I was still exhausted from my earlier efforts, and my companions noticed immediately. The winter prince put me in front of him on his horse and off we went. Purity was tied to a cart of supplies and trotted along happily. As we travelled along the pleasant forest roads and across rolling fields, I fell in and out of sleep.
It was the change of wind that woke me, its coolness and bite immediately giving away our location. Talon had reined his horse in at the top of a rise, my three silver knights flanking our position. Behind our group stood the forces of the realms combined. The Winter Prince dismounted and helped me to the ground. He raised his hand and in a flash of blue, armour spread over his body like ice on water. Similarly, I too raised my hand and when the bright light dimmed, I w
