The summer palace was no longer a crumbling ruin. The kalthok and Ryker's soldiers had spent weeks dragging timber, hammering nails, and clearing debris. The halls, while still scarred, were solid. The roof no longer threatened to collapse, and the main courtyard was free of weeds and rubble.
Commander Ryker inspected the work, his boots echoing sharply as he walked across the restored stone floors. The kalthok stood in tense silence, their hands raw and their bodies aching from the relentless labor.
"It'll hold," Ryker finally said, glancing over his shoulder at his men. "Well done," Ryker announced, his voice cutting through the silence. "This palace isn't perfect, but neither are any of you. Now that the work is done, it's time to see what you're worth. Starting tomorrow, the real tests begin. Fail, and you're out. Out here, 'out' means dead."
The soldiers exchanged grim smiles, while the kalthok remained silent. None of them dared relax.
---
Despite the improvements, the atmosphere in the palace was far from welcoming. The few maids assigned to maintain the kitchens and handle other duties avoided the kalthok at every turn.
Tobias first noticed it in the dining hall. The maids moved quickly, their eyes flickering nervously toward the orphans. A girl reached out for a second piece of bread, and the maid flinched, nearly dropping the tray.
Shera, seated beside Tobias, muttered, "They look at us like we're wolves."
Elair, lounging at the far end of the table, grinned. "Maybe we are. Hungry, dangerous, and liable to bite."
"Or maybe they've seen what happens to wolves trained for war," Shera countered, her voice cold. "They're not afraid of us. They're afraid for us."
Mukt watched silently from across the table, her expression unreadable. She tapped her spoon lightly against her bowl, the rhythmic sound drawing Tobias's attention.
"You think it's different?" he asked her.
Mukt gave him a small shrug but didn't meet his gaze. She gestured toward the maids, then toward the soldiers standing guard.
"She's saying they fear both sides," Tobias interpreted aloud, earning a faint nod from Mukt.
The conversation died after that, leaving only the sound of scraping utensils and hushed whispers among the kalthok.
---
The kalthok had barely begun their morning routines when the soldiers stormed into their quarters, yelling for them to assemble in the courtyard. Confused and half-dressed, they stumbled outside, the cold morning air biting against their skin.
Ryker stood at the center, arms crossed, his eyes sharp as he watched them gather.
"Congratulations," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You survived 'maintenance'. But now it's time to see if you're worth the roof over your heads. Your first test begins now."
A murmur of confusion rippled through the crowd.
"Elair," Tobias hissed, "what's happening?"
"Does it look like I know?" Elair shot back, shivering as he tied his boots.
Ryker raised his hand, silencing them all. "Today, we test endurance. The hills around this palace will be your battlefield. You march until I say stop—or until your legs give out. Those who can't keep up, stay behind. And trust me, you don't want to stay behind."
Without waiting for questions, Ryker turned and mounted his horse. His soldiers began barking orders, herding the kalthok forward.
---
The march was brutal. The terrain was uneven, the hills steep, and the morning mist clung to their skin, chilling them to the bone. Ryker's men followed on horseback, shouting and prodding anyone who slowed.
Mukt stayed at the front, her small frame moving with a quiet, determined rhythm. Tobias found himself near her, his mind focused on keeping pace. Elair, as usual, was in the middle of the pack, cracking jokes between labored breaths, while Shera trailed slightly behind, her face set in grim determination.
By the time the sun rose fully, the weaker kalthok began to falter. A boy stumbled to his knees, gasping for breath. One of Ryker's men dismounted, dragging the boy to his feet and shoving him forward.
"Move, or you're done!" the soldier barked.
Elair slowed briefly, offering the boy a hand, but Shera snapped, "Don't. You'll only get yourself dragged down."
He hesitated, then sighed and kept moving.
---
By midday, the group had splintered. At the head were Mukt, Tobias, Shera, and a handful of others who pushed forward despite the pain burning through their legs. Elair had drifted between the stragglers and the leaders, his sharp tongue keeping spirits up even as he struggled himself.
As they reached the top of a particularly steep hill, Ryker finally called out, "Stop!"
The kalthok collapsed in the dirt, gasping for air. Ryker's horse trotted to the front, his gaze sweeping over the exhausted group.
"Look around," he said. "You've just endured one of the simplest tests I'll ever give you. Some of you failed. Most of you barely passed. But a few of you..." His eyes lingered on Mukt, Tobias, Shera, and Elair. "...stood out."
He dismounted and strode forward, his boots crunching against the dirt. "You'll start to notice something in the days to come. Strength attracts strength. Weakness falls away. Remember that."
As Ryker walked back to his horse, Tobias glanced at Mukt, who nodded at him before moving to check on one of her followers. Shera was already helping someone to their feet, her sharp commands cutting through the haze of exhaustion. Elair flopped onto his back, panting but grinning.
"Not bad," he muttered. "But I hope the next test doesn't involve hills. I hate hills."
Tobias sat beside him, watching as small clusters of kalthok began to form. He could already see the bonds tightening. Mukt, Shera, Elair, himself—they hadn't asked for leadership, but it was being thrust upon them all the same.
"We're not just wolves," Tobias said quietly.
Elair tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? What are we, then?"
Tobias didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the horizon where more hills waited. Whatever they were becoming, they would find out soon enough.