Kingdom of Ash

begging you, Lysandra, to go.”
Her chin lifted. “You are not asking our
other allies to run.”
“Because I am not in love with our other
allies.”
For a heartbeat, she blinked at him.
Then her face crumpled, and Aedion only
stared at her, unafraid of the words he’d
spoken. Only afraid of the dark mass that
swept toward them, staying within formation
above that endless army. Afraid of what that
legion would do to her, to Evangeline.
“I should have told you,” Aedion said,
voice breaking. “Every day after I realized it,
all these months. I should have told you every
day.”
Lysandra began to cry, and he brushed
away her tears.
His commanders reached him, ashen and
panting. “Orders, General?”