The shroud of darkness was lifting from Alex’s mind, and with it the horrid experience of his trip through the mysterious, white valley. As he finally made his way back into the woods, his head was throbbing profoundly, and he hardly took notice of how quickly the sun had set, allowing the darkness to take over the mountains once more. As a matter of fact, it had been nighttime for hours, and Alex was no longer sure whether or not he was dreaming the whole time.The temperatures were still low, but it certainly felt warmer than it had earlier. It was as if he could feel again. Still, after his ordeal, he knew that he needed to rest. The body he was still carrying over his shoulders was quickly beginning to weigh him down. Alex decided it best to stop and break for a while. He headed over to the nearest evergreen he could find and gently sat Kota’s body down to rest against the tree trunk. 

Alex collapsed into the snow, hanging onto his consciousness by a thin thread. His body felt as though it had been set on fire on the inside. His vision was blurred and his heart ached as it pounded heavily. Alex had been through a lot in the last two years, but he had never experienced anything like this before. It was as if his entire sense of logic had all but dissipated. It was difficult to think clearly as he struggled to lift himself up with shaky arms.Alex was completely oblivious to his surroundings, so much so that he never considered he may not have been alone. A few meters behind him, amidst the cover of the trees, a tall, dark figure was standing in the shadows, as though it were watching him. The figure took a single step from the tree line, still shrouded in the darkness, but as it did, the air around it suddenly became motionless. In fact, the entire environment appeared to be still; the bo

What hour was it? For all Rowan knew, it could be nearly dawn by now. Her sense of time had been obscured after spending the past twenty-four hours inside the abandoned clay mines during the bone-chilling aftermath of the storm. She did not care. All her thought and focus was bent on tracking down Caine’s encampment.That name gnawed at her heart with a piercing strain; a young man she had once almost called a friend, whom her family always trusted, was now nothing more than a haunting demon she felt she had to face. Her blood ran hot with hatred, and her mind seemed to be blotting out any rational thoughts that might deter her from her reckless path. This powerful strain stayed with Rowan ever since she encountered Caine at the Iron Furnace. He tried to bring her over to his side by convincing her the last of the Ravennites would surely be destroye

“Take them out of here!” Caine shouted as he approached the rest of the Domineers crowded around the cluster of catapults. They only stared back at him curiously. “Did you not hear me?” he panted with anxious exhaustion.“What’s going on?” one of the Domineers stepped forward. “Is it the Ravennites?” His question suddenly caused the others to glance this way and that.“Just do as I say!” Caine fired back angrily. “Start moving the catapults. We’re taking them back to the camps.”“What?” the Domineer asked in confusion. “I thought we were supposed to stay here until Ramon’s men arrived, so we could lead the catapults over the mountains and to the Citadel. That was the plan.”

The atmosphere was becoming clouded with apprehension. Alex gazed around at the dozens of Domineers staring him down. He held his breath, waiting impatiently for the fight to begin, however short it might be.Alex turned to look back at Rowan, and the two managed to lock eyes. The last time they had seen each other, they were hanging precariously on a slope leading to the edge of a cliff with an avalanche right on their tails. Alex had no idea what was going to happen, or if they would ever see each other again after that. His memory had become so impaired after the events that followed, but she was here now, and as he looked down at her wounded form, he grew hot with rage when he thought about what the traitor had done to her.“Now!” Caine shouted at his men. The Domineers cried out as they charged at Alex. Putting aside his worries and his fears,