-Ladon-
When I witnessed them dragging Rivanna over to our small assembly in the midst of the soon-to-be battlefield, my heart seemed to halt in my chest. We all harbored hopes of averting this war, but deep down, we knew this meeting in the open would change nothing.
Then, suddenly, he introduced Rivanna into the equation. I dreaded something had befallen her. Now I understood. No one had believed her. No one was willing to ally with her.
I loathed myself for letting her go. I shouldn’t have allowed it, I scolded myself, and now she was ensnared by him. It took all my strength not to hurl myself at him, but such an action would undoubtedly cost Rivanna her life.
“No,” my brother declared.
“Ashes,” I snarled softly at his side, observing the knife being pressed even harder against her
