Lila, Thorne, and Elara linked arms between the kings and me. The bond between the four adults wrapped around the children like a steady flame. The pack watched from the banks with quiet respect.
I looked at my family under the lantern light and felt the depth of what we had built. The sea shadow had been bound. New threats had tested us. The children had grown into their power with courage and love. Frostfang stood stronger than the day we sealed the shadow.
As the stars appeared fully, a scout approached from the eastern road. He dismounted near the bridge, face weary from hard travel. "My queen. A ship approaches from the eastern sea. Its banners carry unknown marks. The captain requests audience at dawn. They speak of knowledge from beyond the fractured isles."
