outh. His heart was racing like a spooked horse, but he couldn't let his men s

him with deep concern, the kind of concern a m

stark contrast to the chaos in his head. "Look a

e the storm, Your Highness. I see snow on the floor. I see a broken frame. Nothing has

s real. His men could feel it too-he saw it in the way they relaxed their shoulders, the way they

cold can play tricks on the mind. We have been marching for days. The warmt

s tone immediately. "Gather the men. We make camp here

n he still saw as broken and exposed. "The shelter is poor,

altar at the front of the hall. In the physical world-the world his men could see-it was a crumbl

the altar. The stone was

ting the reality of his

hants and spies. He thought of the way the King looked at him-not with love, but with suspicion. Alex was

sed to be a death sentence. Exil

er didn't kn

e capital, out from under the King's watchful eye. He needed a place where he could

ex thought, a cold fury settling in his

. This phenomenon-this miracle-changed everything. It was a

weapon? O

rned on his heel and str

uiet enough that only the guard could hear.

ighness. A raven was dispatched six hours ag

assins-was his greatest asset. If this 'miracle' turned out

to understand what

se and stale bread. They looked pathetic. They looked defeated. But

ait to see if the miracle would repeat. He had to te

n!" Ale

th ink-stained fingers, looked up fr

ed. "Bring your kit. I

his eyes wide. "Are y

lse. Check my eyes. Check for poisons, spells, or any kind of magical contamination. I saw so

he warmth is real. We all felt it. The stones are warm

e why I'm the only one who

ed out a small silver tuning fo

f Quillan found nothing, then the miracle was real-and he had been singled out for a reason. And