Page 208 of Season Warriors & Wolves

She blinked once. “I felt a bit sick just now.”

I pressed my lips together, holding back a laugh, and pointed to the runes she’d drawn down on the soil. “What are those for?”

“We will have guests.”

“Guests?”

She nodded. “I needed to read intentions before I could let them through our waters.”

Just then, heavy footsteps thumped from the camp entrance. Tristin and her soldiers were escorting two women. One was tall, with auburn hair, golden brown skin, and the other was not much shorter, her golden hair was cut to her shoulders, and the robes she wore covered every inch of skin. There were clear intentions of peace and reluctance circling them, an old air about their magic seeped through the wind—a magic I could not entirely grasp.

Snow came out of the main camp, looking a bit surprised at the auburn-haired woman. “Nilsa?”

The woman bowed her head. “Guardian.”

“Snow, just Snow,” my friend said, pointing inside the tent for them to enter.

“Who are they?” I asked.

Visha stood and threw the stick away. “King Kegans’s daughter. The one who freed Aurora five hundred years ago. They called her Nilsa Veranesi. The woman behind is Alyone Morfir, a high priestess in Heyes temple.”

“The hells are they doing here?”

“I brought them here.”

“What?”

Visha and I followed shortly, standing on the corner while Snow narrowed her eyes on the woman and her companion.

“What you said to me back then,” Nilsa started. “You were right.”

“Of course,” Snow admitted, crossing her legs and giving her an innocent smile. “Could have written me a letter though, but this is a nice ego boost, so thank you.”

“I come with help.”

Snow raised a brow, glancing at Alyone. “Help?”

The two nodded. “We have managed to take over your father’s camps in Heyes. His last ships retreated towards the Sayuri in an attempt to flee our attack. As far as we’ve scoured Seraphim, no Isjordian remains.”

“Our?”

“Me and people.”

“So they listened.”

“They did. I am grateful for your anger and so are my people.” She unstrapped a dagger and put it on the table in front of Snow. “We are not many. Few of us still are fearful of our own blessing. But we will help and will fight however we can. If your offer is still on the table.” She looked over her shoulder at us and then at Kilian. “Though you do already have a strong side.”

“We’d be thankful,” Snow said, and I knew the words tasted bitter. She was protecting the realm she’d sworn to take apart into pieces once. All because of the people in this room. For her people behind the mountains. Though she had not told me or showed it, I knew the decision was haunting her.

“It is us who are thankful,” she said, bowing again. “That you are willing to fight for us all.”

Snow’s eyes found mine. Maybe we did hear each other’s thoughts like she used to say long ago. “That is me,” she replied, standing and taking Nilsa’s dagger, trailing a finger over the sharp edge. “The ever loved…hero.”

Kilian pushed from where he sat. “I’m her husband, Kilian Castemont.”

“The Adriatian King,” Nilsa said, bowing her head at him. “I’d recognise the scent of your magic anywhere.”

He glanced back at Snow and then pointed to the exit. “I’ll show you around the camp and get your people settled in.” He hugged my friend to his chest for a moment and then left.