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Kipp bowed his head in reverence to Thea. ‘For which I’ll forever be in her debt.’

Wilder nudged Thea. ‘Perhaps you can use that to get me out of the favour I owe him.’

Chuckling, Thea shook her head and smiled sweetly. ‘Not a chance, Warsword. I want to see what sort of insanity the Son of the Fox asks of you.’

Kipp slung his arm around her shoulder. ‘That’s the spirit.’

Thea leant into her friend’s embrace, fighting back the disbelief that he was truly here after the horrors of yesterday.

‘Enough fucking around,’ Anya said sharply. ‘We’re due to head out within the hour. Commanders, Warswords, heirs and a mismatch of other personnel will travel by shadow magic to the tavern. We’re bringing the prisoner with us. He doesn’t leave our sight.’

‘And Queen Reyna?’ Thea asked.

‘On her way to a mountain residence before we meet her back in Vios for the trial. Her troops will travel with what’s left of the cavalry unit and our army to the Singing Hare and the main town.’

‘Shouldn’t we stay and help?’ Wilder cut in.

Anya ran her hands over her shaved head. ‘I suggested as much, but they were united in their stance: make haste and deal with Artos.’

‘And what of his forces?’ Thea blurted. ‘What of Tver? And the reapers?’

‘We won’t know until we question him. Dratos and Vernich started last night, but he wasn’t entirely lucid after his encounter with you and me,’ Anya replied. ‘Our healers advised that we need to get him warm and fed before the real interrogation can begin.’

Thea made a face. The thought of caring for the bastard who’d wrought so much suffering on the world didn’t sit right with her.

‘I thought the same initially,’ Anya offered. ‘But it was our sweet sister who pointed out: what good is the first cut of many if he can’t feel it?’

Kipp gaped. ‘Elwren said that?’

Thea patted him on the shoulder. ‘You’ll slowly learn that of the three Embervale sisters, Wren is the one to fear the most.’

She chanced a glimpse at Torj, who was busying himself with the buckles on a pack, but the Bear Slayer didn’t seem surprised in the least, as though he’d known all along where the true danger lay.

Thea turned back to Anya. ‘No sign of wraiths or reapers?’

‘None.’

‘Doesn’t that —’

‘Make me uneasy as fuck? Yes,’ Anya replied, hoisting her heavy fur cloak around her shoulders and tying it at the base of her throat. ‘But until we question Artos, we won’t know any more. Talemir’s got shadow-touched rangers scouting all over the midrealms, but for now… we go to the damn tavern.’

‘Where is Tal?’ Wilder asked.

‘He went ahead with Drue and Adrienne.’

‘And Wren? Farissa?’ Thea added.

‘Mixing tinctures and salves for the wounded in the infirmary. They’re refusing to leave until it’s all in hand.’

Thea nodded. ‘I’d expect nothing less. What of Audra?’

Silence followed.

Thea gaped. ‘No one has seen her at all?’

Anya shifted on her feet. ‘I was told she was spotted riding away from camp before the battle.’

‘What?’ Thea blinked, looking around the tent, gobsmacked. ‘Audra would never.’