It was true—the stink of the city was ill-contained by the walls. Ronan said it was because they were near the stables—only imperial horses were permitted on the roads within—but Ashyn was sure that wasn’t all they smelled. It was said ten thousand people lived in the imperial city. When she’d imagined it, she’d pictured a town stretching as far as the eye could see. Except she could see from one end of the wall to the other in one sweep. It was many times the size of Edgewood, but still much smaller than she’d envisioned. Which would explain the smell. And the noise. Even at dawn the cacophony rolled out to greet them.

They were approaching along a tertiary route, through one of the many villages that had sprouted along the city wall. They were all together now, Tova and Daigo having joined them.

As their horses’ hooves clopped along the empty street, a man staggered sleepily from a house. He turned at the sound, his gaze passing over the riders, then stopping as he gaped at the massive hound and wildcat. He went back inside as if deciding he needed more sleep.

“This is where I take my leave,” Ronan murmured, leaning toward Ashyn, not loud enough for Gavril and Moria.

“Already?”

He smiled. “You’re almost in the city, Ashyn.”

Ronan pulled his horse to a halt and slid from the saddle. Ashyn got down, too, to say good-bye. Moria and Gavril didn’t notice, caught up as they were in their conversation. Ashyn was about to call to them, but Ronan stopped her.

“They won’t get far before they notice,” he said as he handed her his reins. “I’ll leave you here, but if you have any troubles in there, any at all, contact me. All right?”

“And if . . .” She swallowed. “If I don’t have troubles, may I still contact you? Or would you rather—”

He stepped forward, his hand going to the back of her head, his mouth lowering to hers. And he kissed her. Not a long kiss, but not a light one either. His lips pressed firmly against hers for a moment, before he backed up.

“I would like it very much if you contacted me,” he said, his hand still behind her head. Another kiss, this one little more than a brushing of the lips, before he released her, murmured good-bye, and left her there, standing in the middle of the road, holding the reins of his horse.

Her sister and Gavril had not seen the kiss. They hadn’t realized that they’d left Ashyn behind until Ronan ran up alongside them for a quick farewell. Ashyn had still been standing like an idiot in the road, holding the horses. It was only when Gavril returned for her that she climbed back onto hers.