True North

Astrid

I am on the last frayed string of my rope as we ride along, my chest heaving in pain.

At night, I think I hear Cassian. I reach out for him, but then his voice fades into the haze that keeps me asleep.

‘north…’ he keeps saying.

I don’t understand. Unless he’s trying to give me directions to the castle, which we were skillfully misguided on.

We don’t trust anyone on the road. Tasha must have