She managed to ask without a quaver in her voice, “Are you hurt?”

“It’s not mine.”

Relief made her lightheaded. “And Morgan? I saw you signal Annwyn. You didn’t find him?”

“He got away.” He shook his head grimly. “I don’t know how he moved that fast, because he was wounded badly, and with silver arrows, no less. He must have had a vehicle parked nearby. We were hoping we would catch him before he reached it.”

“If he was wounded that badly with silver, that means he’ll be out of commission for a while, right?” She forced the tense muscles between her shoulder blades to relax. “So at least that’s something.”

“Yes. Healing spells and potions won’t help him. The bastard is going to be in a lot of pain over the next couple of months,” he said with savage satisfaction. He glanced back at the battlefield, and she did too.

“I had the impulse to help,” she said quietly. “But most of them don’t know who I am.”

“You’ve done more than enough already,” he told her. “I’ll have a couple of soldiers set up a tent for you, and you can go to bed.”

“Please don’t,” she said. “There’s too many wounded, not enough shelter, and you all have enough on your plate as it is. I’ll go to a hotel.”

At that, he turned his full attention onto her. “No, you’re not. You’re staying right here where I can keep an eye on you. Just wait here. I’ll send someone to get you when they have a tent set up.”

She coughed out an angry laugh. He was forbidding her to check into a hotel. Was there any point in having an argument over this? She was beyond her limit on patience and energy, and everything else.

After a moment, she said dryly, “Sure, Nik. Whatever you say.”

“What?” he snapped. “I don’t have time for this.” As he spoke, Annwyn called out his name from the direction of the house, and he raised a hand in answer.

“Of course you don’t, and I’m not arguing with you,” Sophie told him. She took a step back. “Go do what you need to do.”

He frowned at her. “We’ll talk about this later.”

She gave him a grim smile. “If you say so.”

She watched him lope across the lawn and join Annwyn. After a few moments, they both walked around to the back of the house.

Rubbing her tired face, Sophie assessed the gap between the fallen gate pillars. It looked like there would be room enough for a small car to pass through.

She limped over to Rowan, who was the nearest familiar face.

“I hate to bother you,” she told him. “But can you get someone to help you push the Mini out?”

With a frown, Rowan said, “Sure, if you want. Are you leaving?”

“There’s too many people here and not enough shelter,” she told him. “You—all of you—need time for a reunion, and with so many people you’re going to stretch the town’s resources too.” She paused. “I’m going to drive into Shrewsbury and check into a hotel.”

Rowan’s frown deepened. “Have you told Nikolas?”

“Yes, I did, and he forbade me to go,” she told him with such grim emphasis, his eyes widened.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean to actually forbid you,” Rowan said uncertainly.

“It doesn’t matter what he actually meant to do. What matters is what he said.” She gave him a tight smile. “So I’m drawing a line in the sand that he can’t cross. About that Mini.”

Rowan tapped two strapping men on the shoulder. Between the three of them, they pushed the Mini out the open double doors and over the rocky ground until they reached a section of the gravel drive that was still more or less level. She went back into the house one last time to make sure she had collected all her things, and Rowan helped her to carry her luggage to the car.

As she closed the boot, Rowan turned to her. “Are you sure I can’t talk you into staying?”

“No, you cannot,” she said steadily. “Morgan has been badly injured. The Hounds have been thoroughly crushed. This is the perfect time for me to go, and it’s not just a good decision for you—it’s the right decision for me. I’m going to shower and sleep in a clean bed. Check my email. Connect with my own life.” Then, remembering, she pulled the commander’s ring off her thumb and handed it to him. “Go be with your people. Mourn, celebrate, visit. Hug the friends you haven’t seen in decades. If anybody needs to reach me, my solicitor in Shrewsbury is Paul Shipman.” She gave him a small smile. “Take care of yourself.”

He pulled her into an awkward hug. “Get some rest.”

She patted his back. “You too.”

Now if only the damn car would start.

The engine purred to life on the first try. Carefully she drove between the gate pillars and pulled onto the road, and she didn’t quit driving until she reached Shrewsbury. Once there, she stopped at the first hotel she saw.

No, they didn’t have any available single rooms, the polite attendant told her when she stepped inside to ask. They did have a small, two-room suite if she was interested.

It was a splurge, but why the hell not? she thought. You only live once.

She signed where he asked her to sign, showed her passport and credit card, and tipped someone to bring up her luggage. Then, as dirty as she was, she fell fully clothed onto the clean double bed and plummeted into sleep.