The odds were overwhelming. They hadn’t stood a chance against these savages even with Emric at full strength, and without him, it was suicide. Any flicker of hope was swallowed by despair.

Desperation took over as Jayden and Swan made a break for the boat. But as they reached it, they discovered it was wedged beneath a thick sheet of ice that choked the frozen river. The ice was slippery, treacherous—walking across it would only risk broken bones, or worse, falling through into ...