The road to Blizzard wound through forests of silver pines and snow-dusted valleys. The air grew colder with every mile, but Diana didn't mind. Each breath felt cleaner, freer—as if every step took her farther from her past and closer to the life she was meant to live.
Ryan sat across from her in the carriage, his posture relaxed, though his sharp eyes scanned the landscape beyond the window. “You'll like Blizzard," he said quietly. “It's not as strict as Silvermoon. We value strength, not status."
Diana smiled faintly. “Then I think I'll fit right in."
He allowed himself a small grin. “I have no doubt."
For a while, they rode in comfortable silence. The sound of the horses' hooves and the soft rustle of the wind filled the space between them. Then, just as the first white peaks of Bli
