"Report." The duke's voice was impassive, but something about it made a chill creep down Theodore's spine.
His foot caught on an uneven part of the dark stone. Whether from exhaustion or carelessness, he couldn't tell. Ark grabbed his forearm to steady him and gave him a questioning look, asking if he were all right. Theodore shook his head and took a deep breath.
"Three survivors, two losses."
Theodore pictured the faces of the men who came back with him. All of them were covered in blood, and an exhaustion that one only had to experience to understand haunted their faces. He struggled to move past the faces of the two who were left behind on the battlefield.
He swallowed back acid that threatened to overtake him.
"Enemy archers initiated a surprise attack upon entering the forest." For an instant the cold ground of the forest was under him as arrows flew overhead. "Before we could regroup the enemy's infantry were upon us."
