The journey back was brutal and Rowan had secured horses from a hidden glade nearby, but the added weight of a weakened Scarlet meant they moved slower. Norra kept watch from the rear, blades ready. Liora rode with Scarlet behind her, the former princess barely able to hold on. Her breath was shallow, her pulse fluttering. Whatever she'd endured in the outpost had drained her nearly to the bone.
The silence between them was thick, but it wasn't Scarlet Liora kept glancing at, it was Rowan. He hadn't spoken since they'd fled the outpost, his jaw set hard. His posture was tense, as if he were bracing for a blow.
"You're angry," Liora said quietly.
"I'm thinking," Rowan replied without turning. "About why no one confirmed her death. About why Cassien lied."
Norra hissed from the back, "Not the time for brooding. We're being followed."
Liora turned sharply. "How many?"
