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“The Rathalans. They came through the mountain pass in the night with their armies and their malarite weapons. We didn’t stand a chance.” Her eyes met mine. “Askeland has fallen.”
No. It felt like a boulder had fallen on my chest, crushing the life out of me. I couldn’t breathe as her words circled in my mind.
Askeland has fallen.
“I’m sorry, Jeddak,” Lila whispered, her voice blowing away in the wind. “They killed the king, the high council, everyone in the palace. In the chaos, I managed to escape before they could come for me, but I lost Senna in the fray.”
She glanced around to locate Kah before realizing we were both without our bears now.
“I should have been there,” I said. Even if there was the slightest chance I could have made a difference, I should have been there. Instead, I was distracted by some wild goose chase while my homeland fell into the hands of the enemy.
“There wasn’t anything you could have done,” she said, seeing the angry regret in my eyes.
“You don’t know that,” I said, balling my fist. I wanted to find those blazen Rathalans and destroy them once and for all.
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this, was it?” Lila kept her voice soft as she wrapped her hands around my fists. “Today was supposed to be our wedding day.”
“I know.”
We sat still for a while, hand in hand.
“I’m heading back to my homeland in Kadden,” Lila said. “Come with me. We can be married in my father’s house. The eastern bear tribe would welcome us. It won’t be the same, but at least we’ll be together.”
“I can’t,” I said suddenly, unable to look at her. “I have to go to Askeland, to see if there are any survivors or anything I can do to help there.”And to track down those Rathalan bastards.
“Askeland is little more than dust and ruin now,” she said. “There is nothing for you there.”
No, I refused to believe that I’d traveled so long and so far from home only to never return.
“Lila, I?—”
My words were drowned out by a scream in the distance.
Raven.
I grabbed my staff and was sprinting in that direction before I’d realized I’d even moved. “Wait there!” I shouted back to Lila.
Sharp branches scratched my arms and face as I fought my way back to the path. I heard the scream again, louder this time as I got closer. Fear coursed through my veins, making my legs pump faster.
Seconds later, the fog fell away, and a lake came into view, its water so still and pristine it looked like a pool of melted silver. Patches of snow clung to the ragged shoreline, and the bare branches of weeping willows dipped their many fingers into the shallows. In the distance, drifting clouds obscured the outline of what looked like a castle.
In the middle of the lake, several boulders sat like miniature islands. There, on one of the flatter ones, was Raven. She appeared to be unconscious—hopefully still alive—with her dark hair fanned out on the rock.
“Raven!” I shouted.
She didn’t move. I scanned the lake, looking for a way to reach her. Yaro’s warning rang in my ears.Whatever you do, don’t disturb the lake.
Lila ran up behind me just then, breathing hard as she skidded to a stop. “Who is that?” she asked, brushing her wild hair out of her face.
I glanced from Raven back to Lila. “I, um—she’s a friend.” The words were thick and clumsy, but I didn’t have time for a full explanation.
“Stay here,” I told Lila as I threw down my staff, kicked off my boots, and untied my cloak. “I mean it this time.”
The water was icy, biting against my skin as I waded into the lake. My heart pounded against my ribs, warning me of the danger ahead, imploring me to retreat. I didn’t listen. Keeping my eyes fixed on Raven, I sucked in a sharp breath, about to dive in and start swimming when I heard a sound.
Laughter.
Confused, I searched for the source of the noise. Raven hadn’t moved and Lila stood motionless on the shore, watching me. “Who’s there?” I shouted.
