Page 125 of Embers in the Snow

But I’m not afraid of them; not even of the patriarch himself. Duke Rhaegar Talavarra is a seasoned commander and one of the most powerful men in the nation. He cultivates a benevolent persona in public, but he's vicious and cunning, and I'm more than certain he's behind several of the assassination attempts on my father.

Rhaegar might be a war veteran, but he hasn’t seen or done what I have.

And I know how to quash dissent.

Unable to help myself, I press my lips against Finley's neck, kissing her through layers of fabric. Thank the Goddess for that, otherwise I would have bitten her again. She's exquisite. Fragile yet strong. Impressively composed, yet brimming with untapped potential.

She'smine.

An odd and wicked thought occurs to me as I hold her tightly and leap off the precipice. If, by sending her to me, father's aim was to convince me to take back what is rightfully mine, then he hasalmostsucceeded.

38

FINLEY

When we reach the castle, there are soldiers everywhere.

They work with silent, practised efficiency, like a well-oiled machine.

They’re in the forest. They’re outside the castle, defending the walls and the outer grounds.

They’re in the courtyard, setting up war-machines.

I saw everything from above as Corvan leapt over the castle walls. The enemy were men in what look like official imperial uniforms.

But there was something strange about them.

Something different. I didn’t get a good enough glimpse to be able to put my finger on it.

“What is goingon?”

We land in the central courtyard, Corvan not even making a sound as his feet hit the cold, hard flagstones.

How does hedothat? I’ll never get used to it.

“Corvan, why are they fighting? And why are the enemy wearing military uniforms?”

He turns to me, unwrapping his scarf. The sun has dipped behind the mountains now, shrouding the courtyard in shadow. There’s no need for him to hide from the harsh light anymore.

In the distance, I hear the horses whinny, fear in their shrill voices.

Corvan’s expression is colder than I’ve ever seen it, but I know it isn’t directed at me. “They’re undead, Finley.”

Undead.

My shocked mind fails to comprehend his words.

“H-how?”

“I don’t know. Looks like they’re coming out of the woods. Let’s get you inside.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll take care of the enemy myself. You’ll be safe here. They aren’t going to breach the castle walls.”

I stare at him in disbelief. This is really happening. An attack on Tyron Castle. “Is this somehow related to me being here?”

“There’s no point in fretting about that. Please, go inside. Go to your brothers and reassure them. I know what lads their age are like. Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting to armor up so they can go out there and fight.”

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