Kingdom of Ash

Elide’s ears as Rowan locked a shield of wind
around them. Sealing in all sound. “Maeve
will kill every last one of you traitors.”
“She can try,” was Rowan’s mild reply.
See, Anneith whispered again.
When the commander began screaming
this time, Elide did not look away.
And as Rowan and Lorcan did what they’d
been trained to do, she couldn’t decide if
Anneith’s order had been to help—or a
reminder of precisely what the gods might do
should they disobey.