"I see," Ayla said softly.
Vale had just finished explaining everything that had happened—most importantly, how to fix the tree so they could finally return to the world of the living.
Ezra and Iris had joined midway through the story, drawn in almost immediately. They now sat quietly on the wooden chairs inside the large tent, their eyes fixed on Vale as he spoke.
A heavy silence settled over them when he finished. Everyone seemed lost in thought—everyone except Vale, who calmly studied the faces of his companions.
"They haven't changed much," he noted silently. They looked almost the same as the last time he'd seen them. A few new scars, maybe—but nothing that stood out.
"How are the casualties?" Ayla finally asked, turning toward Ezra.
A shadow crossed his face, and he took a breath before answering.
"Including Iris and me, five Awakened survived on our side. Twelve on the Castle's."
