Kerrigan shrugged. “I picked one off of the first group before you landed. I knew what it was better than they did.”

Fordham shoved his sword back into its sheath. “We’ll come back for my sister when this is over,” he promised. “She’ll pay for what she’s done.” And then he ran as Netta approached.

“Head back to camp. We’ll regroup from there,” Kerrigan yelled as Roake got on his dragon.

Kerrigan felt shaky, like she might pass out. There was no way that she could do a running mount. She let her current feeling flow through Tieran, and he responded in turn, diving down toward her and picking her up. They soared over the river before he released her on the bank. She climbed onto his back and collapsed forward.

They made it into the skies when the sound of wings carried across the wind. Hundreds of dragons flew in formation in the distance, heading toward them. Kerrigan’s heart soared. Reinforcements were finally here. The stomp of feet drew her attention away from the Society. Then, a line of navy-blue soldiers crested the hill toward Lethbridge. Her heart caught as she recognized the Bryonican uniforms. Her people had heard the call and come to help.

The fight had only begun, but the odds were turning.

Reinforcements swelled their camp from a meager forty to thousands. Kerrigan barely registered the difference because as soon as her feet hit the ground in the clearing, she passed out. Hours later, she gasped awake, rushing out of her tent to find dozens of campfires still lit.

“Hey, you’re okay,” Roake called. He was seated before the fire but scrambled up to assist her. She waved him off.

“I’m okay. How’s Alura?”

Roake grimaced. “She’s with Helly. The healers are keeping her stable, but she hasn’t woken yet.”

“Gods,” she breathed. “Will she wake?”

“We don’t know yet.”

“Scales,” she said gruffly.

Roake sat back down. “I’m on watch.”

“It’s the same day?” she asked with a wince as she flopped in front of the fire.

“Same day,” he confirmed.

“What happened?”

“Nothing much. We retreated when the reinforcements came since it was almost dark. We’re going to break through the line and into Lethbridge tomorrow at dawn.” He pushed a plate toward her. “We saved you dinner. Thought you might want it when you woke up.”

“Thanks,” she said, digging into the food with abandon.

“Helly checked you over after she stabilized Alura. She said it wasn’t the magic sickness. They wanted to bench you tomorrow. She said it looked like exhaustion and you just needed to sleep.”

She bit her lip. “You think she was telling the truth?”

Roake shrugged. “Who knows? You’re in it tomorrow with us at least.”