As the afternoon light shifted, they reached the nursery wing. Lila paused at the door, listening to the sounds of children playing.
A little girl with bright eyes looked up and grinned. "Queen Lila! Tell us the story about the three kings again!"
She smiled despite herself. "Another time, little one. Today you get to make your own stories."
Magnus watched the exchange with quiet interest. When they moved on he said, "You carry them too. The young ones."
"Every single one," she answered. The weight pressed, but so did the warmth. This was hers. The good and the heavy.
The day stretched long. More decisions, more conversations, more small moments that stitched the pack together. By evening, when the fires burned low and wolves sang in the distance, Lila stood once more on the wall. Magnus had gone to see to his men, promising to ride with the joint patrol at dawn.
