Page 108 of Obsidian Throne

Especially whensheemerged from amongst them.

The dawning sun lit the courtyard in an ethereal glow, adding to the unreal feel of the figure striding across the battlefield in pitch-black armor, a saber in each of her hands.

And I knew it was Rowan, even with half of her face covered. Those soft lips, that pointed chin, the long tendrils of crimson curls escaping to blow in the gentle breeze…I would know them anywhere.

Had I been injured after all? Was this all some elaborate trick of my imagination, a way for my mind to comfort me in the minutes before I succumbed to death?

She stopped in front of me, and all I could do was stare mutely, my breaths forming a fog in the freezing cold air between us.

For all I usually read her so well, the cold, hard lines of her face were unfamiliar to me, and again, I wondered if she was even here at all, even as she stuck her sword into the ground.

Then her eyes met mine, and the unrelenting fury burning in their bright-green depths was enough to bowl me completely over. I knew then that this had to be real. There was no version of her in my imagination that would look at me like that.

“Lem--”

A lightly gauntleted hand connected with my cheek before I could finish the word.

I was stunned into silence. By her presence. By the literal weight of her rage. By the fact that she had shown up at my castle with an army and the miracle we needed.

While I was still reeling from all of that, she yanked her sword out of the ground and walked into the estate.

“Lemmikki.” I belatedly followed her, but she didn’t slow down until she got to one of the young squires who was waiting inside the door.

“Please see that these are cleaned and returned to me.” She handed him her blades with hands that trembled slightly.

He nodded, looking nearly as overwhelmed by her presence as I was.

She took off her helmet as she turned to a second squire.

“I need you to fetch Lord Taras for me,” she told him.

The boy nodded, taking off at a run.

“What do you need with Taras?” I asked, confused.

“I need someone to take care of a few things for me,” she said without looking at me.

I bristled in spite of myself. “And you don’t think the duke of the entire clan could help you with that?”

“I’m sorry.” Sarcasm laced her tone. “What I meant was, I need someone I can trust.”

The words were like a punch to the gut. Perhaps I had misjudged her capacity to stay angry.

My lips parted, but before I could respond, she spun around to head toward the East Wing. Where our old rooms were.

She paused only long enough to ask a maid to send Taisiya to her room, clarifying that they were the ones in the East Wing. I opened my mouth to ask her about it when Taras’ voice sounded behind us.

“Rowan?” He didn’t sound surprised, but then, he had probably seen her trek across the battlefield.

And the way she slapped me.

“Could you kindly walk with me to my room, Taras?” Her voice was all cold efficiency, in a way I had never heard it before.

Something uncomfortable churned in my stomach. Not quite dread...but close.

“Of course, My Lady.” He stepped around me with a single wary glance in my direction.

Naturally, I followed.