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"Why aren’t you fighting this?" Ren’s eyes blazed "You just handed over that sword--"

"I don’t give a shit" Aedion didn’t bother to keep his exhaustion, his disappointer, froive a shit"

Ren didn’t stop hie until dawn

The Lords of Terrasen had stripped General Ashryver of his sword

The word spread froh the ranks

The soldier was new to the Bane, had been accepted into their ranks only this suh the soldier’s faht for Prince Aedion, to fight for Terrasen--it had been worth it, the weight of leaving his far behind that sweet-faced farotten the chance to so much as kiss

It had been worth it then But not now

The friends he’dwere dead

Huddled around the too-small campfire, the soldier was the last of theer to test the at the start of summer

In the dead heart of winter, he now called himself a fool If he bothered to speak at all

Words had becon as his half-frozen body, which never warh he slept as close to the fire as he dared If sleep found hie of what hunted them northward

There was no one left to help thest them had been a lie A shape-shifter’s deception Where Aelin Galathynius now fought, what she had deeht pressed in, threatening to devour the small fire before hi beneath his worn cloak, every ache and scrape froh Not as so Even with Prince Aedion stripped of his title, even with their queen gone, he wouldn’t abandon this army

He had sworn an oath to protect Terrasen To protect his family He’d hold to it

Even if he no he’d never see theht

It fell for the next two days, chasing the ht refused to make any calls without Aedion’s approval Refused to don ar of his rank Refused to take the war tent

Aedion knew he’d earned that loyalty long ago Just as the Bane had earned his But it didn’t stop hi Kyllian would take over in full

Lysandra’s leg was healed enough to ride, but he saw little of her She kept to Ren’s side, the two of the near the healers, should her stitches pull When Aedion did glimpse her, she often stared him down until he wanted to vo to the in behind--fast

Aedion kne this would go Saw every trudging step and hunger-tight face around him

Orynth was half a day off Were it over easy terrain, theybehind its ancient walls But between them and the city lay the Florine River Too wide to cross without boats The nearest bridge too far south to risk

At this tiht not yet have frozen And even so, with the river so wide and deep, the layer of ice that often coated it only went so far For their ar

There were other ways to Orynth To go straight north into the Staghorns, and cut back south to the city nestled at their foot But each hour delayed allowed Morath’s host to gain ground

Aedion was riding beside Kyllian when Elgan galloped up beside the curls of hot air into the snow-thick day "The river is ten an said "We have to e to the south, or the ti their gathering, urged his horse closer

Kyllian waited for the order Aedion arched a brow "You’re the general"

"Horseshit," Kyllian spat

Aedion only turned to Elgan "Any word on the status of the ice?"