Chapter 4 — Secrets in the Shadows

Ella

The dim corridors of Ironclaw Keep were unnervingly silent, save for the muted echo of Ella’s boots against the cold stone. Each shadow that flickered in the torchlight felt heavier than it should, as though the darkness itself was watching. The air carried a damp chill, tinged with iron and pine, seeping into Ella’s skin and making her wolf stir uneasily within her. Her breathing remained measured, though her fingers brushed the hilt of the Obsidian Fang Dagger strapped to her hip—a subtle reassurance she hadn’t needed in years.