Chapter 12

• As dawn approached, the attackers began to retreat. The Blackwatch held their ground, refusing to give an inch. By the time the last of Evelyn’s forces disappeared into the shadows, the western gates were secure.
• Seraphina surveyed the aftermath with a heavy heart. The festival grounds were littered with debris, and the scent of smoke hung thick in the air. Soldiers tended to the wounded, their faces etched with exhaustion.
• “We’ve won the battle,” Alaric said, his voice grim. “But this war is far from over.”