Kingdom of Ash

lives; her chest was hollowed out, the din of
battle still a distant roar over the silence in
her head. And yet it had come to this.
If they kept it up, they would be overrun by
nightfall. If they did not reconfigure their plan
of attack, they would have nothing left by
dawn. Enough remained of her shredded spirit
to find that unacceptable. To rage against that
end.
They had to retreat to the city walls. To
regroup and use Orynth, the mountains behind
it, to their advantage. The longer they lingered
in the open air, the deadlier it would become.
Manon freed the horn from her side and
blew twice.
Crochan and Ironteeth whirled toward her,
eyes wide in shock. Manon blew the horn
again.
Fall back, the horn bleated. Fall back to
the city.