CHAPTER 41

ARIA'S POINT OF VIEW

Returning from the icy silence of Frostfang territory to the vibrant, noisy life of Heartstone Valley was like stepping from a cathedral to a bustling marketplace. The contrast was a physical shock, but a welcome one. The faint, revived howls of the tundra were a promise; the dense symphony of the Valley was the proof.

The Frostfang crisis changed our approach. We weren't just building a safe haven; we were tending to a fragile global network of magic that had be