Chapter 18 : Free Fall

*Vanessa*

“And you’re certain this is a good decision? All of you, have you spoken about this in-depth and well-considered the scope of it?” Elder Henley asks skeptically, leveling a look at the rest of us lined up before him.

Shawn nods, keeping his gaze steady. I’m standing beside him, along with Aaron, Amara, Reece, and the other leaders of the various groups. The Elders are split in their reactions–half of them look uneasy, maybe even slightly incensed at the Alpha’s decision. But the other half look intrigued at the prospect, curious as to how we got to this point, to begin with.

“Vanessa has brought Ashborne to a point of stabilization that we haven’t seen in a long time,” he says matter-of-factly. “This is the best time to move, when all of our systems have been optimized and the food and training have made our warriors stronger than they’ve been since the last war.”

Elder Henley flinches, and I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my mouth. The Alpha ha