As though the entire universe had stopped to observe Zara and Kael's every action, the ruins appeared to hold their breath. There was no light or comfort in the murky grey sky above. Zara loosened her hold on the discarded knapsack that was slung over her shoulder. The little supplies they had managed to scavenge were inside, but they were nothing more than crumbs in comparison to what they would require.
"How far now?" Kael's voice was even and low as he asked.
"Not far," Zara snapped back. Her stomach ached, and she didn't need his doubt to make it worse.
The Obsidian Fortress—or what remained of it—loomed in the distance as their goal. It had once been a glorious representation of imperial might, but now it served as a haven for the most vicious group inside the fallen empire. Now, motivated by need and the remote possibility that their bet would succeed, Zara and Kael were moving into its shadow.
Never before had the stakes been so high. The map they were looking for was more than
