Fallenwinter slipped into a peaceful night, with thousands of men returning to their families, unharmed.
Ethan slept soundly, accompanied by a flood of notifications that flashed one after another before his eyes, each announcing yet another settlement conquered by his army.
Zael, for his part, spent the night under his wife's watchful care. On her face, worry and relief alternated in a heavy, silent rhythm.
She feared for Fallenwinter's future, yet felt a quiet gratitude that her husband was still breathing beside her.
The next morning, a few hours after sunrise, a pained, masculine groan cut through the silence of the master bedroom in the Lord of Fallenwinter's mansion.
Golden light filtered through the thick curtains, bathing the wooden floor in a soft, warm glow.
Slowly, a pair of weary eyes opened, and a defeated sigh escaped those chapped lips.
