Pearl’s POV
The carriage jolted as it slowed, the clatter of wheels grinding to a halt. I lifted my head from where I had been staring at my hands, my thoughts a storm of Demyan’s face, his vows, his armor disappearing into the horizon.
Outside, voices rose, urgent and hushed, the soldiers speaking to one another. The sound of horses pawing at the dirt filled the tense silence.
The door opened, and I saw her, my mother-in-law—already stepping down from her carriage with the help of a guard. Her deep red robes flowed behind her, catching the wind, her expression calm despite the danger that hung over us like a shadow.
I followed quickly, my skirts heavy as I climbed down, the cold air wrapping around me. The path was lined with more carriages, some carrying the elderly, some filled with
