Chapter 49 Old Tower At Dawn

• Mist coiled around the base of the tower, rising in pale gray veils. The sun was just beginning to pierce the low clouds, painting the sky a dull gold. It was quiet. Too quiet.
• Rylan stood at an open archway, staring into the distance. He had arrived first. Cloaked in a dark cape that hid his face, he looked more like a wandering vagabond than an alpha dreaming of becoming king.
• A few minutes later, Diane appeared in the archway. Her hair was braided tightly, her lips pressed into a thin line. No trace of feigned softness. Only calculation and coldness.