Chapter 31: BENEATH THE SURFACE

It was getting late, and the sun had begun to cast a soft yellow glow over the horizon, signaling the end of the day. Irwin and Ashina walked in silence toward the towering gates of Shadowclaw. The air between them was thick, weighed down by the argument they’d had earlier at the trade fair. Every step they took back home was quiet, filled with tension neither of them could shake.

Ashina, her voice quiet but laced with frustration, tried once again to spark a conversation. "Irwin, we can’t stay like this," she said, glancing sideways at her friend. "You have to understand that I only told you about Valen to protect you. I didn’t want..."

But Irwin wasn’t listening. Her mind was spinning, replaying everything Ashina had said earlier. Why was Ashina so intent on making Valen seem like a villain? What was the real reason behind her warnings? Valen hadn’t done anything suspicious in Irwin’s eyes, yet Ashina seemed determined to paint him in the darkest possible light. Irwin’s thoughts swi