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Darling neighed, shaking her head as if the horse took offense to Graeson dismissing one of her riders. Graeson tightened his hold on the reins.

Traitor.

Ellie clicked her tongue. “Come on, now. Is that how you treat an old friend?”

“You would be surprised how he treats old friends, Ellie,” Dani said, joining them. She flicked her head to the left. “I’m going to do a quick round.”

Ellie raised a brow. “You do realize we aren’t even close to the border yet? There are no enemies out here.”

Dani shrugged. “Can never be too safe,” she said, then rode off. Mud kicked up, pushing the scent of fresh moss and dirt into the air.

A heron, which squatted on a broken log, flew deeper into the woods as Dani and Winter sprinted past it.

Ellie leaned over slightly, whispering, “A bit paranoid, isn’t she?”

Graeson shook his head. “I don’t think it’s paranoia.”

“Then what is it?”

“Dani hasn’t been right since . . .” Graeson swallowed his words.

“Ah,” Ellie mumbled in understanding. She raised a shoulder, then dropped it. “I get it.”

Graeson nodded. “Death is hard.”

“Yet living is even harder,” Ellie said solemnly.

Silence saturated the air as Graeson and Ellie continued their trek through the Tetrian swamps. The wheels creaked behind them as the carriages rode over the loose pebbles covering the path.

Graeson was unused to the stench of sulfur hanging in the air, and his head throbbed. He pushed through the pain, focusing on the dull hum of the ring on his finger.

The silence hadn’t even settled between them before Ellie pestered him with more questions. Graeson tried to shake her off, but she was persistent.

“Don’t try brushing me off, Graeson. It won’t work.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Graeson said, keeping his attention on the road ahead.

“You have been searching for Kalisandre for nearly two decades. Do you mean to tell me you aren’t a bit excited to get her back?”

Graeson sent her a wary glance. “Excited?”

“Yes,excited. The last time I saw you, you were so eager to go and find her. I recall having to stop you more than once from running off and doing just that.”

Graeson’s jaw flexed. “Things have gotten somewhat more complicated since.”

“How so?”

“Must you be so nosy about everything?” Graeson asked, glaring at her.

Ellie grinned, her black eyes alit with amusement. “I’ll shut up about it once you tell me,” she said, wiggling her brows.

Graeson shook his head in exasperation. But in the end, he relented and told Ellie everything. How they snuck into Ardentol, attacked Kalisandre’s carriage, told Kallie the truth about her lineage, and even how she stabbed Fynn. And then how they had all been fooled by her.

When the words all but spilled from his mouth, Ellie finally spoke. “All right, so let me see if I understand this,” Ellie said, readjusting herself on her stallion. “You abducted the girl whom you believe you’re destined to be with because of something your mother had said before you were born. Kalisandre discovers that her whole identity has been a lie in the middle of a fight. Then, while she is trying to figure out who she is, her father and fiancé’s brother attack and re-capture her.” Ellie raised a single brow. “Is that about the sum of it?”

“I mean, there’s a little more to it,” Graeson mumbled. “But yes.”

“Hmm,” Ellie mumbled, nodding and returning her attention to the path.