Page 10 of Savage Crown
Town after town grew heavier. Dirtier. Clothing torn. Faces tired. Shops half empty.
It was nothing like the ruin of the Dregs, but it was worse than anything I’d seen in Hildreth. Hildreth now felt like some untouched pocket of sunlight in a country that had long forgotten hope.
Godric had me keep Valkaryn covered with my cloak the entire time.
Whatever we were moving toward, it seemed to grow darker with every mile.
By sunset of our second day, we reached Loroc.
Loroc wasn’t really a town. It was a military encampment disguised as a town. Wolves and armored wolfkin filled the streets. Barracks rose on both sides. There were no children, no market stalls, no laughter, only sharpened steel and quiet eyes.
Every few steps, wolfkin bowed their heads respectfully to Godric. He walked with purpose, shoulders back, jaw tight. If I had not spent days with him already, I would have been terrified.
We tied Star outside and stepped into a sprawling camp of gray tents. A large fire burned in the center, lighting the faces of armed wolfkin sitting on logs. Their weapons never left their sides.
As we moved deeper, a man with a shaved head stood and saluted Godric.
“Commander. Good to see you back.” His gaze slid to me. “Is this the alpha’s special informant?” His nostrils flared, as if my scent told him something he didn’t like.
‘Hold his gaze. Square your shoulders,’Val said.
I lifted my chin and did as Val asked.
Special informant?
“Yes,” Godric said. “This is Lady Brynn. Where is Kaelric?”
The man sniffed again, slow and suspicious. “What would our alpha want with a human informant?”
‘I never liked Rennik,’Val muttered.‘Show him that you carry me.’
Godric had told me not to reveal that I was Kaelric’s mate to his people. He had said nothing about hiding Valkaryn.
I nudged my cloak aside, just enough that the light caught Valkaryn’s carved hilt.
Rennik’s gaze went to the blade, and he inhaled sharply, bowing his head deeper.
“Wolfkin honor,” he murmured.
Godric shot me a sharp glare and tugged lightly at my arm, steering me away.
“Was that necessary?” he muttered under his breath.
I grinned. “Val told me to. Are you saying I should ignore your sister’s advice?”
His expression faltered, and guilt prickled at me.
“I am joking,” I whispered.
He waved it off as he guided us toward the largest tent near the southern edge of camp.
“It’s not that,” he said. “It’s that you keep calling herVal. Did she ask you to?”
I shook my head. “No. I just started doing it. She doesn’t seem to mind.” She’d tell me if she did, I knew that much.
Something softened in his face. “Our father called her that. A pet name. Valkaryn never let any of us use it. Only him.”
My heart pulled tight. I had been using her special nickname for months without knowing.
