Page 97 of Obsidian Throne

If we were lucky.

He dipped his head again, knowing as well as I did that we had no hope of withstanding a siege with the numbers they were talking about. We had to bank on Crane and Lynx getting through the western front, and on our holding out until they could--ifthey could.

It was a strange feeling.

As long as I had been alive, Bear had been all but untouchable. But this… Iiro’s underhanded methods may finally pay off for him.

At least he wouldn’t get his hands on Rowan now.

If there was one thing I could trust Korhonan with, it was Rowan’s life.

My cousin glanced at me like he could hear the thoughts playing out in my head, but he didn’t speak again until we were inside, away from prying ears. I headed to the war room, realizing there was no part of me that was ready to face the rooms I shared with Rowan.

They probably still smelled like her, like amber and citrus and something uniquelyRowan.

“Tell me what happened,” Taras said quietly once I shut the door.

I paused, steeling myself as I met his glare with my own.

“I left her at an inn with Korhonan.” I said the words far more casually than I felt them.

My cousin blinked in disbelief, and several beats of silence passed between us until he finally breathed out one single word. “Der’mo.”

“She was going to be a target for Iiro, and Korhonan was the only one who could get her across the border. And,” I admitted reluctantly, “the only one I trusted to keep her safe.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “That’s certainly an interesting turn of events.”

My cousin paused for a beat, then looked back up at me. “What did she think of the plan?”

I ran an uncomfortable hand over the light stubble on my jaw. “Well, I...left her a note.”

Taras’ brow rose as he digested that information. Finally, he shook his head silently before a small, dry laugh escaped him.

“I wouldn’t want to be Korhonan right now. Or you, at the end of this,” he tacked on.

A bitter, only slightly amused huff of air left me. But, while my wife excelled atgettingangry, she didn’t generally stay that way for long. Besides...

“Assuming I even live through this, at least she’ll be alive to be mad,” I responded. “You would do the same thing for Mila.”

Fortunately, even Iiro wouldn’t allow the noblewomen to be harmed. Except my wife, of course.

His head tilted to the side as if he were weighing the truth of my words. “I would tell her, at least.”

I shot him a look, raising one eyebrow. “That’s because Mila would still go if you explained it. Have you met Rowan?”

“Yes.” He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “Yes, I have.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

ROWAN

The brisk winds and scattered freezing rain made the ride interminable. I still had at least another hour to go to reach the village I needed, if, of course, I was headed in the right direction.

I shivered and burrowed further into my cloak as I scanned the hills and trees for any sign of familiarity. I had never been terrible with directions, but going in the opposite direction in the dead of night made it difficult to recognize landmarks.

Considering whether I may or may not be very lost brought me to the uncomfortable realization that I was more alone than I had ever been.

There was no Davin here to joke with, no Theo to protect me, no Evander to…