Chapter 60: The Aftermath

The air was thick with the scent of smoke and blood, a heavy reminder of the battle that had just taken place.

I stood amidst the wreckage, my breath coming in shallow gasps as I took in the devastation around me.

Silverwood had always been a place of strength, a fortress that could withstand any threat. But now… now it looked like a broken shell of its former self.

The packhouse, our sanctuary, was in ruins. Walls that once stood tall and proud were crumbling, the stone scorched and cracked.

The courtyard, usually so full of life and laughter, was littered with debris and the wounded, the remnants of the life-threatening challenge we had barely survived.

I could feel the weight of every injury, every loss, pressing down on me, and it took everything I had to keep from collapsing under it.

But I couldn’t afford to fall apart. Not now. Not when Silverwood needed me the most.

Nathaniel was by my side, his expression grim as he surveyed the damage. His arm was wrapped around his ribs