The army camp rose in the fading light, a hasty ring of stakes and canvas around the still-flickering rift scar. Torches hissed against the dusk wind.
Aiden's legs barely held him as they reached the central command tent. His white hair stuck to his forehead in sweaty strands, blood and dirt streaked across his face.
Golden eyes looked dull, half-lidded with exhaustion. New fractures glowed faintly under his torn shirt, pulsing like cracks in heated glass.
The Empress didn't wait for help. She hooked one arm around his waist and half-carried him inside herself. The moment the tent flap dropped, she waved the guards and attendants out with a sharp gesture. "Leave us."
Silence fell. Only the distant clatter of soldiers setting watches remained.
She pushed Aiden down onto the low camp cot. Her movements were efficient but slow, deliberate. She unbuckled the damaged chest plate first, letting the metal clang to the ground.
