Kingdom of Ash

She frowned at the bruised purple beneath
Gavriel’s eyes. Beneath her own, she had no
doubt. Her cycle, at least, had come last
month, despite the hard travel that burned up
any reserves of food in her stomach.
That had been particularly mortifying. To
explain to three warriors who could already
smell the blood that she needed supplies.
More frequent stops.
She hadn’t mentioned the cramping that
twisted her gut, her back, and lashed down her
thighs. She’d kept riding, kept her head down.
She knew they would have stopped. Even
Rowan would have stopped to let her rest. But
every time they paused, Elide saw that iron
box. Saw the whip, shining with blood, as it
cracked through the air. Heard Aelin’s
screaming.
She’d gone so Elide wouldn’t be taken.
Had not hesitated to offer herself in Elide’s