Nila sat at the small walnut table by the bedroom window, her fingers wrapped around a piece of toasted rye bread. She was alone; Kaelen had gone down to the lower gates with Marcus to review the winter supply guards, but his presence still lingered in the room. The scent of pine and iron was woven into the heavy wool blankets of the bed, and her lips still carried the faint, tingling heat of the slow assionate kiss they had shared last night.

She caught her reflection in the small silver mirror on the wall and paused.

The silver ring inside her dark irises was still there, but it didn't...