Amara’s POV
The chilly wind stung my face and caused my eyes to water as we rode fiercely through the night. Rowan rode a little ahead, his look focused on the horizon, and Kian sat beside me, silent and sombre. Nobody said much. Fear, rage, and the taste of blood filled the air between us, making it too heavy.
We noticed the smoke just as the sun was beginning to rise. It rose slowly in curls from behind the hills, thick and dark. My mark seared on my wrist, and my stomach knotted. I tightened my hold on the reins to slow my heartbeat.
My air left me in a searing rush as we topped the slope.
The village had vanished.
Houses were husks of darkness. Everything was blanketed with ash like snow. The bodies were twisted and charred beyond recognition as they lay in the mud. I could smell
