C161 THE SILENCE THAT FOLLOWED THEM

Night settled unevenly over Frostfall.

Not peacefully. Not entirely.

It lingered in layers, as though the village existed in numerous times at once—some already passed, some waiting to happen. Fires burned low but were not allowed to die. Wolves remained awake. Even the children did not scream; they watched, quietly learning something no one had taught them.

Elara felt it in her bones