The Bond Orchard Kieran's POVMorning clawed its way through the frost-bitten orchard like an old wolf too stubborn to die. The snow was gray now, churned to slush where bodies had fallen and been dragged away in the darkness. Kieran stood at the edge of the orchard trench, one boot braced on a half-buried root, eyes fixed on the line of pines beyond the grave mounds. Cassius's men worked in silence behind him, throwing frozen soil over fresh corpses. It would keep the carrion birds away for a while , but not forever.Selena's voice cut through the hush. "They're already probing the west gate."He turned, finding her halfway down the slope, her boots caked in half-frozen mud, the sleeves of her tunic pushed up to the elbow. Beneath the leather bracer, he caught the angry welt of her oath-brand , still red, still raw, as if she'd carved the promise into her bone."Let them probe," he said. "We'll gut them when they do."She stopped beside him, arms folded across her chest. "You thin
Last Updated : 2025-07-07 Read more