Chapter Five: The Fourth Army at Frostbridge

“Mordred will never let—” A silver needle flew from the mountainside toward Rowan’s throat. Lain had already watched this moment. He dragged Rowan left by the collar. The needle passed between them and struck stone. “The marquis likes his witnesses to die halfway through a sentence,” Lain said. “I have preserved the other half.” The fighting ended within a quarter hour. The mine was sealed, the gray army broken, and both legitimate forces withdrew ten miles. That night, Rowan surrendered an additional order bearing Mordred’s private seal. It commanded him to steal both banners after the bridge fell, then throw “the imprint of the Nameless” into the abyss. Mordred wanted more than two armies destroyed. He wanted Lain’s imprint.