Chapter78: The council

KELLY THOMPSON'S POV  The grand hall, usually a place of revelry and celebration, was draped in an uncharacteristic pall of solemnity. Shadows clung to the stone walls, the torches flickering as if hesitant to disturb the grave silence that had befallen the room. Council members, figures of immense power within their own right, sat with brows furrowed and lips pressed into thin lines of concern. Their eyes, usually bright with strategy and command, were dimmed now by the weight of impending darkness. The threat of the Black Faes loomed over us all like an unholy specter, its malevolent presence palpable even within these fortified walls. I stood at the head of the long table, surrounded by those sworn to protect and serve our realm. My heart beat with a fierce commitment to my family, my pack, and the people whose lives hung in the balance. As Luna Queen, it was not only my duty but my very essence to stand against such forces that dared to threaten the peace we've fought so tirelessly