Maren stood at her window long after Korvin had left to mobilize the troops. The forest stretched out before her in the pre-dawn darkness, and somewhere in those trees was Bella who threatened everything she had built.
Mallory approached quietly, setting a fresh pot of tea on the desk. "You should rest before the attack."
"Rest?" Maren turned from the window, her eyes blazing. "How can I rest when a Moonblood with resurrection power is in my forest, vulnerable but still breathing?"
"The troops will be ready within the hour. Korvin is gathering everyone."
Maren walked to her desk and spread out the old texts Mallory had brought. Her fingers traced the faded illustrations of the True Silver, the prophesied Moonblood who would reshape the supernatural world.
"Do you know what this means?" Maren asked, tapping one of the pages. "If word gets out that Bella awakened resurrection power, every surviving Moonblood who's been hiding for decades will hear about it."
