Chapter 25. A Blade Between Blood

The sky had not yet lightened when Seraya received the news:

Rael was missing.

He had ridden out with a vanguard through the southern break—tracking remnants of the flame-beast’s trail.
It was supposed to be routine. A clean-up run.
It was not.

By dawn, one horse returned.
No rider.

Rael’s cloak hung from the saddle, soaked in blood like wine spilled over snow.

“He’s alive,” Seraya said.

“You don’t know that,” Mairead replied.

“I feel it.”

She stood at the edge of the field, wind tearing at her braid, jaw set.
She could still hear the echo of the flame-beast’s laugh in her bones.

“I’m going after him,” she said.

Mairead grabbed her arm.