We marched out before dawn. By the time we reached the border, the sky was still sealed in darkness, unmoved by the passing hours. The wind moved in uneasy circles, carrying the scent of damp soil and old magic. There were no bodies that spoke of the attack I saw in Keth’s vision.
I ordered the camp set immediately.
Tents were positioned in defensive arcs, and scouts moved ahead of us. Sorceresses anchored protective spells into the earth while healers prepared behind the lines. My warriors checked their armour and said quiet words to one another through the mind-link.
They trusted me to lead them through what was coming.
I wasn’t sure I deserved that trust.
Behind us, my shadow warriors stood, fading into the terrain and becoming one with the dusk. The ancient shadow warriors stood a
