Three days after the council meeting the Grove began to feel different.

Not smaller. Lighter. The specific quality of a place that had been holding its breath for a long time and had finally been given permission to exhale.

The six wolves were in their respective processes. The tribunal dates were set. The survivor notification work had begun, Vael's delegation sending messages east and west to locate people who had been subject to the program and did not yet know the full truth of what had been done to them.

Ragnar had spoken privately to his two Shadowpaw couriers. Marina did not know what he said and did not ask....