Secrets Kept in Stone

Ilode is not a background shadow.She is a true soldier—trained, disciplined, and once fiercely loyal to the crown. For years, she served as the kingdom’s lead wolf trainer, shaping warriors, protecting legacies, and believing in the order she helped uphold.Until she didn’t.When the King stripped her of that position and handed it to Talia upon their arrival in the kingdom, something fractured. Loyalty does not vanish quietly when it is earned through blood, sacrifice, and identity. It festers. It sharpens.And now Ilode is a problem. A very big one.Her presence will drive key turns in this story, and the consequences of her choices will ripple far beyond what has already been revealed. Keep reading—this thread matters.Thank you, truly, to every reader walking this journey with me. Please consider subscribing, sending gifts, and recommending it to others. Every bit of support helps keep this world alive—and growing.— Angel Cole