Lilith
By the time evening arrived, I was more than ready to leave Cedar Creek.
The sun had begun its slow descent behind the towering cedar trees, casting long shadows across the pack grounds. Servants moved through the corridors of the guest wing, quietly preparing for my departure, while warriors from my entourage waited in the courtyard below.
I stood near the window of my guest chamber, watching the fading light spill across the hills, when the familiar presence of Nala and Tala brushed against my senses.
A moment later, the door opened, and both of them stepped inside.
"What did you find?" I asked without turning around.
"The collapse happened exactly as we were told," Nala said. "Part of the upper tunnels caved in. The damage is extensive, but the miners were already clearing the debris. The workers believe it happened naturally. But we found several signs that it may have been a man-made disaster."
