{Ryanna's Pov}

We endured a long night. The taste of defeat bitter in our mouths.

Once again, Aurelius had us pinned. How disgraceful.

The cold morning mist soured the cut from the arrow that had almost met my heart. Dried blood stained the bandage and staring at it annoyed me even more.

Basten sat nearby, nursing a bruise too. It was clear that none of us returned uninjured from that. In a cruel twist, the ambush became the ambushed.

We all contemplated the aftermath of last night’s ...