The dawn was thick with fog as Aria's army moved across the valley floor. The previous night's energy still echoed through the bones of her warriors, but beneath the bravado and tension lay something deeper—exhaustion. This war had dragged on too long, pulled them too far. Even victories felt heavy now.
Kael rode beside her, his gaze scanning the tree lines, ears pricked for the faintest disturbance. Behind them, Jonah directed a flanking squad from horseback, already a different man from the one in chains.
But Aria's mind wasn't only on the coming battle. The weight of leadership was heavier than it had ever been, and her thoughts kept circling back to something else—something she hadn't touched in a long time.
Who am I beyond the war?
That question haunted her more than Ronan's ghost ever could.
