Chapter 80 The Honor Duel

• ~ Thorne ~
• The morning sun streamed through the windows of the packhouse, casting a soft golden glow over the long dining table where the remaining contenders for the Wolfstone Trials gathered. The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation for the final round. My body was still humming from the intensity of the previous night, and though I tried to keep my expression neutral, the memory of Elara’s lips on mine, her touch, her whispered words of encouragement… “Good luck tomorrow”… lingered with me. I glanced up from my plate, unable to resist the pull, and caught her eyes from across the table.
• Elara met my gaze, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, the faintest flicker of a smile crossed her face, so brief that I wasn’t sure if anyone else had noticed. But I did. It sent a rush of warmth through me, despite the cold reality we were all about to face. Today wasn’t just another trial; it was the final round, and everything would be decided by what came next.