The princess’s regiment waited a couple of miles away, far enough to evoke a deceptive feeling of safety. I feared that the Heartforger and I would be regarded as prisoners of war, but Lord Fox had commanded the soldiers to treat us like honored guests.

Princess Inessa sprang to her feet, flinging her arms around her consort with a sob. “Why are they fighting?” She wept into his chest. “Where is Tea? Lady Mykaela?”

“Most of the elders have been blighted,” he told her soberly, and she recoiled in shock. “If Mykaela and the others fall, we must be ready.”

“If they fall…” she choked out, staring at him in horror.

“If I die, you and the empress are to return to Kion without delay. Take your honor guards and ride as hard as you can for the ships. I sent word for preparations to begin.”

“No!” She clutched at his arms. “I won’t leave you, Fox!”

“I have no choice, Inessa. But I will die in peace if your face is the last vision I see.”

She cried harder and refused to let go. The bone witch’s brother made no protest. The Heartforger paced the tent, but I remained seated, finding little reason to move. If Fox died, then it meant the Dark asha had fallen too and the battle was lost.

But an hour passed and then two. The sounds of battle faded, and lightning no longer leaped across the horizon. The princess clung to her lover the whole time.

The end did not come. Mistress Parmina approached us, but there was none of the spitfire arrogance she displayed in the Daanorian throne room. Her shoulders were slumped, as if in defeat. “The scouts have returned, Fox. It is done.”

“Then Tea is alive.” Hope returned to the man’s face, and the princess broke into fresh happy tears.

“But not without a price,” Mistress Parmina said. To my surprise, she lowered her head and, unabashedly, began to weep.