‘Eiric is strong. He always was, even as a boy.’ Zachary placed a hand on her shoulder and then squeezed. ‘I’d best go and see to the wounded.’

He left Liana to her thoughts.

Liana and Eiric were now lovers, but with all the trouble at the mines, they hadn’t yet spoken of marriage. Theirs was a tumultuous relationship, filled with passion and declarations of love, but also the occasional bitter argument that meant they sometimes wouldn’t speak for days afterwards. She was angry at him for thinking that action was always needed when sometimes words could accomplish more. He accused her of always doubting him. But she couldn’t back down, not when his actions placed him in harm’s way.

As she turned away from the mountains, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. A tall, broad-shouldered figure was stumbling through the trees, approaching from the far side of the clearing. She felt a familiar tightness in her chest as she recognized Eiric’s face. But then she frowned. His silhouette was strange.

He was carrying something, and whatever it was, it was heavy. His burden required both his arms.

Liana began to run.

She left the wounded behind, crossing the clearing and plunging once more into the trees. When she reached Eiric, she gasped.

He was carrying Dalton, a man who was one of the oldest of their number, and had been instrumental in uniting the group from the Waste with those from the Wilds. Liana saw at least three gaping wounds in Dalton’s chest, along with a tear stretching from just below his shoulder to his hip. Both Eiric and Dalton were covered in blood. Dalton was groaning.

‘What happened? Eiric? Let me help.’

But when she tried to help him with his burden, he shook his head, despite his obvious exhaustion. He continued to walk slowly, every footstep labored as he headed toward the clearing.

Liana looked for Zachary. ‘Zachary? Zachary!’

Zachary came quickly, helping them lower Dalton to the ground. Liana continued to ask Eiric questions, but he was in shock; she’d seen this look before: eldren who were close to each other could speak without sound and sense each other’s presence; when they lost a loved one, the pain could be enough to turn them wild. As Zachary tended Dalton’s wounds, Eiric sank to his knees.

‘They surprised us,’ Eiric said softly. ‘I should have thought of it.’

‘Are you hurt?’ Liana asked, swiftly checking him over.

‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘We pushed them back. Dalton . . .’ His voice broke. ‘Will he live?’