The road to Oakhaven was quieter than it had been on the day of the battle.
I walked it alone, my boots crunching on the frozen earth, my breath misting in the cold air. The sun was pale and weak, filtering through the clouds that still hung low over the mountains, but it was light. After the darkness of the battle and the hours of fighting, fire, and death, the light felt like a promise.
Kaelen had wanted to come with me. He had stood at the gates of Frosthold, his hand on my arm, his eyes searching my face. "You don't have to do this alone," he had said. "Let me come with you."
I had shaken my head. "They need to see me. Not the Duke, not the breaker of waves. Just me. The woman who brought the light."
He had understood. He had kissed my forehead, released my arm, and watched me walk away. I felt his gaze on my back long after the gates had closed behind me.
