The third night came quickly.
All the tents were disassembled.
All belongings were packed.
A full moon hung high above the mountains that surrounded us, its pale light bathing the massive cluster of people preparing to embark on the journey.
Behind me, murmurs rippled through the crowd as Corven's soldiers moved about on horseback, making sure everyone was present and no one was causing trouble. They were the troop of fifty men Corven had assigned to protect us. Dressed in leather armor supplied from the city before the invasion, they carried spears, swords, and axes that looked barely sharp enough to cut sheep flesh.
But humans could only do so much. Especially when they were desperate.
What I saw the elves do in the capital was beyond anything anyone could prepare for.
Children clung to their parents.
Wives clung to their husbands.
Others had formed groups they planned to walk with.
I stood at the edge of the campgrounds, staring blankly between the trees of the forest.
A soft wind passed through. The grass at my feet and the black cloak on my back swayed. Leaves rustled in the trees, and my snow-white hair danced in the breeze.
What do I do? I thought. Do I watch all these people die?
Images from every time the angels descended to destroy everything I loved flashed through my mind—the chaos, the panic, the paralyzing fear.
It was always the same.
I can't help them.
"The time has come, hasn't it?" Corven's voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I turned to see him sitting atop a large horse to my right.
"Corven…" I said, facing him fully. "You haven't left yet?"
"I haven't," Corven replied. "I'll catch up with the army after I've made sure you all begin your journey safely."
"Right," I said, turning back to the trees.
"You know… my people believed deeply in angels," Corven said.
My gaze shifted toward him again.
"We believed they carried our prayers to the gods of the heavenly pantheon." His voice lowered, his eyes fixed on the forest ahead. "My mother used to tell me stories from our holy books. She sang ballads and preached about good deeds and heaven. It made me want to meet an angel more than anything."
I watched him for a moment, then looked away.
"Why are you telling me this?"
He was silent for a beat.
"Well… you could say that from the moment I discovered you were an angel, I knew you would be the savior of all these people."
"I told you I will not use my abilities against the elves," I said. "I'm not your weapon, Corven."
"Oh, but you are," Corven replied.
I paused.
"Whether you like it or not, you'll want to protect these people. You'll want to protect Edith." His brows furrowed as his eyes shifted toward me. "Why do you think I killed Carla?"
My eyes widened as I drew a sharp breath.
"Why do you think I displayed her head for everyone to see?" he added.
"You monster!" I snarled.
"Call me what you want," Corven said. "But it was necessary."
My fists tightened, my teeth grinding as I glared daggers at him.
"I knew you were too much of a coward to use your skills in real battles," he continued. "The moment you confirmed my suspicions about what you were, I saw an opportunity to save my people."
He sighed and turned away from me, his expression relaxing.
"I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but Carla's daughter is yours now."
In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to drive a dagger through his chest—or give him another hideous scar across his already horrendous face.
This is why I lied to him on the first day we met.
I could already tell he was just like the rest of them—opportunistic monsters.
If only I didn't tell Carla.
I could have left. Walked away and never looked back. Found a life somewhere else, free from people who needed saving.
But…
I couldn't bear the thought of abandoning Edith.
Or Minius.
Corven had won.
I heard Edith's and Khristen's laughter behind me.
Turning, I saw them approaching on a black horse, trotting toward Corven and me.
They stopped beside me.
"Aurelia," Edith said with a bright smile. "Khristen's going to teach me how to ride a horse."
I stared at the little girl, tears filling my eyes. Then I looked at Khristen.
"You're not going with the army?"
"Oh no!" Khristen said. "Corven asked me to come with you so I can help cut down any elven bastard who dares cross our path."
"Wha…" I breathed, my chest rising and falling.
I spun toward Corven, but he was already riding back toward the crowd.
"I'm not the villain, Aurelia," he called over his shoulder. "I'm simply doing what I must to keep my people safe."
My brows furrowed, anger boiling as I watched him ride away.
The sound of galloping suddenly echoed through the forest.
I turned toward it.
The scout I had sent out emerged from the trees.
His horse trotted to a stop before me, and he quickly dismounted.
"Lady Aurelia," he called as he approached.
I stepped forward.
"There were no elves in sight. They've all returned to their camps, and our path to the trade route is clear," he reported.
"Oh, great news!" Khristen said behind me. "We can finally get this show on the road!"
I stared at her drunken expression for a moment. My gaze shifted to Edith, then back to the scout.
"Thank you," I said. "Join the others and tell the people to begin forming up. We'll travel in three rows, each protected by at least fifteen soldiers. We need to stay as quiet as possible."
He nodded and hurried past me.
I sighed and walked back toward Khristen.
"Are you drunk?" I asked.
"No, I'm not," Khristen replied.
I squinted at her.
"Okay… maybe a little," she admitted. "I had a drink earlier."
I grunted, my brows knitting.
"We're going to be fine, Aurelia," Edith said. "Don't worry."
My expression softened as I looked down at her.
I exhaled slowly, a faint smile touching my lips.
…
The air was punctuated by the chirping of crickets, the quiet footsteps of hundreds, the clopping of horse hooves against stone, and the creaking of cartwheels.
The journey had begun.
Forest trees rustled around us as the wind passed over the procession, moonlight filtering through the leaves as if lighting our path.
Maybe the gods truly were on the side of these wanderers.
Or maybe the gods had their eyes on me.
Khristen, sitting beside me, glanced around before settling her gaze on the five soldiers on horseback moving ahead.
The air was cold against my skin. My eyes remained fixed forward as the soldiers led us through the forest. Edith slept on a bed of hay in the cart behind us, covered in a thick black blanket against the chill of the night.
"This path leads directly to the first trade route," I said. "We can reach it before midnight and cross into the second trade route before sunrise."
"Oh?" Khristen said. "You know this road well, don't you?"
"Yes. I lived in the capital for three years, and I spent part of that time trying to run away from Amelia."
"Why? I thought she was your master," Khristen asked.
"At the time, I didn't want to get involved with humans," I said. "It was always the same whenever they discovered my identity. Captured and sold to the highest bidder, turned into a plaything… and then I would kill them by accident while trying not to be raped or experimented on."
"Right," Khristen breathed. "But Amelia wasn't like that?"
I smiled faintly. "No. She wasn't."
"No matter what it did to me, I never lost my faith in humanity because of Daniel." I chuckled softly. "I lied to myself, thinking I was tired of humans and wanted to stay away from them…"
I paused.
"But I kept finding myself among them, quietly hoping I would find him again."
"Did you find him in the capital?" Khristen asked.
"No," I said. "Amelia and Diana became my only family. The first people after Daniel who didn't want me because of my heritage."
Khristen fell silent.
She turned toward me and reached for my hand.
"I'm sorry for everything Corven has done," she said, her palm touching mine. "To that poor little girl—and to you."
I sighed.
"But you know he's right," Khristen added.
My grip on the reins tightened, my fingers digging into my palm.
"Look at all these people. Even if we cross the border safely, sooner or later you'll have to pick up a sword to defend them."
"I'm leaving after we cross the border!" I blurted.
Khristen froze. "What?"
A baby suddenly burst into tears behind us. The murmur of the crowd swelled for a moment before fading again.
"Shut that child up!" a soldier shouted.
I turned back to Khristen, my brows drawn tight.
"After we cross the border, I'm leaving," I repeated. "I have never spilled blood on purpose before, and I don't intend to start now. I'll die before I use this accursed power."
Khristen exhaled and turned away, folding her arms across her chest.
"I see…"
"You see what?" I asked.
"You're a selfish little prick."
"What?!"
"You watched every single person you love get butchered by angels, and not once did you stand up and fight back because you were afraid of becoming like them," Khristen said. "You keep saying you've never spilled blood, but all those people you watched die did so while you were busy thinking about yourself."
She cast me a sidelong glance.
"You killed them, Aurelia."
I gritted my teeth, my blood boiling, my fists tightening.
Then my grip loosened.
And my heart calmed.
Tears filled my eyes.
I let out a slow breath.
"It doesn't matter what you think. I've made my decision," I said.
Khristen remained silent for a moment.
"There's something that doesn't quite add up," she said.
I turned to her again.
"If angels don't have hearts or free will," she continued, "how did your father fall in love with a human and leave the heavens? How do you have angelic power in the first place?"
I considered her question.
"I don't know. The gods must have made him differently."
"Hmmm," she murmured. "And what if you become like your father when you fight?"
I stared at the horses ahead of us.
I had thought about that before.
It was a risk I wasn't willing to take.