Elara's pov

I stood on the castle walls as dawn broke, watching the forest edge with eyes that felt too dry to blink.

Six figures emerged from the tree line.

Six. Out of twenty.

My hands gripped the stone pillar so hard my knuckles went white. I couldn't see their faces from this distance, couldn't tell if Von was among them. The survivors moved slowly, limping, helping each other. One collapsed and had to be carried by two others.

"They're bringing them to the throne room," Clara ...