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‘Not leaving without us, are you?’ a familiar voice sounded just behind her.

Thea turned to find Kipp and Cal on her heels, their horses loaded with supplies, weapons strapped to their backs.

‘What are you doing here?’ she asked, frowning.

‘Writing a fucking sonnet, Your Highness,’ Kipp replied. ‘What’s it look like?’

Thea shifted in her saddle. ‘I told Wren you’d be there for her.’

‘Who d’you think told us where you’d be?’ Cal said.

Kipp nudged his horse up alongside hers. ‘She’s going to stick with Malik. She promised.’

‘And we’re going to stick with you,’ Cal added.

‘What about Torj? And your apprenticeship?’

Kipp snorted. ‘We love you, Thea, but it’s not like we don’t cherish having our balls attached to our bodies as well. We got leave from Osiris, Torj and Esyllt to join you. So just deal with it. You’re stuck with us.’

Thea felt a tiny piece of her heart fall back into place, and a smile ghosted across her lips. ‘Is that right?’

Kipp grinned. ‘Afraid so.’

Thea turned to Cal. ‘And what of your family? Are they alright? Are they safe?’

Cal grinned. ‘More than alright. My sisters told me if I don’t ride at your side, they’ll disown me. They’ve got it into their heads that they’re going to be warriors like you when they grow up. My mother’s not overly pleased.’

Thea’s eyes prickled. ‘Is that so…’

Kipp clapped her on the shoulder. ‘Face it, wraith slayer. There are going to be little girls knocking at Thezmarr’s gates, demanding to be trained, before the day is done.’

‘Good,’ Thea said. ‘We need all the help we can get.’

‘I’ll drink to that,’ Kipp replied with a wink.

Thea surveyed her friends, her grip tightening on her reins. ‘So, you’re really going to help me hunt down the most powerful Warsword in Thezmarr’s history?’

‘FormerWarsword,’ Cal corrected her.

‘Course we are,’ Kipp declared. ‘But that doesn’t mean we’re not gonna have some fun on the way. The Fox has sister taverns all over the midrealms.’ He winked. ‘So… where to first?’

Warmth swelled in Thea’s chest for a brief moment. ‘East,’ she said, turning her horse to the sweeping gilded valleys.

‘East it is. And I assure you, the Blushing Bear is on the way,’ Kipp said grandly, before kicking Cal’s leg. ‘Last one to the treeline buys the first round.’

‘Wait a minute —’

But Kipp was already off, and Cal surged after him with a curse.

Thea knew they’d done it to give her space, to let her say goodbye to what she thought she’d known. Thoughts of the man who’d meant something –everything– to her consumed her. Silver eyes meeting hers. The rich timbre of his voice as they whispered secrets to each other in the night. The taste of him. His arms wrapped around her.

Because I fucking love you.

She had thought those words would be imprinted on her soul forever, but she shoved them away, letting them fade from her like shadows swept away by the wind.

Thea steeled herself, her armour sliding into place around her. Taking a breath, she silently thanked him for all he’d done.

He had shaped her from a shieldbearer to a Guardian, to a true warrior of the realm. To someone worthy of the Great Rite.

Yes, she thanked him from the bottom of her cold, wretched heart.

For he had forged her into the warrior she needed to be to slay her enemies.

And Wilder Hawthorne was now one of them.

With lightning sharp in her veins and her heart full of fire, Thea set out across the midrealms, the wind tearing at her braid as she rode east, the taste of vengeance on her lips.

And so the hunt began.

* * *