Adrein.
A heavy, suffocating weight pressed down on my chest as I stood near the quiet corridor outside the study.
The ambient warmth of the pack house did nothing to thaw the icy chill settling in my bones.
My countenance was naturally drawn into a somber, sorrowful mask, every breath feeling far more labored than it should have been.
My mind spun back to the quiet room in the infirmary, recalling with vivid clarity the grave look on the old healer's face. The exact words echoed in my ears like a dark death knell, ringing over and over in the hollow space of my mind. The verdict had been delivered without mercy, a silent timer ticking away inside me that no one else knew about.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a brief second, swallowing the bitter lump in my throat. I couldn't let my brothers see this weakness. I couldn't let anyone know the truth of what was rapidly approaching.
