"They're at the gate?" Esme murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as her eyes widened in bewilderment.
Suddenly, Thadius's laughter cut through the tension, the sound raw and jagged, and each chuckle was weighed down by his pain. He groaned between the laughs, but still managed to lift his gaze to Donovan, a twisted sneer forming on his bloodstained lips.
"When the demons strike, everyone will think it's you who brought the disaster upon them," he hissed. "Your sudden appearance in the North, and the timing of the attack – it all fits perfectly, don't you think? The old rumors will rise from the ashes, and the people will turn against you once again. If the king dies tonight, they'll curse the very ground you walk on."
