.
Calm. Controlled.
And behind him, the air ignited.
Mage fire tore across the field in streaks of white-hot light, slamming into the boundary stones and outer wall with explosive force.
The ground shook.
Wolves shifted instantly.
The sound of bone and snarl filled the air as Silverwood exploded into motion.
Rowan barked commands.
Kael lunged forward with a pack of wolves to intercept the first wave.
Silas's hand clamped around Athena's waist and pulled her backward toward the inner gate.
"Inside," he ordered.
This time she didn't argue.
Didn't hesitate.
Because she understood now.
This wasn't a threat.
This was war.
Mage fire crashed against stone again, sending debris flying through the air. Wolves met mages at the boundary in a clash of fur, magic, and violence.
Athena's chest tightened as she watched the chaos unfold.
Smoke.
Fire.
Shouting.
The same sounds that had filled her childhood memory.
The same sights.
The same terror.
Her breath trembled.
"This is it," she whispered.
Silas's eyes flicked to her.
"What?"
Her gaze stayed locked on the battlefield.
"This is the war my family died in."
Another blast struck the gate as wolves threw themselves into the fight without hesitation.
Athena's hands trembled at her sides.
But this time...
She didn't feel small watching it.
She felt something else.
Something rising inside her that felt old.
Familiar.
And ready.