Kingdom of Ash

prepare.” The Pirate Lord studied the shore, as
if looking for someone. “She’s not here, is
she.”
Lysandra shook her head. “No.”
“Then we’ll make do,” was all Rolfe said,
the portrait of cool command. His sea-green
eyes slid to where Ansel of Briarcliff stood at
the ship’s rail, staring toward the field of
heads left in the snow.
None of them spoke as the young queen
slid to her knees, armor thunking on the deck,
and bowed her head.
Aedion murmured, “Let me send word to
our troops to march to Orynth, and then we’ll
sail for the city.”
“I’ll do it,” Lysandra said, not looking at
him. She didn’t bother to say anything else.
Cloak falling to the planks, she shifted into a
falcon and aimed for where Kyllian now
climbed out of a longboat. They exchanged