The wind howled as I stepped forward, my boots crunching over frostbitten stones. Below us, the royal army gleamed like a silver scar across the valley. Thousands of soldiers stretched in disciplined rows, their armor catching the pale light of the setting sun. The royal city, a place I'd only ever stepped foot in once as a child, lay behind that wall of steel and stone, its spires choked with smoke from earlier fires. I swallowed hard, but my voice stayed steady. ''If I don’t return in an hour. Attack.''
Kolton gripped my shoulders firmly, his gorgeous eyes sharp with unspoken fears. ''You'll be okay,'' He said, though his smile didn't reach his face.
Tanjin’s hand tightened around my wrist and pulled me closer. ''Are you sure you want to do this?'' His voice trembled.
''We need to
