Chapter 15

Aurelia POV

“Pack your things,” Ronan rasped, stepping into the room and shutting the door hard behind him.

I stood up, backing toward the far wall. “What’s happening?”

“Draven shifted his vanguard. Two miles from the shallow ford,” Ronan said, his voice tight, erratic, vibrating with pure tension. He ran a trembling hand through his soaked hair. “Three heavy assault units, completely silent, waiting for the signal to wipe us out.”

“Cassian said the wards would hold,” I said, keeping my tone steady despite the icy knot twisting in my stomach.

“Cassian is playing a game of chicken with a monster!” Ronan snapped, taking a sharp step closer. “He thinks Draven will respect territorial borders! He won’t! If those war parties cross, my men at the river get butchered first! My younger brother is standing in a trench out there right now, shivering in the mud, waiting for a war that isn’t ours!”

“You’re panicking, Ronan,” I said, eyeing the radio on