Chapter 27: The Edge of the Abyss
The silence in the great hall after the Nightclaw envoy's departure was heavier than any stone. The uneaten feast congealed on the plates, the spiced wine now tasting of ash and threat. Kael did not move from his seat at the head of the table, his knuckles white where they gripped the carved arms of his chair. The storm in his eyes had frozen into a glacial calm, more terrifying than any outburst of rage.
Lyra watched him, her own heart a frantic bird beating against the cage of her ribs. The ultimatum hung in the air like a headsman's axe. War on two fronts. The end of Silverfang. She saw the same grim realization reflected in the faces of Ronan, Valen, and Finn. They were standing on the precipice.
