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wide to cross without boats. The nearest
bridge too far south to risk.
At this time of the year, it still might not
yet have frozen. And even so, with the river so
wide and deep, the layer of ice that often
coated it only went so far. For their army to
cross, they’d have to risk the ice collapsing.
There were other ways to Orynth. To go
straight north into the Staghorns, and cut back
south to the city nestled at their foot. But each
hour delayed allowed Morath’s host to gain
ground.
Aedion was riding beside Kyllian when
Elgan galloped up beside them, horse puffing
curls of hot air into the snow-thick day. “The
river is ten miles straight ahead,” Elgan said.
“We have to make our decision now.”
To risk the bridge to the south, or the time
it’d take to go to the long route northward.
Ren, spotting their gathering, urged his horse