My heart races in my chest, but I maintain my facade. “That’s ridiculous,” I say as nonchalantly as I can. “Where would you even have heard such a malicious rumor?” “It’s not a rumor,” he answers evenly, sure of himself. “One of the guards sent a mind-link before you killed him. And if I heard it,
*Raven*Mother wakes me early, her excitement and anxiety evident in her face and posture. “He’ll be here tonight,” she breathes out, standing over my bed. “We must prepare. The soldiers will be close behind him.” I sit up quickly, trying to process her words. “Were you able to mind-link with him
Night falls around us, and we settle in, ready to pounce at the earliest sign of trouble. It’s past midnight when one of our scouts signals to Mother that they see something coming across the river. Mother runs out of her hiding space and stands at the river’s edge, straining her eyes against the da
*Kieran* “That was quite a speech,” Father says coldly, coming to stand within inches of my face. “You’ve certainly spun quite a tale.” He’s saying this for the benefit of those around us, I know. The fury blazing in my eyes is a sharp reminder of the truth of my words. When he deems someone a thr
King Cole must not be too far away, which is a relief. The moment we cross into Escuro, he can help us regroup. Even if most of the army followed my lead, my father will not stop until every last one of us is dead. I can only hope that the soldiers in Escuro have prepared in some way. There weren’t
*Raven*The night drags on, heavy with anticipation as we wait for the soldiers to arrive. Mother and Father don’t let go of each other for much more than a moment. When they aren’t holding each other, they’re simply gazing at each other. Mother looks at Father like he’s the most precious thing in t
“It’s okay, Kieran,” I comfort him. “We’re ready for them. While you’ve been gone, we’ve been working on a plan. I just need you to get yourself and your followers across the river. Once you do, I’ll take care of the rest.” My heart swells with pride at the thought. There’s something so satisfying
KieranWith Raven’s last words—I love you more than you can imagine—ringing in my ears, I pound across the open plain toward the river that is apparently our only hope of survival. We left the forest half an hour ago, and since then, my father’s forces have been gathering behind us. More men stayed