Serena’s POV
The wind whipped across my face like icy lashes as our horses thundered down the forest road, the duplicate treaty secure in Alaric’s satchel. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest after days of relentless riding, but I pushed harder, leaning low over my mount’s neck. The Obsidian King rode beside me, his powerful stallion matching my pace stride for stride. His guards flanked us, their faces grim with determination. We had barely stopped except to water the horses and snatch a few hours of uneasy rest. Time was our enemy now.
“Faster!” Alaric shouted, his deep voice cutting through the pounding hooves. “We cannot be late!”
I glanced at him, my heart swelling with a complicated mix of gratitude and something deeper I wasn’t ready to name. This king—this man who had on
