Aurora was beyond flustered. Facing her cousin’s questioning, she felt guilty. Despite that, she still tried to defend herself. "I thought the person standing next to me was a Westhaven soldier. I didn’t realize it was John.""Hypocrite! How could an enemy soldier be standing next to you? If you're going to make excuses, at least make them logical!" Zeke retorted angrily. Aurora, embarrassed and angry, snapped, "Enough! Now, we're all prisoners of the enemy! We've slaughtered civilians in Fawnrun. They won't let us off easily. Instead of blaming me, think about how to escape!""The massacre of those civilians was your order! You said the young general was hiding among the civilians, and that some soldiers were disguised as commoners. You’re the one who ordered us to kill them without any mercy!" Zeke snarled.Knowing people outside could hear, Aurora said loudly, "I only told you to kill a few people to force him out! I never told you to kill them all!"Upon hearing this, the oth
Alas, Aurora's sliver of hope soon shattered completely.A bonfire was lit outside, and the wooden door was violently pushed open. A tall figure, exuding a powerful and oppressive presence, slowly entered. Even with his back to the fire, Aurora could make out his silhouette and knew who he was.It was Liam, the Westhaven marshal with whom she had signed the treaty in Fawnrun City.Aurora trembled violently, her back pressed against the wall as she stared at Liam in terror.During the treaty signing, this man had exuded an aura of strength and bravery, creating a sense of pressure. At the same time, he also carried an air of elegance. The negotiations and treaty signing had gone smoothly and quickly. He agreed to some clauses she proposed without hesitation, with only one condition: that she release the prisoner promptly after signing.He had been so agreeable then, making her believe the heavens were gifting her these military accomplishments.But now, his face was dark and murde
Outside the wooden door, agonized screams pierced the air. When Aurora heard them, she nearly fainted from fear.She knew exactly what torture her cousin and comrades were enduring, because she had inflicted the same punishment on the captured Westhaven crown prince. Castration—cutting a man's private part off while the victim was alive, and watching it writhe on the ground like a twisted worm. If Arthur had screamed even once, the torment might have stopped. However, he had bitten his tongue and stayed silent. Her soldiers then urinated on his wounds and body, then slashed him repeatedly, mixing blood and urine together.Recalling that scene had once brought Aurora satisfaction. Now, it filled her with deep terror.Liam pulled out a dagger, and she screamed, "No! Stay away from me!"He kneeled, and cut the ropes binding her. Seeing her cower in fear only fueled his rage further. To think Arthur had been humiliated by such a cowardly creature!Once the ropes were gone, he
Just when Aurora thought they would continue to torment her, she was dragged back into the wooden hut along with everyone else.A charcoal fire had been lit inside the wooden hut, providing a bit of warmth amidst the drafts. They all crawled towards the fire, seeking to fend off the cold and the pain.Aurora's pants had been torn off, and the wound on her thigh prevented her from closing her legs. With the warmth in the room, the blood continued to flow slowly and pooled beneath her. Everyone was in such agony that no one paid attention to her. The hut was filled with nothing but the sound of pained groans.Someone entered, and forced a bowl of medicine down her throat. The mixture of the medicine and the lingering stench of urine nearly made her vomit again.She didn't vomit, fearing they would urinate on her again. She felt that there was no chance of survival, since she was in Liam’s hands. If they gave her poison, it would at least grant her a quick death. She would accept that
Carissa and her friends were huddled around a small fire, their cracked lips dry and chapped. "Is there any evidence that she was among the troops withdrawing from Sandoria?" Carissa asked."No, but she chased a group of Westhaven soldiers when the battle started, and she hasn't returned since," Barrett said."Then we should thoroughly inspect the city for her among the corpses," Violet sneered icily. "She's not dead!" Barrett's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't curse her! As members of the same army, how can you curse a fellow soldier?"Violet rolled her eyes, and snorted. "The war is over, and I’m done with being a soldier. Don’t drag me into being her comrade. She doesn’t deserve it!"Barrett was infuriated by her words. He turned to Carissa, and said seriously, "I'm the one who disappointed you, not Aurora. If it were another soldier captured, would you save them?"Carissa countered, "If another soldier was captured, would you risk the lives of twenty thousand troops to chas
Barrett’s face turned red with frustration. He grabbed Carissa’s hand, and pulled her to one side. “Carissa! You know she’s been captured, and you won’t rescue her? What do you mean by that? Do you know where she is?” he yelled.Violet snapped a whip in their direction, forcing him to release Carissa’s hand and take a step back.“If you have something to say, keep your distance. Don’t get too close to Cari,” spat Violet coldly.Barrett’s anger towards Violet was obvious, but he grudgingly restrained himself. She was too skilled and not under his command, making her difficult to manage. He turned back to Carissa, his voice still sharp. “You know where she is, don’t you?”Carissa shook her head. “I don’t know. She could be in the desert, on the plains, or hiding in the mountains. But no matter where she is, we can’t send the entire Mystic Army to find her. It’s too risky.”“Then what are we waiting for?” Barrett demanded, pacing with frustration. “Are we just waiting for them to
As Carissa watched the fire slowly dim, she added a few more logs. The flames quickly devoured the dry wood, sending up bright flickers of light. The scene before her brought back a painful memory—returning to Northwatch Estate and finding it filled with corpses and bloodstains.The ache in her heart surged again, so intense that it made breathing difficult.How she wished for Aurora's death! But simply killing her might not be the most satisfying revenge. Carissa thought Liam might share this view.She was certain Liam wouldn’t kill Aurora. Rafael had given orders to wait here, and it was likely because Liam had said something to him.Rafael had previously mentioned having spies in Ilyrian City, so it was reasonable to assume there were spies in Simonton City as well.Waiting here was both Rafael and Liam’s directive.By late night, everyone was exhausted. They were sleepy and hungry, though the cold was no longer a concern with plenty of firewood available. Supplies had arriv
Barrett stared at Carissa. He couldn’t continue speaking, as she had rendered him speechless.She was right. She was the deputy commander of the Mystic Army and a fifth-ranked general of the court. Every word she spoke carried weight.He didn’t have many men with him, and had hoped the Mystic Army would join him. His own troops were exhausted, but the Mystic Army had rested here for quite some time. He believed that if they encountered the Westhaven forces or nomadic tribes, they could fight.In a low voice, he pleaded, “I want to lead the Mystic Army, even if I have to beg you, Carissa. I know I’ve wronged you before. You can punish me however you want. But we’ve been waiting for nearly two days! Aurora can’t hold on much longer. I know you hate her, but we’ll make amends together once we find her.”Carissa’s gaunt face remained cold. “This has nothing to do with personal grudges. The Mystic Army cannot advance any further.”Barrett clenched his fists. “Carissa, I’m already beggi